(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
In Britain, It’s OK to Hug Again
England is ready to hug again.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said British people can begin hugging again – carefully. This new easing of pandemic restrictions comes during a big decrease in infections across the country.
Great Britain is now seeing around 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day, down from nearly 70,000 a day during the January peak. Daily deaths have also dropped a lot, with only two recorded Sunday.
The country's emergency level was also lowered to level three from four on Monday following a decrease in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. This means that the virus is no longer considered to be spreading quickly.
"This unlocking amounts to a very considerable step on the road back to normality, and I am confident that we will be able to go further," Johnson said in a press conference.
Britain has recorded Europe's highest number of coronavirus deaths, with more than 127,500. But new infections have decreased following a firm lockdown and one of the most successful vaccination programs in the world. Around 53 percent of the British population has received one dose of vaccine.
On May 17, Johnson is expected to announce that families will be able to visit each other indoors as well as gather in restaurants. All gatherings will be limited to six people or to two different families. The limit on outdoor gatherings is expected to be raised to 30 people. Similar restrictions are being eased in the other countries in Great Britain—Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Indoor activities and businesses such as cinemas, sports, and hotels are also expected to reopen. The government said the plan is being guided by "data, not dates."
Nadine Dorries is Britain's Health Minister. "I think it's what most people have missed, that intimate contact with family and friends," she said.
The government will also allow some foreign travel to start on May 17. But there are only a few countries, like Portugal and Iceland, that are considered safe enough to avoid the 10-day quarantine rule upon return. Popular destinations like France, Italy, Spain and Greece still require quarantining and coronavirus tests.
Additional easing lockdown measures are expected June 21. Many are hoping all other limits on social behavior will be lifted then.
Though the coronavirus situation in the country is much improved, some remain concerned that the government is moving too quickly. That is because some countries, like India, are experiencing a deadly increase in infections, and many people still need vaccines.
Gurch Randhawa is a professor of public health at the University of Bedfordshire, and has been critical of the British government.
"It is no doubt tempting to relax social distancing...but this could be a big mistake at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.
"The government should be advising only those who have received both vaccination doses to be hugging each other, and even, a short hug, with faces directed away from each other," he added.
I'm Dan Friedell.
重点解析
重点讲解:
1. as well as 和...一样;不但...而且
Coursework is taken into account as well as exam results.
除考试结果外,课程作业也要计入成绩
。2. It is no doubt... 毫无疑问
It is no doubt she is a frequenter here.
不用说,她是这里的常客
。3. be critical of 对...不满
She taught me to be less critical of other people.
她教育我不要太苛求于人
。4. be guided by 以...为指导
We must be guided by realities, not schedules.
我们必须以现实而不是计划为准则
。
参考译文
英国宣布即将进入解封新阶段
英国人又可以尽情拥抱了
。英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊(Boris Johnson)称,英国人又可以开始拥抱了,前提要保持谨慎
。这次放宽疫情限制措施正值英国感染病例大幅减少之际 。英国目前单日新增大约2000例新冠肺炎病例,低于1月高峰期的单日新增近7万例
。每日死亡人数也大幅下降,周日只报告了两例死亡病例 。周一,随着感染、住院以及死亡人数的下降,该国的紧急级别也从四级降为三级
。这意味着新冠病毒的传播速度有所放缓 。约翰逊在一场新闻发布会上称:“这次解封意味着在回归正常生活的轨迹上迈出了相当大的一步,我相信我们能够走得更远
。”英国新冠病毒死亡人数超过12.75万人,是欧洲死亡人数最多的国家
。但在实施严格封锁以及全球最成功的疫苗接种项目之后,新增感染病例有所减少 。大约53%的英国人已经接种了一剂疫苗 。约翰逊预计将于5月17日宣布,亲人之间可在室内互相探望,也可以在餐厅聚餐
。所有聚会只限6个人或两个家庭间进行 。户外聚会人数最多可30人 。在英国,苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰也正在放宽类似的限制措施 。电影院,体育场所和酒店等室内活动和商业活动也将重新开放
。政府表示,该计划是基于“数据,而不是日期”决定的 。纳丁·多里斯(Nadine Dorries)是英国卫生部长
。她说:“我认为,大多数人缺失的正是与亲友的亲密接触 。”英国政府还将允许5月17日恢复部分海外旅行
。但只开放少数几个国家,如葡萄牙和冰岛这些安全系数高,且避免回国后进行10天隔离的国家 。法国、意大利、西班牙和希腊等热门旅游国家仍然需要接受隔离和新冠病毒检测 。预计6月21日将出台更多宽松的封锁措施
。许多民众希望,届时关于社交活动的其他限制都能被取消 。尽管英国的新冠肺炎疫情有了很大改善,但一些人士仍然担心政府“解封”得太快
。因为印度等一些国家正在经历致命的疫情爆发,许多人仍然需要疫苗 。古尔奇·兰德哈瓦(Gurch Randhawa)是贝德福德大学公共卫生教授,他一直对英国政府持批评态度
。“毫无疑问,放宽社交限制确实很诱人……但考虑到新冠肺炎疫情的当前阶段,这可能是一项重大失误
。”他补充说:“政府应该只建议两种疫苗都接种过的人拥抱,而且只能是面向相反方向的短暂性拥抱
。”丹·佛里戴尔为您播报
。译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!