Lesson 17-2 A man-made disease
It effectively spread the disease all over the continent and drastically reduced the rabbit population. It later became apparent that rabbits were developing a degree of resistance to this disease, so that the rabbit population was unlikely to be completely exterminated. There were hopes, however, that the problem of the rabbit would become manageable.
Ironically, Europe, which had bequeathed the rabbit as a pest to Australia, acquired this man-made disease as a pestilence. A French physician decided to get rid of the wild rabbits on his own estate and introduced myxomatosis. It did not, however, remain within the confines of his estate. It spread through France, Where wild rabbits are not generally regarded as a pest but as sport and a useful food supply, and it spread to Britain where wild rabbits are regarded as a pest but where domesticated rabbits, equally susceptible to the disease, are the basis of a profitable fur industry. The question became one of whether Man could control the disease he had invented.
drastic /ˈdræstɪk/ 急剧的;激烈的; drastically
resistance /rɪˈzɪstəns/ 抵抗;抵制; 抵抗力
develop a degree of resistance to this disease 对这种疾病产生一定程度的免疫力
exterminate /ɪkˈstɜːrmɪneɪt/ 灭绝;消灭;毁灭
manageable /ˈmænɪdʒəbl/ 可管理的;可处理的;可操纵的
ironically /aɪˈrɑːnɪkli/ 讽刺的是;具有讽刺意味的是;令人哭笑不得的是;
bequeath /bɪˈkwiːð/ 把…遗赠给, 把。。。传给
pest /pest/ 害虫;讨厌的人
pestilence /ˈpestɪləns/ 瘟疫
acquire /əˈkwaɪər/ )获得;得到;购得
physician /fɪˈzɪʃn/ 内科医生
estate /ɪˈsteɪt/ 大片私有土地，庄园
confine /kənˈfaɪn/ 范围、限制;监禁;限定;
domesticate /dəˈmestɪkeɪt/ 驯化;驯养(动物);
profitable /ˈprɑːfɪtəbl/ 赢利的;有利可图的;有益的;
