2011-09-16
ESL Podcast 721
A Widespread Epidemic
Alan: Did you see today’s news? There’s been an outbreak of Podcaster’s Disease in the city.
Katja: Oh, my God, not Podcaster’s Disease! I would not want to come down with that.
Alan: The first outbreak was at the local high school, and the health authorities thought it was localized.
But a second, more widespread, outbreak has been reported at the city’s government offices.
Katja: That’s terrible! I thought Podcaster’s Disease was very rare.
Alan: It is, and that’s why the authorities are so alarmed. It’s highly communicable, so they’re hoping it
won’t turn into an epidemic, or worse, a pandemic.
Katja: I’ve heard that this disease is horrible, but I’m not sure what the symptoms are. Do you know?
Alan: From what I’ve read, sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop talking and they speak in an
announcer’s voice all the time.
Katja: Oh, my God, what a terrible fate!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse
© Center for Educational Development, Inc. 2005-2018
Vocabulary Notes
an outbreak [ˈaʊtbreɪk] n [countable] the sudden start of something unpleasant, especially violence or
a disease, e.g. By 1946 the worst epidemic of poliomyelitis since the 1916 outbreak gripped the United
States. There's been an outbreak of food poisoning at the hotel. Outbreaks of rain are expected in the
afternoon.; рус. 1. вспышка (эпидемии, заболевания); 2. (внезапное) начало (войны, болезни,
суматохи и т. п.); массовое появле́ние (с.-х. вредителей)
disease [dɪˈziːz] n [uncountable, countable] an illness affecting humans, animals or plants, often caused
by infection, e.g. It is not known what causes the disease. He suffers from a rare blood disease. A fatty
diet increases the risk of heart disease. He caught the disease while travelling in Africa [also formal
contract a disease]. Thousands of children are struck down by this deadly disease every year [also fatal
disease = that causes death]. She was suffering from a degenerative disease that confined her to a
wheelchair [= that gradually gets worse]. Chronic disease is sometimes seen as an inevitable part of
being old [= continuing for a long time and not possible to cure]. To begin with, there are often no
symptoms of the disease [= physical signs that someone has a disease].; мед. заболевание, болезнь;
синдром
to come down with phr v [no passive] to get an illness that is not very serious, e.g. I think I’m coming
down with a cold. She came down with this winter flu. Several monitors have come down with heat rash
and heat stroke this summer.; разг. заболеть, заразиться (чем-л.)
the health authorities a government agency in the U.S. [They lead efforts that prevent and reduce the
effects of chronic diseases, detect and stop outbreaks of diseases, protect children and adults from
infectious diseases through immunization.]; рус. органы здравоохранения (федеральные, региональные и местные)
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widespread [ˈwaɪdspred] adj existing or happening over a large area or among many people, e.g.
Thanks to the widespread availability of antibiotics diseases such as typhoid have largely been
eradicated. The use of steroids was widespread in many sports. The Internet only came into widespread
public use in the 1990s. Government corruption is widespread in the country.; рус. (широко) распространённый; превалирующий
rare [BrE reə(r); NAmE rer] adj not seen or found very often, or not happening very often, e.g. This
species of plant is becoming increasingly rare. It's extremely rare for it to be this hot in April. On the rare
occasions when they met he hardly even dared speak to her.; рус. редко встречающийся, редкий;
малораспространённый
alarmed [BrE əˈlɑːmd; NAmE əˈlɑːrmd] adj anxious or afraid that something dangerous or unpleasant
might happen, e.g. Environmentalists are alarmed by the increase in pollution. He was alarmed to
discover that his car was gone.; рус. встревоженный, обеспокоенный
communicable [kəˈmjuːnɪkəbl] adj (formal) that somebody can pass on to other people or communicate
to somebody else, i.e. a communicable disease can be passed on to other people, e.g. AIDS is not
communicable by food or drink. In fact leprosy is the least infectious of all the communicable diseases.;
мед. передаваемый, инфекционный, заразный (о заболевании, болезни)
an epidemic [ˌepɪˈdemɪk] n [countable] a large number of cases of a particular disease happening at the
same time in a particular community, e.g. Doctors warn that a flu epidemic may be on the way.
