In recent years, seasonal allergies have been hitting people around the world especially hard. In 2021, as many as 81 million Americans experienced seasonal allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The main cause for seasonal allergies is the spread of pollen, and researchers are blaming climate change for it.

  近年来，季节性过敏对世界各地的人们影响尤为严重。根据美国哮喘和过敏基金会的数据：2021年，多达8100万美国人受到季节性过敏的困扰。季节性过敏的主要原因是花粉的传播，研究人员将其归咎于气候变化。

1. allergy / ˈælərdʒi / n.过敏反应，过敏症

例句：Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms.

食物过敏会导致大量不同种类的症状。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

2、pollen / ˈpɑːlən / n.花粉

例句：Seeds and pollen are spread by the wind.

种子和花粉是随风传播的。——《牛津词典》

As the planet warms, scientists are seeing two main changes to allergy seasons. Allergy season length is longer and pollen levels are increasing.

全球变暖竟然对“过敏季”有影响？随着气候变暖，过敏季时间延长了，空气中致敏的花粉也随之增加。

3、increase / ɪnˈkriːs / v.增长，增强，增大（专升本词汇）

例句：The population continues to increase.

人口持续增长。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  With warmer winter temperatures, the frost-free (无霜的) season starts earlier in the spring and ends later in the fall. In a research done by William Anderegg, an associate professor at the University of Utah, US, he saw pollen seasons starting about 20 days earlier this year than they did in the 1990s.

  冬天越来越暖和，“无霜期”会在春天更早地开始，在秋天结束得更晚。根据美国犹他大学的副教授威廉·安德雷格的研究：今年的花粉季节比上世纪90年代提前了20天左右。

4、associate / əˈsoʊsieɪt; əˈsoʊʃieɪt / n.副职

例句：The British job of Lecturer corresponds roughly to the US Associate Professor.

英国的讲师职位大致相当于美国的副教授。——《牛津词典》

Pollen levels have also been increasing in the US. Anderegg’s research found about a 21 percent increase in the amount of pollen in the air from 1990 to 2018.

安德雷格教授的研究还表明：美国空气中的花粉含量也在上升。从1990年到2018年，空气中的花粉量增加了约21%。

5、amount / əˈmaʊnt / n.数量 (专升本词汇）

例句：I still do a certain amount of work for them.

我仍然为他们做一部分工作。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  This increase is likely fueled by a combination of higher temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels in the air, according to Anderegg. The burning of fossil fuels – a primary cause of global warming – increases carbon dioxide. As CO2 levels go up, plants and trees produce more pollen, according to NBC.

  安德雷格表示，这种增长可能是由气温升高和空气中二氧化碳含量升高共同导致的。化石燃料的燃烧增加了二氧化碳的浓度。据NBC报道，随着二氧化碳浓度的上升，植物和树木会产生更多的花粉。

6、combination  / ˌkɑːmbɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n / n.结合，联合

例句：His treatment was a combination of surgery, radiation and drugs.

他的治疗包括手术、放射治疗和药物治疗。——《牛津词典》

7、fuel / ˈfjuːəl / n.燃料

例句：They ran out of fuel.

他们用完了燃料。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  Increased rainfall brought on by global warming may be making allergies worse too. “Thunderstorms, pressure changes, [and] humidity changes that we see through climate change break down pollen spores (孢子) into even smaller pieces, and these pollen spores can then more easily enter the lungs,” Brooke Lappe, a doctoral student at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, said to NBC. Lappe’s research looks into the effects of climate change on pollen, heat and air pollution.

  全球变暖会导致降雨量增加，而这一点也会加重过敏。埃默里大学罗林斯公共卫生学院的一位博士生向美国全国广播公司表明:“由于气候变化，我们日常见到的雷雨等极端天气、气压变化以及湿度变化，这些都会对花粉孢子造成影响——会将其分解成更小的碎片，使之更容易地进入肺部。”

8、humidity / hjuːˈmɪdəti / n.湿度

例句：The humidity is relatively low.

湿度相对较低。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

  Allergies can cause serious problems for people. Seasonal allergies, also called hay fever (花粉热) or allergic rhinitis (过敏性鼻炎), can cause a runny or congested nose, sneezing or tiredness.

  过敏反应会给部分人群带来严重的困扰。季节性过敏也被称为“花粉热”或“过敏性鼻炎”，“鼻塞、流鼻涕、不停地打喷嚏、感到疲劳”这些都是过敏反应。

9、congested / kənˈdʒestɪd / adj.堵塞的，拥挤的

例句：Many of Europe's airports are heavily congested.

欧洲许多机场都十分拥挤。——《牛津词典》

10、sneezing / ˈsniːzɪŋ / n.打喷嚏

例句：We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing.

我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。——《牛津词典》

Besides medication, there are other ways to reduce the misery of pollen season:

除了药物治疗，还有其他方法可以减轻“花粉季”过敏的困扰:

1. Wear oversized or wrap-around sunglasses. They can block the airborne pollen which causes redness in and around the eyes.

佩戴超大号或环绕式太阳镜。它们可以阻挡空气中会导致我们眼睛内部和周围过敏泛红的花粉。

2. Wear a hat (preferably a wide-brimmed one). Your hair can be a pollen magnet (磁体). Pollen sticks to your hair and then easily gets to your bedding, sheets and pillows.

戴上帽子(最好是宽边的)。你的头发可以成为“花粉磁铁”。花粉粘到头发上后，很容易会粘到家里的床品、床单和枕头上。

3. Don’t hang wet or damp clothing outside on a clothing line. Use a dryer to prevent pollen from sticking to your clothes.

不要把潮湿的衣服挂在外面的晾衣绳上。使用烘干机把衣服烘干，以防止花粉粘在潮湿的衣服上。

4. Know your pollen count. Pollen levels often rise on windy, dry and sunny days and lower on wet, rainy and still days. Check your local weather reports to identify peak allergy days. Consider exercising indoors on very high pollen days.

了解你周边的花粉量。花粉量通常在有风、干燥和晴朗的日子会增多，在潮湿、下雨和无风的日子下降。可以查看当地的天气预告，找出过敏高峰期。并注意在花粉多的日子减少室外活动。

5. Confirm your seasonal allergy diagnosis. Is it allergies, a cold, or something else? An allergy test can help the doctor find the best treatment plans for you.

确认是否为季节性过敏。你的不适是因为过敏，感冒，还是别的？过敏测试可以帮助医生为你找到最好的治疗方案。

11、misery / ˈmɪzəri / n.痛苦

例句：Fame brought her nothing but misery.

名声只给她带来了痛苦。——《牛津词典》

12、damp / dæmp / adj.潮湿的

例句：The cottage was cold and damp.

这小屋又冷又湿。——《牛津词典》

13、peak / piːk / n.峰值

例句：She's at the peak of her career.

她正处在事业的巅峰。——《牛津词典》

14、diagnosis / ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊsɪs / n.诊断

例句：They are waiting for the doctor's diagnosis.

他们正在等待医生的诊断结论。——《牛津词典》

文章转自21世纪报公众号

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/EpB29bDCURcfGG94Y1Mo-A