New US Plan for Disease Prevention美国疾病预防新政策

　　Urging Americans to take responsibility for their health1 , Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson on Tuesday launched a $15 million program to try to encourage communities to do more to prevent chronic diseases like heart disease，cancer and diabetes.

　　周二，健康及人道服务部秘书托米汤姆森发起了一项耗资1 500万美元的计划，大力推 进社区在预防 诸如心脏病、癌症及糖尿病等慢性病上发挥更大能量，以鼓励美国人对自己的健 康负责。

　　The initiative highlights the cost of chronic diseases2— the leading causes of death in the United States —and outlines ways that people can prevent them，including better diet and increased exercise.

　　这一行动强调了慢性病——造成美国国人死亡的主要原因的代价，概括了预防疾病的途径， 包括改 善饮食和增加锻炼。

　　“In the United States today, 7 of 10 deaths and the vast majority of serious illness，disability and health care costs are caused by chronic diseases, " the Health and Human Services Department said in a statement.

　　卫生与公共服务部在报告中指出，今天，在美国70%的死亡、绝大多数重病、残疾及健康 医疗是由 慢性病造成的，绝大多数医疗费用也花在慢性病的治疗上。

　　The causes are often behavioral—smoking，poor eating habits and a lack of exercise.

　　原因往往是行为上的——吸烟、不良的饮食 习惯以及缺乏锻炼。

　　“ I am convinced that preventing disease by promoting better health is a smart policy choice for our future，”Thompson told a conference held to launch the initiative.

　　我确信通过增进健康来预防疾病是一项利在将来的精明之举。汤姆森在发起该倡议的会议上说。

　　“Our current health care system is not structured to deal with the escalating costs of treating diseases that are largely preventable through changes in our lifestyle choices. "

　　我们当前的健康医疗体系不是为应付治疗那些基本上可以通过改变生活方式来预防的疾病的费用 不断上涨而设立的。

　　Thompson said heart disease and strokes will cost the country more than $351 billion in 2003.

　　汤姆森说道，全国心脏病和中风将在2003年将要耗资3 510亿美元。

　　“These leading causes of death for men and women are largely preventable ，yet we as a nation are not taking the steps necessary for us to lead healthier, longer lives,”he said.

　　男性和女性死亡的主要病因都基本上可以预防，但是作为一个国家，我们却尚未采取必要 措施使人们生活得更为健康长寿。他说道。

　　The $ 15 million is slated to go to communities to promote prevention , pushing for changes as simple as building sidewalks to encourage people to walk more.

　　调拨1 500万美元给社区来推动预防工作，促使变化，细微到修建人行道，鼓励人们多多步行。

　　Daily exercise such as walking can prevent and even reverse heart disease and diabetes，and prevent cancer and strokes.

　　每天锻炼，比如走步，能够预防以及治疗心脏病和糖尿病，且能预防癌症和中风。

　　The money will also go to community organizations ，clinics and nutritionists who are being encouraged to work together to educate people at risk of diabetes about what they can do to prevent it and encourage more cancer screening.

　　这批款项也将拨给社区组织、诊所及营养师，鼓励他们合作，教育有患糖尿病风险的人们如 何进行预防，鼓励人们多做 早期癌症筛查。

　　The American Cancer Society estimates that half of all cancers can be caught by screening ，including Pap tests3 for cervical cancer, mammograms for breast cancer, colonoscopies, and prostate checks.

　　美国癌症学会估计，所有类型癌症的一半可用早期癌症筛查测出，包括针对宫颈癌的巴氏试验、针 对乳腺癌的乳房 X 线照片、结肠镜检查以及前列腺检查。

　　If such cancers were all caught by early screening, the group estimates that the survival rate for cancer would rise to 95 percent.

　　如果所有这些癌症都能够由早期筛查测出，该组织估计癌症存活率将上升到95%

　　词汇：

　　diabetes n糖尿病

　　initiative n 主动的行动，倡议

　　behavioral a行为方面的

　　escalate vi逐步上升;逐步增强

　　slate vt预定，规划

　　nutritionist n营养学家

　　cervical a子宫颈的

　　mammogram n乳房 X 射线照片

　　colonoscopy n结肠镜检查

　　prostate a前列腺的

　　注释：

　　1. take responsibility for their health ：对他们自己的健康负责

　　2. The initiative highlights the cost of chronic diseases … ：这一行动强调了慢性病的代价……

　　3. Pap test (= Papanicolaou test)：巴氏试验(一种检查早期癌变的方法)

　　练习：

　　1. Which of the following is NOT true of chronic diseases in the US?

　　A) They account for 70% of all deaths

　　B) They are responsible for most of the health care costs

　　C) They often result in unhealthy lifestyles

　　D) They are largely preventable

　　1. C 从文章的第三、六段分别可以看出，在美国，70%的死亡是由慢性病造成的，绝大多数医疗费用也花在慢性病的治疗上，而不健康的生活方式会引发慢性病，而不是慢性病引发不健康的生活方式。慢性病在很大程度上是可以预防的。

　　2. The author mentions all the following as ways of disease prevention EXCEPT .

　　A) better diet.

　　B) increased exercise

　　C) reduction on smoking

　　D) higher survival rate for cancer

　　2. D 从文章的第二、四段可以排除 A、B 和 C 三个选项。

　　3. The article indicates that more money spent on disease prevention will mean .

　　A) greater responsibility of the government

　　B) much less money needed for disease treatment

　　C) higher costs of health care

　　D) more 1ifestyle choices for people

　　3. B 从文章的第三、六、七段可以看出，慢性病的治疗花费极高。适当投资于疾病的预防可以大大减少这种花费。

　　4. The $ 15 million program is aimed at .

　　A) promoting disease prevention

　　B) building more sidewalks

　　C) helping needy communities

　　D) wiping out chronic diseases

　　4. A 从文章第一段可以看出，该项目的主要目的是促进疾病的预防。

　　5. Early cancer screening can help reduce significantly .

　　A) the death rates for all chronic diseases

　　B) the kinds of cancer attacking people

　　C) the cancer incidence rate

　　D) cancer death rate

　　5. D 从文章的最后一段可以看出，早期癌症筛查有助于大大提高癌症存活率，即大大降低癌症死亡率。