Effectively, tobacco companies will be exporting an epidemic of smoking-related diseases, the campaign
suggests.; мед. эпидемия
a pandemic [pænˈdemɪk] n [countable] a disease that spreads over a whole country or the whole world,
e.g. Throughout history, there have been a number of pandemics, such as smallpox and tuberculosis.
One of the most devastating pandemics was bubonic plague, the Black Death, which killed over 75
million people in 1350. The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history.;
мед. пандеми́ я
a symptom [ˈsɪmptəm] – n. [countable] a change in the body or mind which shows that a disease is
present – мед. субъективный симпто́ м, внешний признак (очевидный для самого больного признак
какого-л. заболевания); cf. sign – объективный симптом, признак (выявленный при обследовании
больного)
a sufferer [BrE ˈsʌfərə(r); NAmE ˈsʌfərər] n. [countable] a person who suffers, especially somebody who
is suffering from a disease, e.g. The health centre runs a support group for Parkinson's disease sufferers.
Summer can be a nightmare for hay fever sufferers. Studies indicate that the treatment has helped
headache sufferers.; мед. пациент; пострадавший; потерпевший
an announcer [əˈnaʊnsə(r)] n [countable] a person who introduces television or radio programs, makes
commercial announcements, or gives station identification, e.g. He works part-time as an announcer for
a local radio station. The racetrack announcer said that the next race was about to start. The announcer
warns people not to swim because of a dangerous fish.; рус. диктор
a fate n [countable usually singular] the things, especially bad things, that will happen or have happened
to somebody/something, also a power that is believed to control what happens in people’s lives, e.g.
The fate of the three men is unknown. From that moment our fate was sealed [= our future was
decided]. Fate plays cruel tricks sometimes. By a strange twist of fate, Andy and I were on the same
plane [= something unexpected that happens].; рус. 1. судьба, рок; 2. участь, жребий, удел
Vocabulary notes compiled by Vladimir Kandaurov
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Complete Transcript
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 721: A Widespread Epidemic.
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This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 721. I’m your host, Dr. Jeff McQuillan, coming to
you from the Center for Educational Development in beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Our website is eslpod.com. You can become a member of ESL Podcast and download a Learning Guide
for this episode, all on our wonderful website.
This episode is a dialogue between Alan and Katja about sicknesses or illnesses that spread very quickly,
that affect many people in a short amount of time. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
Alan: Did you see today’s news? There’s been an outbreak of Podcaster’s Disease in the city.
Katja: Oh, my God, not Podcaster’s Disease! I would not want to come down with that.
Alan: The first outbreak was at the local high school, and the health authorities thought it was localized.
But a second, more widespread, outbreak has been reported at the city’s government offices.
Katja: That’s terrible! I thought Podcaster’s Disease was very rare.
Alan: It is, and that’s why the authorities are so alarmed. It’s highly communicable, so they’re hoping it
won’t turn into an epidemic, or worse, a pandemic.
Katja: I’ve heard that this disease is horrible, but I’m not sure what the symptoms are. Do you know?
Alan: From what I’ve read, sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop talking and they speak in an
announcer’s voice all the time.
Katja: Oh, my God, what a terrible fate!
[end of dialogue]
Our dialogue begins with Alan saying to Katja, “Did you see today’s news? There’s been an outbreak of
Podcaster’s Disease in the city.” An “outbreak” (outbreak – one word) is the moment when something
begins and it starts to affect many people quickly. Usually, an outbreak is related to some illness or
sickness that people are starting to get. A “disease” is just another word for an illness, a sickness. So, this
is an imaginary disease called Podcaster’s Disease.
Katja says, “Oh, my God, not Podcaster’s Disease! I would not want to come down with that.” The
expression “to come down with (something)” means to get a particular illness, to become sick with
something. “I’m coming down with a cold” means that I am starting to get a cold. “I’m coming down
with the flu” means I’m starting to get the influenza illness – the flu.
