貓咪也得新流感 美國出現首例【 Pet cat in US catches swine flu in first confirmed case 】

更新日期:2009/11/05 11:20 引用來源:中央社製編

原文:A cat in Iowa has come down with a case of H1N1 swine flu, the first recorded confirmed case of infection in a house pet. The 13-year-old cat apparently caught the flu from one of the people living in its house who was sick with a flu infection, said the American Veterinary Medical Association.

翻譯:美國愛阿華州的一隻貓感染H1N1新型流感,成為家庭寵物確認罹患新型流感登記有案的首例。美國獸醫學會表示,這隻13歲的貓所居住的家裡有一個人得了流感,而牠顯然是受到這名患者的感染。

字辭解析:

*come down with(動詞片語)

感染、得到(某種疾病);

跟後面提到的sick with意思一樣,只是sick with前面要加be動詞。例句:Jim came down with food allergy after lunch so he’s taking the rest of the day off.(吉姆午餐過後出現食物過敏,所以先下班了。)也可以這麼說:Jim was sick with food allergy after lunch so…

這裡說,這隻貓咪是the first recorded confirmed case,用recorded(或reported),是比較嚴謹的講法,這是因為有可能在世界某個角落,已經有別的貓感染了新型流感,只是沒有紀錄,或沒有人通報,外界並不清楚,所以這裡用recorded,是要突顯本案例只是第一個「登記在案」的病例,未必真的就是世界首例。

*apparently(副詞)

顯然、看起來是;

Apparently經常被譯為「顯然」,但它真正的意思要從上下文來看。Apparently和形容詞apparent與動詞appear(顯得)、名詞appearance(外表、外觀)是一家人,而「表象未必為真」(Appearance can be deceiving.)

意思是,在有些情況下,尤其是apparent出現在名詞前面的時候,其實是要點出表象與實際情況的不一致,例句:For all his apparent wealth, Tom has no money to pay for the car.(湯姆看起來很有錢,但卻買不起那部車。)

如果真的要說「很明顯」,可以用obvious(ly) 或evident(ly)。還有一個字值得介紹,就是如果要講「看得出來」某人如何,可以這麼說:He was visibly moved when told the truth.(他在得知真相時,看起來有受到感動。)意思他聽了之後可能有掉眼淚,或展露出其他感動、激動的表情。