The Economist
Diseased marsupials 树袋熊生性病
A koalossal problem
小考拉的大麻烦*
SYDNEY
Australian scientists are jabbing koalas against chlamy-
dia 澳大利亚的科学家正在给考拉接种防治衣原体病的疫苗
Hard to bear 苦不堪言的小树袋熊
W
HEN BRITISH colonists first came to Aus-
tralia they brought with them, among
other delights, a bouquet of venereal diseases. They
introduced Aboriginals to syphilis and gonorrhoea.
Not even Australia’s wildlife was spared. The Eu-
ropeans shipped in sheep and cattle infected with
chlamydia. Scientists suspect that it jumped between
species: koalas are now riddled with the disease. In
some colonies, every animal tests positive. Only a
couple of wild populations are free of it.
英国殖民者第一次踏足澳大利亚时，随身携带的不仅有各色珍奇，还有五花八门
的性病。他们让澳大利亚土著人染上梅毒和淋病。甚至连澳大利亚的野生动物也
没逃过这劳什子的祸害。欧洲人运来的牛羊本身就感染有衣原体病菌。据科学家
猜测，这类衣原体病菌跨物种传播：树袋熊群体正饱受这种疾病的困扰。在某些
种群中，所有动物均测出阳性。只有少数野生种群幸免此劫。
2
This is more than just a matter of† embarrassment
* 译文由微信公众号【每天一篇经济学人】团队翻译提供
† a matter of sth 关乎⋯的事情 SYN problem, affair That’s not a problem. It’s
simply a matter of letting people know in time. 这没问题。不就是及时通知大家么。
more than just a matter of sth 不仅仅关乎...
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病魔衣原体：拯救考拉计划 (425 words)
选自 The Economist-20220507 期「Asia」
diseased adj. 有病的; 患病的 SYN sick
marsupial /mɑːˈsuːpiәl/ n. 有袋类动物 (如澳大利亚的袋鼠和树袋
熊)
koala /kәʊˈɑːlә/ n. 树袋熊; 考拉
colossal /kәˈlɒsl/ adj. extremely large 巨大的; 庞大的
SYN massive, enormous
标题运用谐音梗, 一语双关, 既点出主题与考拉 (koala) 有关, 也反
映出相关问题的严重程度 (colossal)。
Australian /ɒˈstreɪliәn/ adj. 澳大利亚的
jab /dʒæb/ v. to push a pointed object into sb/sth 戳; 刺 (在文中指
打针) SYN inject, inoculate
jab/vaccinate/inoculate sb against sth 接种防治... 的疫苗
chlamydia /klәˈmɪdiә/ n. 衣原体病 (一种通过与病患者性交而传染
的疾病)
bear ① n. 熊 (在文中特指树袋熊) ② v. to be able to accept and
deal with sth unpleasant 承受; 忍受 SYN stand, endure
colonist /ˈkɒlәnɪst/ n. 殖民者 colony /ˈkɒlәni/ n. 殖民地
bring sth with them 结构中, 若宾语 sth 过长, 可后置处理成
bring with them sth
among other things/places/factors etc 除了其他东西/地方/因素
等
delight n. [C] sth that gives you great pleasure 乐事; 乐趣 SYN joy
- the delights of living in the country 生活在乡村的乐趣
bouquet /buˈkeɪ/ n. 一串; 一束 SYN bunch
venereal /vәˈnɪәriәl/ adj. 性病的; 性交传染的
- a venereal disease/infection 性传染病
introduce v. to bring a disease to a place for the first time 传入
(疾病) SYN expose Diseases were inadvertently introduced into the
environment by settlers. 定居者无意中将疾病引入环境。
Aboriginal /ˌæbәˈrɪdʒәnl/ n. (尤指澳大利亚的) 土著, 土人
syphilis /ˈsɪfɪlɪs/ n. 梅毒
gonorrhoea /ˌɡɒnәˈrɪә/ n. 淋病
spare v. to save sb/yourself from having to go through an
unpleasant experience 省得; 免去 (痛苦或麻烦) SYN exempt
She was spared from the ordeal of appearing in court. 她无须出庭受折磨了。
European n. 欧洲人
ship v. to send or transport sb/sth by ship or by another means of
transport 船运; 运输
The company ships its goods all over the world. 公司把货物运往世界各地。
sheep and cattle 牛羊
species /ˈspiːʃiːz/ n. 种, 物种
be riddled with sth to be full of sth, especially sth bad or
unpleasant 充满; 充斥 SYN be rife with
His body was riddled with cancer. 癌瘤遍布他的全身
colony n. (同一地区生长的植物或动物) 群, 群体, 集落 SYN cluster
-an ant colony 蚁群 -a colony of bacteria 菌群
positive adj. 阳性的; 证明... 存在的
- athletes who had tested positive for banned substances 禁用药品检测呈阳
性的运动员
a couple of sth a small number of people or things 少数几个人或
事物 SYN a few
wild population 野生种群, 野生群体 SYN wildlife
be free of/from sth not containing or affected by sth harmful or
unpleasant 不受⋯伤害 (或影响等的) SYN be spared from sth
It was several weeks before he was completely free of pain. 过了几星期他的
疼痛才完全消除。
embarrassment /ɪmˈbærәsmәnt/ n. a feeling of being embarrassed
窘迫; 难堪 SYN awkwardness, shame
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 The Economist
in polite marsupial society. Chlamydia causes con-
