外刊阅读：False information spreads f
自从新型冠状病毒的疫情爆发以来，大家都很关注其发展动态。网上也出现了各种各样的消息，真假难辨，而且传得比病毒快多了。
False information spreads faster than disease
by Kat Eschner
The outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus has been clouded by false information from many sources, ranging from stretched half-truths to downright fakes. In a still-evolving public health situation like this one, such misinformation stokes（煽动） panic and makes it harder to quell（制止） the spread of disease. But the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is ill-prepared to combat digital disinformation.
outbreak /ˈaʊtbreɪk/ n. （战争、疾病等）爆发
novel /ˈnɒv(ə)l/ adj. 新奇的、全新的
coronavirus /kəˈrəʊnəˌvaɪərəs/ n. 冠状病毒
cloud /klaʊd/ v. 笼罩疑云、使迷惑
source /sɔːs/ n. 来源、源头
range /reɪndʒ/ v. （在某个范围内）变动
stretch /stretʃ/ v. 夸大
half-truth 半真半假的陈述
downright /ˈdaʊnraɪt/ adj. （形容不好的东西）彻头彻尾的
fake /feɪk/ n. 假货、假话
evolve /ɪˈvɒlv/ v. 演变
misinformation /ˌmɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 错误信息（由information加上表示错误的前缀mis-）
panic /ˈpænɪk/ n. 恐慌
spread /spred/ n./v. 传播
ill-prepared 准备不足的
combat /kəmˈbæt/ v. 跟…斗争
disinformation /ˌdɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 虚假信息（由information加上表示否定的前缀dis-）
"We really count on all of you to try to set the record straight," CDC spokesperson Nancy Messonier told reporters when asked about false information during a briefing last week. "We recognize that misinformation can rapidly spread, especially through social media, and I'm asking for your help to combat the spread of those rumors."
count on 指望
set the record straight 澄清事实
spokesperson /ˈspəʊksˌpɜːs(ə)n/ n. 发言人
briefing /ˈbriːfɪŋ/ n. 情况通报会
rapidly /ˈræpɪdli/ adv. 快速地（由rapid加后缀-ly变成副词）
rumor /ˈruːmə(r)/ n. 传言
According to Nicholas Evans, a philosophy professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell who studies false information and biosecurity, the CDC's approach is to release "very clear guidance on what they consider to be the best evidence-based policy for responding to the disease" and address specific false news stories when asked about them by journalists.★ That's probably not going to help combat false information about a disease, he says.
philosophy /fɪˈlɒsəfi/ n. 哲学
biosecurity /ˌbaɪəʊsɪˈkjʊərəti/ n. 生物安全、生物防疫（由security加上表示生物的前缀bio-）
approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/ n. 方法
release /rɪˈliːs/ v. 发布
guidance /ˈɡaɪd(ə)ns/ n. 指导、指南
evidence /ˈevɪd(ə)ns/ n. 证据
-based /beɪst/ 后缀，表示“基于”
policy /ˈpɒləsi/ n. 政策
respond /rɪˈspɒnd/ v. 响应、做出回应
address /əˈdres/ v. 着手应对
specific /spəˈsɪfɪk/ adj. 特定的
journalist /ˈdʒɜːnəlɪst/ n. 记者
★ 这句话的后半句主体结构是the CDC's approach is to release ... and (to) address ...
"I think that everyone is in a really heightened state at the moment, and the CDC or an authority like that could play a role in countering disinformation," Evans says. At the very least, he adds, they should probably put up a webpage that identifies and debunks（揭穿） some of the most common myths about 2019-nCoV.
heighten /ˈhaɪt(ə)n/ v. 升高、提高（这里指提高警惕；由height加后缀-en变成动词）
state /steɪt/ n. 状态
authority /ɔːˈθɒrəti/ n. 政府部门
counter /ˈkaʊntə(r)/ v. 反击
at the very least 至少、最起码（比at least的语气更强）
put up 张贴（这里指放到网上）
identify /aɪˈdentɪfaɪ/ v. 识别
myth /mɪθ/ n. 广为流传的错误观念
2019-nCoV = 2019 novel coronavirus
But even that wouldn't necessarily solve the problem. "The resources that someone like the CDC would need to stage an active campaign of countering disinformation, unfortunately, are much much larger than the resources you need to spread that disinformation," Evans says. "Bullshit tends to move faster than the truth and require fewer resources."
not necessarily /ˈnesəserɪli/ 不一定
resource /ˈriːsɔːs/ n. 资源
stage /steɪdʒ/ v. 组织
campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ n. 社会运动
bullshit /ˈbʊlʃɪt/ n. 胡扯、狗屁（这个词属于脏话）
tend /tend/ v. 倾向于
Outbreaks represent a big opportunity for some people to stoke existential（关乎生存的） fears. And because most laypeople don't know much about how scientific studies are evaluated and published, it's easy for someone with a large audience to cherry-pick unvetted（未经核查的）, incomplete, or entirely unfounded（没有根据的） research and present it as "evidence" to the masses.
represent /ˌreprɪˈzent/ v. 意味着、相当于
opportunity /ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/ n. 机会
layperson /ˈleɪpɜːs(ə)n/ n. 不具备专业知识的普通人、外行（laypeople是复数）
evaluate /ɪˈvæljueɪt/ v. 评估
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 发表
audience /ˈɔːdiəns/ n. 听众、观众
cherry-pick 精挑细选
incomplete /ˌɪnkəmˈpliːt/ adj. 不完整的（由complete加上表示否定的前缀in-）
entirely /ɪnˈtaɪəli/ adv. 完全（由entire加后缀-ly变成副词）
present /prɪˈzent/ v. 展示、呈现
the masses 大众
Both the current situation and past outbreaks make it clear that's a problem. In the current context, fears about the coronavirus have fueled racism and shaped government policy – including the U.S. travel ban, which runs contrary to what the World Health Organization recommends.
current /ˈkʌr(ə)nt/ adj. 现在的
context /ˈkɒntekst/ n. 背景、情景
fuel /ˈfjuːəl/ v. 提供燃料、鼓动
racism /ˈreɪsɪz(ə)m/ n. 种族主义、种族歧视
shape /ʃeɪp/ v. 塑造、影响
ban /bæn/ n. 禁令
run /rʌn/ v. 变成、成为
contrary /ˈkɒntrəri/ adj. 相反的
We don't know yet what will happen with 2019-nCoV, but the spread of all this misinformation isn't helping. When the next pandemic（大流行病） comes, whether that's today or in a decade, false information is likely to spread even faster than the disease.
decade /ˈdekeɪd/ n. 十年
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