冠狀病毒原理解析與應對指南：英語精讀講義

In December 2019, the Chinese authorities notified the world that a virus was spreading through their communities.

2019年12月，中國相關部門向世界發出通報，一種病毒正在其社區傳播。

In the following months,

在接下來的幾個月裡，

it spread to other countries with cases doubling within days. 文法

它蔓延到了其他國家，病例數在幾天內就會翻倍。

This virus is the severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus 2

這種病毒是嚴重急性呼吸綜合症相關冠狀病毒2型，

that causes the disease called COVID-19

它引發的疾病被稱為COVID-19，

and that everyone simply calls coronavirus.

而大家一般直接叫它冠狀病毒。

What actually happens when it infects a human 表達脈絡

當它感染人類時，體內究竟會發生什麼？

and what should we all do?

而我們大家又該怎麼做呢？

A virus is really just a hull around genetic material and a few proteins,

病毒其實只是一層包裹著遺傳物質和少量蛋白質的外殼，

arguably not even a living thing.

甚至可以說它連生物都算不上。

It can only make more of itself by entering a living cell.

它只能透過進入活細胞來進行自我繁殖。

Corona may spread via surfaces,

冠狀病毒可以透過物體表面傳播，

but it's still uncertain how long it can survive on them.

但它能在這些表面存活多久仍不確定。

Its main way of spreading seems to be droplet infection,

它的主要傳播途徑似乎是飛沫傳染，

when people cough or if you touch someone who's ill and then your face,

也就是當人們咳嗽，或者你接觸了病患後再去碰自己的臉，

say rubbing your eyes or nose.

比如揉眼睛或揉鼻子。

The virus starts its journey here

病毒就從這裡開始它的旅程，

and then hitches a ride as a stowaway deeper into the body. 慣用語

然後像偷渡客一樣潛入身體深處。

Its destinations are the intestines,

它的目的地是腸道、

the spleen or the lungs,

脾臟或肺部，

where it can have the most dramatic effect.

在那裡它可以造成最嚴重的影響。

Even just a few coronaviruses can cause quite a dramatic situation.

即使只有少數幾個冠狀病毒，也能引發相當嚴峻的情況。

The lungs are lined with billions of epithelial cells.

肺部內層分佈著數十億個上皮細胞。

These are the border cells of your body,

這些是你身體的邊界細胞，

lining your organs and mucosa,

覆蓋在你的器官和黏膜表面，

waiting to be infected.

等待著被感染。

Corona connects to a specific receptor on its victim's membranes

冠狀病毒會連接到受害者細胞膜上的特定受體，

to inject its genetic material.

從而注入它的遺傳物質。

The cell, ignorant of what's happening, 用詞

細胞對發生的事情一無所知，

executes the new instructions,

它開始執行新的指令，

which are pretty simple,

這些指令非常簡單：

copy and reassemble.

複製並重新組裝。

It fills up with more and more copies of the original virus

細胞裡充滿了越來越多原始病毒的複製品，

until it reaches a critical point

直到達到一個臨界點，

and receives one final order,

然後收到最後一道命令：

self-destruct.

自毀。

The cell sort of melts away,

這個細胞就像是融化了一樣，

releasing new corona particles,

釋放出新的冠狀病毒顆粒，

ready to attack more cells.

準備好去攻擊更多的細胞。

The number of infected cells grows exponentially. 片語搭配

受感染的細胞數量呈指數級增長。

After about 10 days,

大約10天後，

millions of body cells are infected

數以百萬計的體細胞被感染，

and billions of viruses swarmed the lungs.

數十億的病毒在肺部肆虐。

The virus has not caused too much damage yet,

目前病毒本身還沒有造成太大的破壞，

but corona is now going to release a real beast on you, 慣用語

但冠狀病毒現在要向你釋放一頭真正的猛獸：

your own immune system.

你自身的免疫系統。

The immune system,

免疫系統

while there to protect you, 文法

雖然在那裡是為了保護你，

can actually be pretty dangerous to yourself

但實際上可能對你自己非常危險，

and needs tight regulation.

需要嚴格的調控。

And as immune cells pour into the lungs to fight the virus, 慣用語

當免疫細胞湧入肺部去對抗病毒時，

corona infects some of them and creates confusion.

冠狀病毒會感染其中一部分細胞，並製造混亂。

Cells have neither ears nor eyes, 文法

細胞既沒有耳朵也沒有眼睛，

they can communicate mostly via tiny information proteins called cytokines.

它們主要透過被稱為細胞激素的微小訊息蛋白進行交流。

Nearly every important immune reaction is controlled by them.

幾乎每一個重要的免疫反應都是由它們控制的。

Corona causes infected immune cells to overreact

冠狀病毒導致受感染的免疫細胞反應過度，

and yell bloody murder. 慣用語

並且像瘋了一樣大喊救命。

In a sense,

從某種意義上說，

it puts the immune system into a fighting frenzy

它讓免疫系統陷入了戰鬥狂熱，

and sends way more soldiers than it should, 文法

並派出了遠超所需的士兵，

wasting its resources and causing damage.