junctivitis, which can blind a koala. Worse is a
brown bottom. That implies that the disease has led
to a bad urinary infection and incontinence. Those
animals are hard to save, says Michael Pyne, a vet at
Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland. Often
the infection spreads to the kidneys, leading to renal
failure. Many survivors are left infertile.
对于树袋熊这类动物界名门望族来说，染上性病可不仅仅有失颜面——衣原体病
还会引发结膜炎，导致双目失明。更糟糕的是“红屁屁”症：这意味着衣原体病已
经引发严重的泌尿感染与失禁。昆士兰州的可伦宾野生动物医院兽医迈克尔·派
恩（Michael Pyne）表示无力回天、难以拯救这些动物。病菌通常会扩散到肾脏，
导致肾功能衰竭。许多存活下来的动物会终生不孕不育。
3
Australia’s iconic “bear” has plenty of other prob-
lems, too. Koala numbers in Queensland and New
South Wales have fallen by at least half this century.
The decline is so steep the federal government re-
cently listed them as endangered* . Their habitats
have been ripped up for development and burnt
down in bushfires. They are regularly hit by cars
and attacked by dogs. Yet chlamydia is one of their
biggest killers, and growing.
澳大利亚的团宠“树袋熊”同时面临着诸多其他问题。昆士兰州和新南威尔士州的
树袋熊数量在本世纪至少减少了一半。由于这些宝贝数量骤跌，联邦政府于近日
将树袋熊列为濒危物种。人类开发行为和森林烈火破坏了它们的栖息地。树袋熊
还经常遭受车辆撞击以及犬类攻击。然而，衣原体仍是威胁树袋熊存亡的最凶猛
的杀手，而且还愈发凶残。
* The decline is so steep (that) the federal government recently listed them
as endangered. 结果状语从句的关系词 that 有时可省。so...that 是关联从属
连词, 意为“如此.... 以致”。so 属于主句部分, 后多接形容词或副词, 也可接动词,
说明主语的状态或动作方式; that 引导从句表示某种结果, that 在口语中常可省
去。
The mountain-climber is so badly injured that he might die. 那登山人伤得那么重, 可能活不成
了。
The fear so overcame her (that) she trembled all over. 她非常害怕, 浑身抖个不停。
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in polite society/circles/company 在有教养的阶层 (常为幽默用
法) You can’t use words like that in polite company. 在有教养的人面前你不能
使用那样的词语。
conjunctivitis /kәnˌdʒʌŋktɪˈvaɪtɪs/ n. [眼科] 结膜炎
blind v. to permanently destroy sb’s ability to see 使变瞎; 使失明
worse n. [U] more problems or bad news 更多的问题; 更坏的消息
I’m afraid there is worse to come. 恐怕更糟的还在后头呢。
Worse is sth 是 sth is worse. 的倒装表述, 强调表语：更糟糕/棘手
的是⋯⋯
bottom n. 屁股; 臀部 SYN backside, behind
brown bottom 考拉容易感染的湿屁股疾病 (一种肾脏和泌尿系统
疾病)
lead to sth to have sth as a result 导致, 造成 (后果) SYN result in
urinary /ˈjʊәrɪnәri/ adj. 泌尿器官的
incontinence /ɪnˈkɒntɪnәns/ n. (大小便的) 失禁
vet n. 兽医
Currumbin 库伦宾 (位于澳洲黄金海岸)
Queensland /ˈkwiːnzlәnd/ n. 昆士兰 (澳大利亚州)
kidney /ˈkɪdni/ n. 肾; 肾脏
renal /ˈriːnl/ adj. 肾脏的; 与肾脏相关的 renal failure 肾衰竭
leave v. to make or allow sb/sth to remain in a particular
condition, place, etc. 让⋯处于 (某种状态等) SYN make, render
The bomb blast left 25 people dead. 那颗炸弹炸死了 25 个人
infertile /ɪnˈfɜːtaɪl/ adj. not able to have babies or produce young
不育的 SYN sterile
iconic /aɪˈkɒnɪk/ adj. acting as a sign or symbol of sth 符号的; 图
符的 SYN symbolic
plenty of sth 大量; 众多 SYN a large amount of
New South Wales n. 新南威尔士州 (澳大利亚州名)
steep adj. sudden and very big 急剧的; 大起大落的 SYN sharp
- a steep decline in the birth rate 出生率的骤降
endanger v. to put sb/sth in a situation in which they could be
harmed or damaged 危及; 危害 SYN jeopardize, imperil
endangered species 濒危物种
habitat n. (动植物的) 生活环境, 栖息地
rip sth up to tear sth into small pieces 把某物撕碎; 摧毁 SYN tear
sth up He ripped up the letter and threw it in the fire. 他把信撕碎, 扔到炉子
里。
burn sth down to be destroyed, or to destroy sth, by fire (被) 焚毁
The house burned down in 1895. 那房子在 1895 年烧毁了。
bushfire n. 丛林大火; 森林火灾
Yet chlamydia is one of their biggest killers, and (it=chlamydia
is) growing. 后半句进行了语篇省略, 省略与前半句相同的主语与
助动词。
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 The Economist
4
It is not just that randy koalas are spreading disease
the old-fashioned way. Females feed their joeys a
kind of faeces called “pap” to pass on nutrients from
eucalyptus leaves. That transmits the infection, too.