“The first outbreak,” Alan says, “was at the local high school, and the health authorities thought it was
localized.” The “health authorities” would be the government doctors and other important officials who
make decisions about issues of health in a state or area. To say something is “localized” means it’s just
affecting one small particular area, it doesn’t affect things around it. Because the first outbreak was at
the local high school, the local high school kids got sick, they thought it was just there. “But a second,
more widespread, outbreak has been reported at the city’s government offices.” So there are now two
places where people are getting sick. When we say something is “widespread” (one word), we mean it
covers or affects a very large area.
Katja says, “That’s terrible! I thought Podcaster’s Disease was very rare.” Something that is “rare” is
unusual, uncommon, not typical. Alan says, “It is (meaning it is rare), and that’s why the authorities are
so alarmed.” “To be alarmed” means to be surprised and worried. You might be worried about
something bad that is happening; you might be “shocked,” we would say. Alan says that this disease is
highly communicable. When we talk about an illness or a disease being “communicable,” we mean that
it can be passed from one person to another or from one animal to another very easily. “Highly
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communicable diseases” are diseases that can spread very easily from one person to another. Another
word for this is “contagious” (contagious). Alan says that the health authorities are hoping that this
disease won’t turn into – won’t develop into or become – an epidemic. An “epidemic” (epidemic) is
when many people become sick from a particular disease in a short period of time.
An epidemic can affect a large group of people. A “pandemic” (pandemic) is an illness that affects
people in many different parts of the whole world. So, a “pandemic” would be a disease that many
people suffer in many different countries.
Katja says, “I’ve heard that this disease is horrible, but I’m not sure what the symptoms are.” A
“symptom” (symptom) is something that is wrong with your body that indicates that there’s a problem.
If you have a cold, your symptoms might be a sore throat or sneezing a lot. Katja says, “Do you know
(what the symptoms are)?” Alan says, “From what I’ve read, sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop
talking.”
A “sufferer” (sufferer) comes from the verb “to suffer.” It’s a person who has a disease that feels pain
and discomfort. Sometimes we use the expression “I suffer from….” “I suffer from allergies.” That means
that allergies bother me, they affect me, I have that disease. “Sufferers” are the people who have a
disease. Allen says that the sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop talking and they speak in an
announcer’s voice all of the time. An “announcer” is a person usually who presents information,
especially on a television or radio program. The sports announcer is the announcer’s voice all of the
time. An “announcer” is a person usually who presents information, especially on a television or radio
program. The sports announcer is the person who describes what is happening in the game to the
people watching or listening. A news announcer is someone who announces or gives – tells people
about the news. So, Podcaster’s Disease causes people to talk as if they were announcers all of the time.
An announcer usually has a certain voice on television. [In a deep voice] “Hello and welcome to the
news. My name is Jeff McQuillan. In tonight’s top stories….” That’s kind of an announcer’s voice. Some
people say I talk in an announcer’s voice. Usually my wife tells me that sometimes. Not always,
sometimes. Maybe I have Podcaster’s Disease!
Katja says, once again, “Oh, my God.” “Oh my God” is a very common expression nowadays, especially
among young people. On email or in text messages or instant messages it’s sometimes abbreviated
“OMG.” And now, people even talk in abbreviations; someone might even say to you, “OMG,” meaning
oh, my God. It’s an expression of shock – of surprise. It’s become popular in the last, I don’t know,
maybe 10 or 15 years. It’s always been an expression in English, but for whatever reason it’s become
more popular among younger people on the Internet. Some people don’t like the expression; religious
people think that you shouldn’t use the name of God that way. It is, however, a very common thing that
you will hear.
Katja says, “Oh, my God, what a terrible fate!” “Terrible” is very bad, awful, horrible. “Fate” (fate) is the
outcome of a particular situation, what happens as a result of a certain situation. Some people talk
about “fate” as being what will happen to you that you cannot control. Some people believe that there
is someone controlling you or some thing controlling you, and you can’t avoid it and you can’t do
anything about it; you can’t control it in any way. This is a very old idea; it goes back at least to the
ancient Greeks, who believed in a form of fate.
Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
[start of dialogue]
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Alan: Did you see today’s news? There’s been an outbreak of Podcaster’s Disease in the city.
Katja: Oh, my God, not Podcaster’s Disease! I would not want to come down with that.
Alan: The first outbreak was at the local high school, and the health authorities thought it was localized.
But a second, more widespread, outbreak has been reported at the city’s government offices.
Katja: That’s terrible! I thought Podcaster’s Disease was very rare.
Alan: It is, and that’s why the authorities are so alarmed. It’s highly communicable, so they’re hoping it
won’t turn into an epidemic, or worse, a pandemic.
Katja: I’ve heard that this disease is horrible, but I’m not sure what the symptoms are. Do you know?
Alan: From what I’ve read, sufferers of Podcaster’s Disease can’t stop talking and they speak in an
announcer’s voice all the time.
Katja: Oh, my God, what a terrible fate!
[end of dialogue]
Good scriptwriters are rare. That’s why we’re so happy to have one here at ESL Podcast in our own Dr.
Lucy Tse.
From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come back and listen to us
again on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse, hosted by Dr. Jeff
McQuillan, copyright 2011 by the Center for Educational Development.
Glossary
outbreak – the moment when something begins to happen very suddenly, affecting many people
The outbreak of war caused panic in the streets.
disease – illness; something that makes a person sick
Dominic suffers from a rare disease that makes his legs weak.
to come down with – to begin to have a particular illness; to become sick
I’ve had a headache all day and my nose is stuffed up. I think I’m coming down with a cold.
health authorities – a government agency and/or important doctors who are responsible for monitoring
people’s health and/or preventing illnesses
The health authorities require restaurant workers to wash their hands after using the bathroom and
before touching food.
localized – concentrated in a particular area; limited to a particular area, not affecting the surrounding
area
The wildfires are still localized, but if it gets windy, they’ll probably move into a larger area.
widespread – covering or affecting a very large area
The central bank’s announcement has led to widespread fears that prices will go up.
rare – unusual; uncommon; not typical
Due to changes in this area, finding wolves in the wild is very rare.
alarmed – shocked, surprised, and worried about something
Ollie was alarmed when he realized it was 11:00 and his daughter still hadn’t come home.
communicable – contagious; referring to a disease that can be passed among people or animals
Covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze is one way to slow down the spread of
communicable diseases.
epidemic – when many people are sickened by a particular disease in a short period of time
When the water treatment facilities stopped working, everyone became worried about a cholera
epidemic.
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pandemic – when many people are sickened by a particular disease throughout a very large part of the
world
Much of <sub-Saharan> Africa is facing an AIDS pandemic.
symptom – something that is wrong with one’s body and indicates a medical problem or an illness
Some of the symptoms of a heart attack include shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain.
sufferer – a person who has a disease or medical condition and feels pain or discomfort
Pharmaceutical companies are trying to create new drugs that will help sufferers of muscular dystrophy.
announcer – a person who presents information, especially on a TV show or a radio program
A good announcer needs to be able to read aloud very clearly.
fate – the outcome of particular situation; the course of one’s life, perhaps beyond one’s control
Bin’s brother failed the test, but Bin plans to take it next year and hopes he won’t follow the same fate.
Comprehension Questions
1. What news story is Alan referring to?
a) Health authorities just identified the cause of Podcaster’s Disease.
b) Many people are coming down with Podcaster’s Disease.
c) Scientists just found a cure for Podcaster’s Disease.
2. What would you expect a sufferer of Podcaster’s Disease to do?
a) To speak very loudly and clearly.
b) To speak very quickly.
c) To speak with an unusual accent.
Answers at bottom.
