Lesson6:The Environmental Health Investigation

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环境健康调查

Vocabulary List | 词汇表

Word	Pronunciation	Definition	中文释义
artery	/ˈɑːrtəri/	A blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body	动脉
celestial	/səˈlestʃəl/	Relating to the sky or outer space; heavenly	天体的，天空的
dissertation	/ˌdɪsərˈteɪʃən/	A lengthy written project prepared at the end of an academic program	学位论文，专题论文
foetus	/ˈfiːtəs/	The developing offspring in the later stages before birth	胎儿
intrusion	/ɪnˈtruːʒən/	Entrance by force or without permission; unwelcome interference	侵犯，干扰
liaise	/liˈeɪz/	To work together and communicate between organizations or groups	联络，沟通协调
luxuriant	/lʌɡˈʒʊriənt/	Growing abundantly; lush and profuse	茂盛的，丰富的
optometrist	/ɒpˈtɒmətrɪst/	A person qualified to examine eyes and prescribe glasses or contact lenses	验光师，眼科医生
pesticide	/ˈpestɪsaɪd/	A chemical substance used to kill pests that damage crops	杀虫剂，农药
pragmatic	/præɡˈmætɪk/	Practical and realistic; dealing with things sensibly	实用的，务实的

English Version | 英文版本

Dr. Elena Rodriguez was putting the finishing touches on her dissertation about environmental health impacts when she received an urgent call. As a pragmatic researcher, she knew that her academic work needed to address real-world problems, not just theoretical concepts.

The local health department needed her to liaise with various medical specialists after discovering alarming health patterns in a rural farming community. Children were showing unusual vision problems, prompting visits to the optometrist, while adults were experiencing cardiovascular issues affecting major arteries.

Elena's investigation led her to the luxuriant farmlands surrounding the town, where crops grew abundantly thanks to intensive pesticide use. The farmers had been applying these chemicals for decades without considering long-term health consequences, viewing any environmental concern as an unwelcome intrusion into their traditional practices.

Her research took an unexpected turn when she discovered that pregnant women in the area had significantly higher rates of foetus developmental abnormalities. The correlation between chemical exposure and birth defects was becoming impossible to ignore.

Working late into the night, Elena would often step outside her mobile laboratory to gaze at the celestial display above the rural landscape. The stars seemed to mock the earthly problems below—while the heavens remained pristine, the soil and water carried invisible threats.

Elena knew her pragmatic approach would be crucial in convincing the farming community to change their practices. She couldn't just present abstract scientific data; she needed to liaise effectively between researchers, farmers, and health officials to create practical solutions.

The optometrist reports showed children's vision deteriorating at alarming rates, while cardiac specialists documented artery blockages in adults far younger than typical patients. Even the luxuriant growth of crops came at a devastating cost to human health.

Elena's dissertation evolved from a theoretical study into a urgent call for action. She realized that sometimes academic intrusion into local practices wasn't unwelcome interference—it was necessary intervention. The celestial beauty above reminded her that protecting the health of future generations, including every developing foetus, was worth challenging established agricultural practices and pesticide dependency.

Chinese Version | 中文版本

埃莱娜·罗德里格斯博士正在为她关于环境健康影响的学位论文做最后修改时，接到了一个紧急电话。作为一名务实的研究者，她知道她的学术工作需要解决现实世界的问题，而不仅仅是理论概念。

当地卫生部门需要她与各种医疗专家联络协调，因为他们在一个农村社区发现了令人担忧的健康模式。儿童出现了异常的视力问题，需要看验光师，而成年人则出现了影响主要动脉的心血管问题。

埃莱娜的调查将她带到了镇子周围茂盛的农田，那里的庄稼由于大量使用杀虫剂而长得非常丰盛。农民们几十年来一直在施用这些化学物质，没有考虑长期健康后果，将任何环境关注都视为对他们传统做法的不受欢迎的侵犯。