Koalas do not respond well to antibiotics, which dis-
rupt the bacteria they need to break down food.
树袋熊不仅仅通过传统方式（即性交）传播疾病。为了输送桉树叶营养，母熊用
“流质”排泄物来喂养幼崽。这也会传播病菌。此外，树袋熊对抗生素反应不良，原
因是抗生素会破坏它们消化食物所需的菌群。
5
Help may be coming in the form of vaccines. Com-
peting teams at two Queensland universities have
spent years developing jabs for koala chlamydia.
Both are now testing them in wild populations. A
single-shot vaccine, created by the University of the
Sunshine Coast, is being administered to some
1,000 animals in Queensland and New South Wales.
Early results suggested that it is about 70% effective
at preventing the disease, says Samuel Phillips, one
of the researchers. Hundreds more koalas are be-
ing given a double-shot vaccine by the Queensland
University of Technology and Currumbin Wildlife
Hospital.
疫苗也许是一种有效的防御方式。昆士兰两所大学的“友商”团队花了数年时间研
发应对树袋熊衣原体病的疫苗。两支队伍目前正在野生种群中进行疫苗测试。在
昆士兰州和新南威尔士州，约有 1000 只动物正在接种阳光海岸大学研制的单针
剂疫苗。研究人员之一塞缪尔·菲利普斯（Samuel Phillips）表示，早期结果表
明该疫苗的防疫有效性约为 70%。另有数百只树袋熊目前正在接种昆士兰科技
大学和可伦宾野生动物医院的两针剂疫苗。
6
Mass vaccination is still a long way off. Inoculat-
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just adv. simply 只是; 仅仅是
It’s just that 问题恰恰是...
I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just that I had to tell somebody. 我本不想烦
你, 只是我非得找个人说说。
It’s not (simply/just) that 并不 (仅仅) 是因为⋯⋯
It’s not that I didn’t want to be with my family. 并不是我不想和家人在一起。
It’s not just that a gulf exists in living standards —there’s a psychological
ravine. 不仅仅是生活水平上存在巨大差异, 心理上也有鸿沟。
randy /ˈrændi/ adj. sexually excited 性兴奋的; 性欲冲动的
old-fashioned adj. 旧式的 SYN old-style, traditional
joey /ˈdʒәʊi/ n. 幼崽
faeces /ˈfiːsiːz/ n. 粪便 SYN excrement
pap /pæp/ n. 软食, 流食
pass sth on (to sb) to give sth to sb else, especially after receiving
it or using it yourself 递给, 传给 SYN deliver, transmit
I passed your message on to my mother. 我把你的留言转给我妈了。
nutrient /ˈnjuːtriәnt/ n. 营养素; 营养物
eucalyptus /ˌjuːkәˈlɪptәs/ n. 桉树 (尤产于澳大拉西亚)
transmit v. to pass sth from one person to another 传播; 传染
SYN spread
respond (well) to sth to improve as a result of a particular kind
of treatment 有改进; 见起色; 显出效果 OPPO react badly to
The infection did not respond to the drugs. 这些药物对感染没有起作用。
antibiotic /ˌæntibaɪˈɒtɪk/ n. 抗菌素; 抗生素
disrupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/ v. to make it difficult for sth to continue in the
normal way 扰乱; 打乱 SYN interrupt, disturb
bacteria /bækˈtɪәriә/ n. 细菌
break sth down to make a substance separate into parts or
change into a different form in a chemical process 使分解 (为)
SYN decompose, digest
Sugar and starch are broken down in the stomach. 糖和淀粉在胃里被分解。
vaccine /ˈvæksiːn/ n. 疫苗
vaccinate /ˈvæksɪneɪt/ v. 给... 接种疫苗
vaccination /ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃn/ n. 疫苗接种
competing products/brands/companies etc 相互竞争的产品/品
牌/公司等
spend days/months/hours/years etc doing sth 花了 (⋯⋯时间)
做某事
jab n. 注射; 接种; 预防针 SYN injection, shot
shot n. 注射
- a flu jab/shot 流感预防针
sth is being administered to sb 是被动结构 sth be administered
to sb 的进行时用法, 某物正用于某人身上, 某人正在接受某物; 同
下文的 sb are being given sth
administer v. to give drugs, medicine, etc. to sb 给予, 施用 (药物
等)
The dose was administered to the child. 已给那孩子注射了这一剂量。
some adv. 大约, 差不多 SYN approximately
Some thirty people attended the funeral. 大约有三十人参加了葬礼。
mass vaccination 群体免疫; 大规模疫苗接种
a long way very much, far, or a great amount or degree 很大程度
上
off adv. away from a place; at a distance in space or time 距, 离
be (still) a long way off/far off/far away 还有很长的路要走; 还
很难实现
Summer’s not far off now. 夏天已近在眼前了。
A solution is still some way off. 解决办法尚需时日。
Success is still a long way off. 离成功还远着呢。
inoculate /ɪˈnɒkjuleɪt/ v. (给⋯) 接种, 打预防针 SYN immunize,
vaccinate
The Economist Asia