What Else Does It Mean?
to come down with
The phrase “to come down with,” in this podcast, means to begin to have a particular illness or to
become sick: “How do doctors avoid coming down with everything their patients have?” The phrase “to
come down to” can mean to travel toward the south: “How often do your parents come down from
Alaska to visit you?” The phrase “to come down to” can also mean to agree to sell something at a lower
price: “I’d like to buy your boat, but I can’t afford that price. Can you come down to $3,700?” Finally, the
phrase “to come down [hard] on (someone)” means to criticize someone: “Yes, you need to punish your
son, but don’t come down too hard on him.”
alarmed
In this podcast, the word “alarmed” means shocked, surprised, and worried about something: “The
manager became alarmed when she realized her department was over budget.” Normally an “alarm” is
something that makes a loud noise as a warning: “When there’s a problem at the power station, a siren
goes off and red lights begin to flash as an alarm.” An “alarm clock” is a small electronic device that
makes a noise at a certain time to wake someone up: “Hunter sets his alarm clock for 6:00 every
weekday, and for 8:30 each Saturday.” Finally, a “smoke alarm” is a small electronic device that hangs
on the ceiling and makes a loud noise if there is smoke from a fire: “If you hear a smoke alarm, run
outside and call the fire department.”
Culture Note
Worst Epidemics in U.S. History
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The worst epidemic in U.S. History was an outbreak of Spanish “influenza” (flu) in 1918. Although the flu
normally lasts only a few days, causing “congestion” (difficulty breathing through one’s nose), coughing,
and a fever, the influenza in 1918 killed more than half a million people – more than any other epidemic
in the country.
The United States has “seen” (experienced) several epidemics of yellow fever. Yellow fever killed 4,000
residents of Philadelphia in 1793, as well as almost 8,000 in New Orleans in the mid 1800s, and more
than 13,000 in the Southern States around the Mississippi Valley in 1878.
“Cholera” (a disease caused by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food) has also been
“deadly” (killing many people). In 1832, cholera epidemics killed more than 3,000 people in New York
City and more than 4,000 people in New Orleans. Another 5,000 people died from cholera in New York
City in 1848.
In 1916, “polio” (a disease that affects nerves in the spine (back), making the sufferer unable to move
certain muscles) “claimed the lives of” (killed) more than 7,000 and affected more than 27,000 others,
with other major outbreaks in 1949 and 1952.
The AIDS epidemic was a major concern between 1981 and 2005, when it affected “nearly” (almost) a
million people in the United States, resulting in more than 550,000 deaths.
The most recent epidemic in the United States was H1N1 or “swine flu.” According to the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC; health authorities in the U.S.), 22 million people in the country were infected with
the virus. Almost 100,000 of them had to be “hospitalized” (spend time in the hospital for treatment)
and almost 4,000 died from H1N1.
Comprehension Answers: 1 – b; 2 – a
© Center for Educational Development, Inc. 2005-2018
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Reading Comprehension
Killed by Cholera, Yemeni Doctor Knew He was Fighting 'Disastrous' Epidemic
From VOA Learning English, this is As It Is audio program [July 11, 2005]
You may hear or download this story on VOA’s Learning English Web.
Yemeni doctor Mohammed Abdul-Mughni described the rising number of cholera cases he was treating
as “disastrous.”
Two weeks later, he also died of the disease.
Yemen has been at war since 2015. The conflict has led to food shortages and put 10 million people at
risk of famine.
Then cholera struck.
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The United Nations says it has recorded 110,000 probable cholera cases and 200 deaths in three
months. UN officials say the disease is spreading like “wild-fire.”
Cholera usually spreads in unclean water and contaminated food. One sign of infection is severe
diarrhea.
Abdul-Mughni had been working in a diarrhea treatment center at a hospital in Sanaa. About 120 to 150
severe cases arrive there every day.
“We are taking in patients around the clock, constantly...Cholera is spreading widely now,” said Ismail
Mansoury. He is a doctor who worked with Abdul-Mughni. Mansoury told the Reuters news agency he
had seen about 1,100 cholera patients in the past two weeks.