浪費了資源並造成了破壞。

Two kinds of cells in particular wreak havoc. 慣用語

特別是兩種細胞造成了嚴重破壞。

First, neutrophils,

首先是嗜中性白血球，

which are great at killing stuff,

它們非常擅長消滅東西，

including our cells

包括我們自己的細胞。

As they arrive in their thousands,

當它們成千上萬地到達時，

they start pumping out enzymes 片語動詞

它們開始泵出酶，

that destroy as many friends as enemies. 文法

殺死的同伴和敵人一樣多。

The other important type of cells that go into a frenzy

另一種陷入狂熱的重要細胞類型

are killer T cells,

是殺手T細胞，

which usually order infected cells to commit controlled suicide.

它們通常會命令受感染的細胞進行受控的自殺。

Confused as they are, 文法

由於陷入了混亂，

they start ordering healthy cells to kill themselves too.

它們開始命令健康的細胞也自殺。

The more and more immune cells arrive,

到達的免疫細胞越多，

the more damage they do

它們造成的破壞就越大，

and the more healthy lung tissue they kill.

殺死的健康肺組織也就越多。

This might get so bad

情況可能會變得非常糟糕，

that it can cause permanent irreversible damage

以至於造成永久性、不可逆的損傷，

that leads to lifelong disabilities.

從而導致終身殘疾。

In most cases,

在大多數情況下，

the immune system slowly regains control.

免疫系統會慢慢重新奪回控制權。

It kills the infected cells,

它殺死受感染的細胞，

intercepts the viruses trying to infect new ones,

攔截試圖感染新細胞的病毒，

and cleans up the battlefield. 慣用語

並清理戰場。

Recovery begins.

恢復開始了。

The majority of people infected by corona

大多數感染冠狀病毒的人

will get through it with relatively mild symptoms. 片語動詞

將以相對輕微的症狀挺過去。

But many cases become severe or even critical.

但許多病例會變得嚴重甚至危重。

We don't know the percentage

我們不知道確切的比例，

because not all cases have been identified,

因為並非所有病例都已被確認，

but it's safe to say that there is a lot more than with the flu. 片語搭配

但可以肯定地說，這比流感要多得多。

In more severe cases,

在更嚴重的病例中，

millions of epithelial cells have died

數以百萬計的上皮細胞已經死亡，

and with them the lungs' protective lining is gone.

隨之而來的是肺部的保護層消失了。

That means that the alveoli, 用詞

這意味著肺泡，

tiny air sacs via which breathing occurs,

即進行呼吸的微小氣囊，

can be infected by bacteria

可能會感染某些細菌，

that aren't usually a big problem.

而這些細菌通常不會造成大問題。

Patients get pneumonia,

患者會得肺炎，

respiration becomes hard or even fails,

呼吸變得困難甚至衰竭，

and patients need ventilators to survive.

患者需要呼吸器才能活下來。

The immune system has fought at full capacity for weeks 片語搭配

免疫系統已經全力作戰了數週，

and made millions of antiviral weapons.

製造了數以百萬計的抗病毒武器。

And as thousands of bacteria rapidly multiply,

隨著成千上萬的細菌迅速繁殖，

it is overwhelmed.

它被擊垮了。

They enter the blood and overrun the body. 慣用語

它們進入血液並席捲全身。

If this happens,

如果發生這種情況，

death is very likely.

死亡的可能性非常大。

The coronavirus is often compared to the flu,

冠狀病毒經常被拿來與流感作比較，

but actually it's much more dangerous.

但實際上它要危險得多。

While the exact death rate is hard to pin down during an ongoing pandemic, 片語動詞

雖然在持續的疫情大流行期間很難確定準確的死亡率，

we know for sure that it's much more contagious

但我們確信它比流感更具傳染性，

and spreads faster than the flu.

而且傳播速度更快。

There are two futures for a pandemic like corona,

像冠狀病毒這樣的大流行有兩種未來：

fast and slow.

快速或緩慢。

Which future we will see

我們將看到哪種未來，

depends on how we all react to it in the early days of the outbreak.

取決於我們在疫情爆發初期的反應。

A fast pandemic will be horrible and cost many lives. 片語搭配

快速爆發的大流行將是可怕的，並奪走許多生命。

A slow pandemic will not be remembered by the history books.

緩慢發展的大流行則不會被載入史冊。

The worst-case scenario for a fast pandemic 片語搭配

快速大流行最壞的情況

begins with a very rapid rate of infection

是從非常快的感染率開始的，

because there are no counter measures in place to slow it down. 講解

因為沒有採取任何反制措施來減緩它。

Why is this so bad?

為什麼這這麼糟糕？

In a fast pandemic,

在快速大流行中，

many people get sick at the same time.

許多人在同一時間生病。

If the numbers get too large,

如果人數太多，

health care systems become unable to handle it.

醫療系統將無法應對。

There aren't enough resources like medical staff

沒有足夠的資源（如醫務人員），

or equipment like ventilators left to help everybody.