ing every wild koala would in any case be impossi-
ble. The creatures would first have to be found (they
are not exactly conspicuous) before being coaxed out
of trees. Yet chlamydia does not spread as virulently
as, for example, covid-19. Vaccinating just 10% of a
breeding population annually might be enough to
stem infections.
大规模免疫接种仍道阻且长。给每一只野生树袋熊都接种疫苗实在是痴人说梦。
首先要能发现这些树袋熊（它们可算不得“俯拾皆是”）
，然后才谈得上将它们引下
树。然而，衣原体的传播并不像新冠病毒那般肆虐。每年给 10% 的繁殖种群接种
疫苗可能便足以抑制病情传播。
in any case whatever happens or may have happened 无论如何;
不管怎样 SYN anyway
There’s no point complaining now—we’re leaving tomorrow in any case.
现在抱怨毫无意义, 不管怎样我们明天都要离开。
not exactly 根本不; 决不; 一点也不 SYN by no means, in no way
It’s not exactly beautiful, is it? (= it’s ugly) 这一点也不美，是吗？
conspicuous /kәnˈspɪkjuәs/ adj. easy to see or notice; likely to
attract attention 易见的; 明显的; 惹人注意的 SYN prominent,
noticeable
coax /kәʊks/ v. to persuade sb to do sth by talking to them in a
kind and gentle way 哄劝; 劝诱 SYN cajole, induce
She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. 她哄着那匹马让它再靠近了一
点。
virulent /ˈvɪrәlәnt/ adj. extremely dangerous or harmful and
quick to have an effect 致命的; 恶性的 SYN malignant,
pernicious virulently adv.
covid-19 abbr. corona-virus disease 2019 新冠病毒
breeding population [生物] 繁殖种群
annually adv. once a year 一年一次地
stem /stem/ v. to stop sth that is flowing from spreading or
increasing 阻止; 遏止 SYN block, discourage
The government had failed to stem the tide of factory closures. 政府没有控
制住工厂纷纷倒闭的势头。