Cholera causes severe diarrhea and fluid loss. It can kill within hours. Children, older adults and those
who are weak from hunger are most at risk.
The diarrhea treatment center has temporary shelters, outdoor restrooms and overworked employees.
Women receiving intravenous fluids take up every place out of the sunshine. Children lie on the ground.
A man helps a boy to use a restroom.
Many of those arriving are in shock or suffer from kidney failure. They are so dehydrated it is difficult to
give them lifesaving fluids.
As the Iran-backed Houthis fight the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, the country has collapsed. The
war has destroyed Yemen’s healthcare system and the economy. People must travel great distances to
find simple medical care.
“Hardly a drop of water”
The 70-year-old mother of Mona Ali’s husband traveled 25 kilometers to the hospital in a bus after three
days of uncontrollable diarrhea and being sick.
Ali had cholera two months ago and recovered at home. She told Reuters her family was poor and had
to borrow money to bring her mother-in-law to the hospital.
“If there was food the body would be stronger,” she said.
Water is not easily found in Yemen, the poorest nation on the Arabian Peninsula. Pumps are needed in
many parts of the country to bring water up from the ground. Clean water has become costly because of
rising fuel prices.
Ali said her village cannot pay for the fuel needed to pump the water. “We end up taking it from the
wells, even though…it harms us,” she said.
The cholera outbreak is also a sign of the war’s destruction of public health systems. Human waste has
polluted so much water that it is ending up in the water used for farming, explained Tarik Jasarevic. He is
a spokesman for the UN’s World Health Organization.
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To slow the disease’s spread, diggers have been removing waste from the streets of Sanaa and spraying
areas with disinfectant.
Yemen’s war began in late 2014 when Houthi forces pushed the government of President Abdul-Rabbu
Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa <also spelled Sana>. A Saudi-backed alliance of Yemeni and Arab forces
began fighting in March 2015 to re-establish him as president.
The Houthis say their revolution is against corruption. They control Sanaa and most population centers.
The war has slowed the movement of aid, fuel and food. It has reduced imports and caused severe
inflation. Those with government jobs have not been paid in months and are urgently looking for food.
Mohammad Habab is a 34-year-old university-educated father of three. He works for a state-operated
company, but has not been paid.
His three-year-old daughter Zainab was receiving fluids nearly 80 kilometers from home after
developing signs of cholera. Habab blames her condition on a lack of clean water and food.
I’m Susan Shand.
The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. George
Grow was the editor.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
Words in this Story
famine [ˈfæmɪn] – n. [countable, uncountable] a situation in which many people do not have enough
food to eat – голод (социальное бедствие) <Cf. hunger [ˈhʌŋɡə(r)] – n. [uncountable] the feeling
caused by a need to eat, e.g. Try to satisfy your hunger by eating some fruit. – голод, чувство голода>
diarrhea, NAmE diarrhea [BrE ˌdaɪəˈrɪə; NAmE ˌdaɪəˈriːə] (also informal the runs) – n. [uncountable] an
infection that causes you to pass waste from your body and in liquid rather than solid form – мед. диарея, понос
to contaminate [kənˈtæmɪneɪt] – v. [transitive] to infect by contact with someone or something – мед.
загрязнять; инфицировать; заражать
intravenous [ˌɪntrəˈviːnəs] (abbreviation IV) – adj. (medical) entering the body through a vein – мед.
внутривенный, интравенозный
a kidney [ˈkɪdni] – n. [countable] either of two organs in your body that remove waste products from
your blood and make urine – мед. почка
to dehydrate [ˌdiːhaɪˈdreɪt] – v. [transitive] to lose too much water – мед. обезвоживать
disinfectant [ˌdɪsɪnˈfektənt] – n. [countable, uncountable] a chemical substance that is used to kill germs
and bacteria – хим. дезинфицирующее средство; дезинфектант [антисептик, дезинфицирующее
средство для уничтожения патогенных микроорганизмов на/в oбъе́ктах внешней среды]
© VOA Learning English
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