也沒有足夠的設備（如呼吸器）來救助每一個人。

People will die untreated.

人們將因為得不到治療而死亡。

And as more health care workers get sick themselves,

隨著越來越多的醫護人員自己也病倒了，

the capacity of health care systems falls even further.

醫療系統的能力將進一步下降。

If this becomes the case, 片語搭配

如果變成這樣，

then horrible decisions will have to be made

就必須做出極其艱難的決定，

about who gets to live and who doesn't. 用詞

決定誰能活下來，誰不能。

The number of deaths rises significantly in such a scenario.

在這種情況下，死亡人數會大幅上升。

To avoid this,

為了避免這種情況，

the world, that means all of us,

世界，也就是說我們所有人，

needs to do what it can to turn this into a slow pandemic. 片語搭配

需要盡己所能，將其變成一場緩慢的大流行。

A pandemic is slowed down by the right responses,

大流行可以透過正確的應對措施來減緩，

especially in the early phase,

尤其是在早期階段，

so that everyone who gets sick can get treatment 文法

這樣每個生病的人都能得到治療，

and there's no crunch point with overwhelmed hospitals. 用詞

也不會出現醫院不堪重負的崩潰點。

Since we don't have a vaccine for corona,

既然我們沒有針對冠狀病毒的疫苗，

we have to socially engineer our behavior to act like a social vaccine. 講解

我們就必須在社會層面上規劃我們的行為，讓其發揮「社會疫苗」的作用。

This simply means two things: 表達脈絡

這簡單來說意味著兩件事：

not getting infected and not infecting others.

不被感染和不感染別人。

Although it sounds trivial,

雖然聽起來微不足道，

the very best thing you can do is to wash your hands.

但你能做的最好的一件事就是洗手。

Soap is actually a powerful tool.

肥皂實際上是一種強大的工具。

The coronavirus is encased in what is basically a layer of fat.

冠狀病毒被包裹在基本上是一層脂肪的物質中。

Soap breaks that fat apart

肥皂能分解這層脂肪，

and leaves it unable to infect you. 文法

使其無法感染你。

It also makes your hands slippery

它還能讓你的手變得潤滑，

and with the mechanical motions of washing,

透過洗手的機械動作，

viruses are ripped away.

病毒就被沖走了。

To do it properly,

為了正確洗手，

wash your hands as if you've just cut up some jalapeños 文法

要像你剛切完墨西哥辣椒，

and want to put in your contacts next.

然後馬上要戴隱形眼鏡那樣去洗手。

The next thing is social distancing,

下一件事是保持社交距離，

which is not a nice experience,

這不是一種愉快的體驗，

but a nice thing to do.

但這卻是一件好事。

This means no hugging,

這意味著不要擁抱，

no handshakes.

不要握手。

If you can stay at home,

如果你能待在家裡，

stay at home to protect those who need to be out for society to function, 文法

請待在家裡，以保護那些為了維持社會運轉而必須外出的人，

from doctors to cashiers or police officers.

從醫生到收銀員或警察。

You depend on all of them. 表達脈絡

你依賴他們所有人。

They all depend on you to not get sick.

他們也都依賴你不生病。

On a larger level,

在更大層面上，

there are quarantines,

還有隔離措施，

which can mean different things

這可以意味著不同的事情，

from travel restrictions or actual orders to stay at home.

從旅行限制到實際的居家命令。

Quarantines are not great to experience

隔離的體驗並不好，

and certainly not popular,

當然也不受歡迎，

but they buy us 慣用語

但它們能為我們，

and especially the researchers working on medication and vaccinations

尤其是為研發藥物和疫苗的研究人員，

crucial time.

贏得至關重要的時間。

So if you are put under quarantine, 用詞

所以如果你被隔離了，

you should understand why and respect it.

你應該理解原因並遵守它。

None of this is fun,

這些都不好玩，

but looking at the big picture, 慣用語

但從大局來看，

it is a really small price to pay. 慣用語

這真的是一個非常小的代價。

The question of how pandemics end 文法

大流行將如何結束，

depends on how they start.

取決於它們如何開始。

If they start fast with a steep slope,

如果它們以陡峭的曲線上升並快速開始，

they end badly.

結局會很慘。

If they start slow with a not so steep slope,

如果它們以不太陡峭的曲線緩慢開始，

they end okayish. 用詞

結局還算過得去。

And in this day and age, 慣用語

而在當今這個時代，

it really is in all of our hands, 慣用語

這確實掌握在我們所有人的手中，

literally and figuratively.

無論是字面上還是比喻意義上。

A huge thanks to the experts who helped us on short notice with this video, 片語搭配

非常感謝專家們在短時間內為本影片提供幫助，

especially Our World in Data,

特別是Our World in Data，

the online publication for research and data on the world's largest problems

這是一家針對世界上最大的問題，

and how to make progress solving them.

以及如何在解決這些問題上取得進展提供研究和數據的線上出版物。

Check out their site.

請訪問他們的網站。

It also includes a constantly updated page on the corona pandemic.

其中還包括一個不斷更新的關於冠狀病毒大流行的頁面。