全文梳理

【para1】病情溯源: 英国殖民者曾携带病菌到达澳大利亚，导致性病
在各类牲畜（包括树袋熊）之间广泛传染。
【para2】健康威胁: 衣原体病会引发结膜炎、严重的泌尿感染和失禁，
甚至演变成肾功能衰竭和不孕不育问题。
【para3】危机四伏: 澳大利亚考拉在多方威胁下变成濒危物种，衣原
体是罪魁祸首之一。
【para4】传染路径: 考拉不仅通过性交传播病菌，母熊在用流食排泄
物喂养幼崽时也会产生传染；此外考拉也无法通过抗菌素免疫。
【para5】疫苗研发: 专家学者正致力于研发防治动物性病的疫苗，已
进行首批动物试验，成效显著，目前正对部分考拉开展接种工作。
【para6】免疫目标: 大规模考拉群体免疫难以实现，不过每年接种
10% 的繁殖种群即可抑制病情传播。

活学活用 | 汉译英 (2 选 1)

1. 如果一条短信充斥着拼写错误和语法错误，或者看起来很离谱，那
么这可能有诈。（*be riddled with）
If a text message is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, or
seems out of line, then it’s likely a scam.
2. 当大火席卷山谷时，救援人员的首要任务是帮助人们撤离，而不
是拯救建筑物。（*rip up）
As the fire ripped up the valley, rescuers’top priority is helping peo-
ple evacuate, not saving buildings.