当她发现该地区孕妇的胎儿发育异常率显著较高时，她的研究出现了意外转折。化学接触与出生缺陷之间的关联变得不容忽视。

工作到深夜时，埃莱娜经常走出她的移动实验室，凝视乡村景观上方的天体景象。星星似乎在嘲笑下面的世俗问题——虽然天空保持着纯净，但土壤和水源携带着看不见的威胁。

埃莱娜知道她务实的方法对于说服农业社区改变他们的做法至关重要。她不能只是提供抽象的科学数据；她需要在研究人员、农民和卫生官员之间有效地联络协调，创造实用的解决方案。

验光师的报告显示儿童视力以惊人的速度恶化，而心脏专家记录了比典型患者年轻得多的成年人的动脉阻塞。即使是庄稼的茂盛生长也是以人类健康的巨大代价换来的。

埃莱娜的学位论文从理论研究演变为紧急行动呼吁。她意识到有时学术界对当地做法的侵犯并不是不受欢迎的干预——而是必要的介入。上方的天体之美提醒她，保护子孙后代的健康，包括每个发育中的胎儿，值得挑战既定的农业做法和对杀虫剂的依赖。

Practice Exercises | 练习题

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary:

The doctor discovered a blockage in the patient's coronary _______.

Ancient astronomers studied _______ movements to create calendars.

She spent three years writing her doctoral _______ on climate change.

The ultrasound showed that the _______ was developing normally.

The loud music from next door was an unwelcome _______ into our quiet evening.

The manager will _______ with different departments to coordinate the project.

The garden had _______ vegetation after the rainy season.

I need to see an _______ because my vision has been blurry lately.

Farmers use _______ to protect their crops from insects.

We need a _______ approach to solving this budget problem.

Multiple Choice:

Artery is part of which body system? a) Digestive b) Respiratory c) Cardiovascular d) Nervous

Celestial objects include: a) Mountains b) Stars and planets c) Rivers d) Buildings

A dissertation is typically written for: a) High school graduation b) Job applications c) Academic degrees d) Newspaper articles

The foetus stage occurs: a) Before conception b) After birth c) During pregnancy d) In childhood

Pragmatic means: a) Theoretical b) Practical c) Emotional d) Artistic

Word Association | Choose the best match:

Intrusion → a) Welcome guest b) Unwanted interference c) Formal invitation

Liaise → a) Work alone b) Communicate between groups c) Avoid contact

Luxuriant → a) Sparse growth b) Abundant growth c) No growth

Optometrist → a) Foot doctor b) Heart doctor c) Eye doctor

Pesticide → a) Plant food b) Insect killer c) Water purifier

True or False:

Arteries carry blood away from the heart. (T/F)

Celestial refers to things on Earth. (T/F)

A dissertation is usually a short essay. (T/F)

Foetus refers to early pregnancy development. (T/F)

Pragmatic people focus on practical solutions. (T/F)

Answer Key:

artery 2. celestial 3. dissertation 4. foetus 5. intrusion

liaise 7. luxuriant 8. optometrist 9. pesticide 10. pragmatic

c 12. b 13. c 14. c 15. b

b 17. b 18. b 19. c 20. b

T 22. F 23. F 24. T 25. T

Advanced Application | 高级应用练习

Create sentences using word combinations:

Pragmatic + dissertation: ________________________________

Celestial + intrusion: ________________________________

Luxuriant + pesticide: ________________________________

Optometrist + artery: ________________________________

Liaise + foetus: ____________________________________

Critical Thinking Questions | 批判性思维问题

How might pesticide use create an intrusion into natural ecosystems?

Why is a pragmatic approach important when writing a dissertation?

What role might an optometrist play in detecting environmental health problems?

How could researchers liaise with communities to address foetus health concerns?

Scenario-Based Exercise | 情景练习

Read this scenario and answer using vocabulary words:

A research team is investigating health problems in a farming community. They need to work with local doctors, communicate between different groups, and write up their findings.