你没看错，今天，8月20日，是特别一天：世界蚊子日（World Mosquito Day），用来纪念蚊子的？！
其实是这位科学家为了纪念关于蚊子的重大发现。
1897年8月20日，英国微生物学家罗纳德·罗斯爵士（Sir Ronald Ross）打开了人类了解疟疾及其传播途径的大门，发现了蚊子是传播疟疾（malaria）的媒介，为此获得了1902年诺贝尔生理学和医学奖。
World Mosquito Day, created on 20 August 1897, marks a world changing discovery made by Sir Ronald Ross, a British doctor working in India who first made the link that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.
随后，为了纪念这一重大发现，规定每年的这一天为世界蚊子日，以此来提高公众对疟疾以及其它蚊子传播疾病的意识。
On unearthing[1] this breakthrough, Dr Ross declared that this day be known as World Mosquito Day, observed[2] on 20 August.
[1]unearth: 这里表示经过努力后对事实或者证据等的“发现；揭露”，英文解释为“If someone unearths facts or evidence, they discover them with difficulty.”
举个🌰
Other financial scandals are out there waiting to be unearthed.
其他金融丑闻正有待于被揭发。
此外，earth是“地球，泥土”的意思，unearth还可以指对埋藏于地下或遗失很久的东西的“发掘，出土，掘出，找到”。
举个🌰
More human remains have been unearthed in the north.
更多人类遗骸在北方挖掘出土。
[2]observe: 大家比较熟悉的意思是“观察，注意到”，它还可以表示“遵守，奉行（法律、规则或习俗）”，英文解释为“to obey a law, rule, or custom”；此处observe的是一个节日或者纪念日，可以理解为“过(节)，庆祝，纪念”等含义，英文解释为“If you observe an important day such as a holiday or anniversary, you do something special in order to honour or celebrate it.”
举个🌰
Do you observe Passover? 你们过逾越节吗？
He will observe Thanksgiving with family members.
他将与家人一起庆祝感恩节。serve
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Itching to celebrate World Mosquito Day? Today is the day.
世界蚊子日的到来让你痒痒吗？这个节日就在今天。
It commemorates the 1897 discovery of the role that the insects play in transmitting malaria, a disease that has long bedeviled[3] humanity, killing an estimated 429,000 people in 2015, according to the World Health Organization[世界卫生组织].
据世界卫生组织报道，设立这个节日是为了纪念1897年人们发现了昆虫在传播疟疾方面的作用。这种疾病长期以来折磨着人类，根据世界卫生组织的数据，在2015年，疟疾导致了约42.9万人死亡。
[3]bedevil: to cause a lot of problems and difficulties for someone or something over a period of time 搞糟，搅扰；使苦恼
His career was bedevilled by injury.
他的事业深受伤痛的困扰。
Once mosquitoes were identified as the carrier of malaria, strides were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
一旦蚊子被确认为携带疟疾，就要立即采取措施防止疾病传播。
One of the most effective tools for preventing its spread are nets treated with insecticide[4] that are placed around beds[5]. Between 2008 and 2010, 294 million nets were distributed in the sub-Saharan region of Africa[撒哈拉以南非洲], a high-risk area, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[疾病防控中心]. Immunizations and indoor spraying have also proved effective.
防止疾病蔓延的最有效的控制工具，是在河床四周围上用杀虫剂处理过的网。据疾病预防控制中心称，从2008年至2010年，2.94亿个防蚊网被派发到了非洲撒哈拉以南这个高风险地区。免疫治疗和在室内喷药也被证明是有效的。
[4]insecticide: a chemical substance used for killing insects 杀虫剂，杀虫药；还有一个词pesticide也指“杀虫剂”
pesticide: a chemical substance used to kill insects and small animals that destroy crops 杀虫剂，农药
[5]bed: 除了可以表示我们睡觉的“床”，还可以指“〔河、湖或海的〕底；（河）床”，英文解释为：“the flat ground at the bottom of a river, lake, or sea.”
此外，bed也可以表示“苗床；花圃；花坛”，比如“rose beds”玫瑰花坛。
Do mosquitoes prefer some people over others?
蚊子会喜欢一些人多过另一些吗？
Science suggests they do, as the insects are drawn to higher metabolism[6] rates, higher body temperatures and more sweat, among other factors.
科学证明，它们的确这样。因为昆虫会被代谢率更高的人吸引，体温较高、出汗更多也是吸引它们的一些因素。
[6]metabolism /mɛ'tæbəlɪzəm/
the chemical processes by which food is changed into energy in your body 新陈代谢
The best bet to fend them off[7] may be spray, as those citronella candles[香茅蜡烛] don't really work.
让蚊子退避三舍的最好办法可能是喷雾，香茅蜡烛其实没什么用。
[7]fend sb off: to push or send away an attacker or other unwanted person 抵挡，推开，击退
He managed to fend off his attackers with a stick.
他设法用一根棍子击退了攻击者。
来源：纽约时报