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 每天一篇经济学人阅读训练营

✅【para4】Koalas do not respond well to antibiotics, which disrupt the bacteria they need to break
down food.
💡本段介绍#疾病会在考拉群体之间传染#，此句则讲到#考拉无法借助传统抗生素来免疫#，主干是
【Koalas do not respond well to antibiotics】👉考拉对抗生素反应不良
⭐为何反应不良？►蓝色 which 引导的非限定语从句修饰【antibiotics】，补充介绍了具体原因👉抗
生素会抑制某种病菌
🌟什么病菌？►其后紫色限定定从省略了作宾语的关系词【that/which】，修饰
【bacteria】，正常语序为【they need the bacteria to break down food】👉考拉们需要这种病
菌来消化食物
句子大意：考拉对抗生素反应不良，原因是抗生素会破坏它们分解食物所需的细菌。

✅【para5】Early results suggested that it is about 70% effective at preventing the disease, says
Samuel Phillips,one of the researchers.
💡此句#引用研究人员的发言来说明疫苗的效用#，先介绍发言内容，再介绍发言者——
⭐发言内容的主干是【Early results suggested +that 宾从】👉早期研究结果表明...
🌟that 宾从介绍研究结果►【it is about 70% effective at ~】，主语指前文提及的“阳光海岸大学
研发的单针剂疫苗”👉该疫苗阻断传播的有效率达 70%左右
⭐says sb 介绍发言者；由于发言内容在前，所以【sb says】倒装成【says sb】，其后黄色名词结构
作【Samuel Phillips】的同位语介绍人物身份👉其中一位研究人员塞缪尔·菲利普斯（Samuel
Phillips）说...
句子大意：研究人员之一塞缪尔·菲利普斯（Samuel Phillips）表示，早期实验结果表明该疫
苗在预防相关疾病方面的有效性约为 70%。

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 The Economist May 7th 2022 Asia

Diseased marsupials May 11th 2022 — 425 words

A koalossal problem
SYDNEY
Australian scientists are jabbing koalas against chlamydia

Hard to bear

W
HEN BRITISH colonists first came to Australia they

brought with them, among other delights, a bouquet

of venereal diseases. They introduced Aboriginals to syphilis

and gonorrhoea. Not even Australia’s wildlife was spared. The

Europeans shipped in sheep and cattle infected with chlamy-

dia. Scientists suspect that it jumped between species: koalas

are now riddled with the disease. In some colonies, every an-

imal tests positive. Only a couple of wild populations are free

of it.
2
This is more than just a matter of embarrassment in polite

marsupial society. Chlamydia causes conjunctivitis, which

can blind a koala. Worse is a brown bottom. That implies

that the disease has led to a bad urinary infection and inconti-

nence. Those animals are hard to save, says Michael Pyne, a vet

at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland. Often the in-

fection spreads to the kidneys, leading to renal failure. Many

survivors are left infertile.

3
Australia’s iconic “bear” has plenty of other problems, too.

Koala numbers in Queensland and New South Wales have

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 The Economist May 7th 2022 Asia

fallen by at least half this century. The decline is so steep

the federal government recently listed them as endangered.

Their habitats have been ripped up for development and burnt

down in bushfires. They are regularly hit by cars and attacked

by dogs. Yet chlamydia is one of their biggest killers, and

growing.
4
It is not just that randy koalas are spreading disease the old-

fashioned way. Females feed their joeys a kind of faeces called

“pap” to pass on nutrients from eucalyptus leaves. That trans-

mits the infection, too. Koalas do not respond well to antibi-

otics, which disrupt the bacteria they need to break down food.
5
Help may be coming in the form of vaccines. Competing teams

at two Queensland universities have spent years developing

jabs for koala chlamydia. Both are now testing them in wild

populations. A single-shot vaccine, created by the University

of the Sunshine Coast, is being administered to some 1,000 an-

imals in Queensland and New South Wales. Early results sug-

gested that it is about 70% effective at preventing the disease,

says Samuel Phillips, one of the researchers. Hundreds more

koalas are being given a double-shot vaccine by the Queens-

land University of Technology and Currumbin Wildlife Hospi-

tal.
6
Mass vaccination is still a long way off. Inoculating every wild

koala would in any case be impossible. The creatures would

first have to be found (they are not exactly conspicuous) be-

fore being coaxed out of trees. Yet chlamydia does not spread

as virulently as, for example, covid-19. Vaccinating just 10%

of a breeding population annually might be enough to stem

infections.

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