(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Canadian scientists say two of the deadliest pandemics in history were caused by strains of the same plague and warn that new versions of the bacteria could spark future outbreaks.
Researchers found tiny bits of DNA in the teeth of two German victims killed by the Justinian plague about 1,500 years ago. With those fragments, they reconstructed the genome of the oldest bacteria known.
The study shows the Justinian plague was caused by a strain of Yersinia pestis, the same pathogen responsible for the Black Death that struck medieval Europe.
The two plagues packed quite a punch. The Justinian Plague is thought to have wiped out half the globe as it spread across Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. And the Black Death killed about 50 million Europeans in just four years during the 14th century.
The plague is usually spread to humans by rodents whose fleas carry the bacteria.
As humans are infringing on rodents' territory, experts say it's only a matter of time before humans get more exposure to them.
But, experts doubt a modern plague epidemic will be as devastating.
They say the plague is something that will continue to happen, but modern-day antibiotics should be able to stop it.
About 200 rodent species carry the plague and can potentially infect other animals or humans.
And finally, Hong Kong's pop star Eason Chan has received the honorary degree presented by the Kingston University in London in recognition of his extraordinary achievements in the music industry.
Eason Chan returned to Kingston almost 20 years later to collect his honorary degree from vice Chancellor Professor Julius Weinberg at a graduation ceremony held at Rose Theatre.
Chan says it was a wonderful honor and brilliant recognition of his achievement in music.
Chan entered Kingston University and studied architecture in 1993. He left his course in 1995 to pursue a music career after winning a talent singing awards in Hong Kong.
Heather Forland, director of Kingston International Development, says Chan's musical influence has gone beyond language boundaries and he has become an international phenomenon.
Chan has formed a culture bridge between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and inspired millions of his fans across the world.
Eason Chan will hold a personal concert in London in March, which is the third time for his shows in Britain. He was also the first Chinese singer performed at London O2 Arena.
中文翻译
加拿大科学家表示，历史上最致命的2种流行病原是由同一种瘟疫的变种所造成，并警告新型瘟疫可能会在未来爆发。
研究人员在2名死于约1,500年前查士丁尼大瘟疫的德国受害者牙齿中发现了DNA片段。他们通过这些片段重建了已知最古老瘟疫细菌的DNA基因组。
研究发现，查士丁尼大瘟疫是由耶尔森氏菌鼠疫造成，同样的病原也造成了重创中世纪欧洲的黑死病。
这两场瘟疫来势汹汹，查士丁尼大瘟疫横扫亚洲、北非、中东和欧洲，几乎消灭了当时全球近半数的人类。而黑死病则在14世纪肆虐欧洲，4年内夺走了5千万人的生命。
通常瘟疫可藉由携带病菌的啮齿动物传染给人类。
专家表示，人类侵入啮齿动物的领地，暴露在更多的接触机会中也只是时间的问题。
不过专家仍在怀疑现代瘟疫是否具有同等的破坏力。
专家表示，瘟疫是一种会持续发生的天灾，但是现代的抗生素应该有能力阻止它。
约有200种啮齿动物能携带瘟疫细菌，而且可能传染给其他动物或人类。
最后一则新闻，香港流行歌星陈奕迅在英国金斯顿大学获得该校荣誉学位，以表扬他在在音乐方面取得的杰出成就。
陈奕迅在时隔20年后重返母校，在玫瑰剧院大厅举办的毕业典礼从金斯顿大学副校长朱利叶斯·温伯格手中接过了荣誉学位。
陈奕迅表示，非常荣幸能获得这个荣誉，这是对他在音乐领域中取得的成就的赞同
陈奕迅于1993年进入金斯顿大学建筑学专业学习。1995年陈奕迅回香港参加新秀歌唱大赛，夺得冠军，随即开始了歌唱生涯。
金斯顿大学国际发展部负责人希瑟·福兰特说，陈奕迅的音乐影响力跨越了语言的界限，他已经成为一种国际现象。
陈奕迅为中国内地与中国香港的文化交流搭建了桥梁，并一直激励着他在世界各地成千上万的粉丝。
陈奕迅将于3月在伦敦举办个人演唱会，这将是他第三次踏足英国举行个演。同时他也是第一位在伦敦O2剧场开唱的华人歌手。
译文属可可英语原创，未经允许，不得转载
重点讲解
重点讲解：
1. pack a punch
产生巨大影响；震撼；
eg. W. Somerset Maugham's novel still packs an emotional punch.
威廉·萨默塞特·毛姆的小说仍具有强烈的情感冲击力。
eg. But that doesn't mean the smaller schools and their libraries don't pack a punch: Many schools operate in consortia with other colleges and networks to give students a nice plate of resources.
但这并不表明那些小学校和它们的图书馆就没有影响力：许多学校会与其它学校或机构联合以便为学生提供丰富的资源。
2. wipe out
摧毁；毁灭；使灭绝；
eg. One failure after another wiped out his ambition for fame.
一次又一次的失败已彻底摧毁了他想出名的野心。
eg. Most diseases could be wiped out.
大多数疾病是可以被消灭的。
3. in recognition of
获官方认可；正式承认；
eg. Brazil normalised its diplomatic relations with South Africa in recognition of the steps taken to end apartheid.
巴西恢复了与南非的外交关系，以示对其采取措施结束种族隔离的正式认可。
eg. He had just received a doctorate in recognition of his contributions to seismology.
他刚被授予了博士头衔以表彰他对地震学作出的贡献。
