Two freezers on opposite sides of the world could hold the keys to the end of mankind1. The Center for Disease2 Control in Atlanta and Vector in Russia have the last known samples of smallpox3. This disease began in ancient Greece and was done away with by the late 1970s.
Over the past few years, because of the rise in terrorism4, smallpox is finally getting the attention it deserves. If smallpox were used in an attack, experts fear that it could spread around the world within six weeks. They also believe that it could be more harmful than an nuclear bomb.
This month on National Geographic Channel, Outbreak5 Investigation6 looks into a case of smallpox in 1963. The disease was almost gone from Sweden, but a sailor brought it back into the country. For a month, Stockholm, the capital7, was closed off to the outside world because of this disease. Doctors had a hard time finding out why people were dying. The last thing that they suspected was the return of smallpox.
| 《Building Your Vocabulary》 |
1.opposite相反的；相對的
I thought this medicine would make me sleep, but it had the opposite effect.
我以為這種藥會使我入睡，但效果卻完全相反。
2.deserve應得
Do you think that you deserve this award?
妳覺得妳夠資格拿這份獎嗎？
3.harmful有害的
The sun can be harmful to your skin.
太陽對您的皮膚可能會造成傷害。
4.suspect懷疑；猜想
I suspect that Dave is dating my ex-girlfriend.
我懷疑戴夫在跟我的前女友約會。
vt. a. vt. a. 《Phrases for Learning》
1.do away with...擺脫∕廢止……
Let's do away with the dress code so we can wear more comfortable clothes to work.
咱們來廢除服裝規定，這樣我們就可以穿舒適點的衣服上班。
2.close off...隔絕∕封鎖……
Police quickly closed off the scene of the accident.
警方迅速封鎖了事故現場。《參考字詞》
1.mankind人類
2.disease疾病（本文中作形容詞用）
3.smallpox天花
4.terrorism恐怖主義；恐怖行動
5.outbreak爆發（本文中作形容詞用）
6.investigation研究，調查
7.capital首都；首府 n. n. n. n. n. n. n.
| 《TIPS IN USE》 |
The last thing that they suspected was the return of smallpox.
（他們最意想不到的，便是天花又死灰復燃。）
the last + 名詞 + that 子句∕to + 原形動詞
絕不可能是……，最不像是……
注意:
last 為形容詞，原本表『最後的』之意，此處則表『最不可能的』或『最不像的』，也就是『最後才輪到的』之意。
Claire is the last person (that) I expected to give me a hand.
（克萊兒是我最沒料到會來幫我的人。）
Henry is the last man to break his word.
（亨利絕不是不守承諾的人。）
相隔於世界兩地的兩台冰箱存有人類滅亡之鑰。亞特蘭大的疾病管制局及俄羅斯的 Vector 研究中心保有人們所知的最後一批天花樣本。這種疾病始於古希臘時代，在1970年代後期遭消滅。
過去幾年來，因恐怖主義的崛起，天花終於獲得應有的重視。假使天花用於攻擊行動上，專家擔心它會在六週內散佈全球。他們也相信天花所造成的傷害會比核彈還來得大。
本月國家地理頻道的《危機總動員》，將探討1963年發生的一起天花案例。這個疾病幾乎已在瑞典境內絕跡，但一名水手卻把它帶回國。因為此種疾病，首都斯德哥爾摩對外封閉了一個月。醫生一直找不出人們死亡的原因。他們最意想不到的，便是天花又死灰復燃。
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