隽永英文小故事31 (23份打包)

Avoid the Flu Flu season occurs annually in countries that have cold weather in the winter. Although the influenza virus is alive throughout the world in all four seasons, it seems to have its greatest impact on humans during the winter. Scientists are not sure why. They think it's because in the winter people are indoors and close together for longer periods of time. Also, the virus might be able to live longer and be stronger in colder weather. Finally, indoor air can dry up the mucous that helps protect people from the virus. In the U.S., the virus is not something to sneeze at. It kills about 36,000 people annually (most of them elderly). It also causes almost 250,000 people to end up in a hospital bed annually. Scientists develop a preventive flu shot for people to take as winter begins. This shot is not guaranteed to prevent flu; scientists can only guess at which virus might be the most dangerous in the upcoming season. The shot protects against only that particular virus. For those who do not get the shot, influenza spreads among them easily. It takes only a sneeze, a cough, or a touch. Victims frequently get ill from shaking hands, opening doors, or handling money. Most infected people will have a fever, sore throat, and cough. But the symptoms are often mild and last for only a week. For many others, however, symptoms can be so severe and prolonged that victims end up in bed for weeks, or in the hospital, or in the cemetery. $$Boy Starts Huge Fire A ten-year-old boy confessed to his parents that he was playing with matches on a windy day in October in southern California. The Santa Ana winds were howling that day, and his carelessness resulted in the Witch fire. That fire destroyed 18,000 acres of woodland and 12 homes. The total damage and the cost of firefighting efforts were estimated at $25 million. Ironically, his parents' house was untouched by the fire. The authorities did not immediately announce what they would do to the boy or his parents. An of