US approves world’s first vaccine for declining honey bees全球首款蜜蜂疫苗獲批，旨在保護(hù)蜂群

【原文】It was engineered to prevent fatalities from American foulbrood disease, a bacterial condition known to weaken colonies by attacking bee larvae. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a conditional license for the vaccine this week, according to the biotech firm behind its development. As pollinators, bees play a critical role in many aspects of the ecosystem.

【翻譯】美國(guó)新推出的疫苗旨在防止蜂群死于幼蟲腐爛病，這種細(xì)菌疾病會(huì)通過攻擊蜜蜂幼蟲來削弱菌落。 據(jù)研制該疫苗的生物技術(shù)公司稱，美國(guó)農(nóng)業(yè)部本周向公司頒發(fā)了許可證。作為傳粉媒介，蜜蜂在生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的許多方面都發(fā)揮著關(guān)鍵作用。 來自BBC

【講解】

declining是declin的變形，意思是正在減少的，例如declining sales(銷量一直在下跌)

be engineered to,意思是為什么而設(shè)計(jì)的

【生詞】

fatality n.死亡，宿命

foulbrood n.幼蟲腐爛病

pollinator n.傳粉媒介

a bacterial condition 細(xì)菌性疾病

colony n.群落

larvae n.幼蟲

approve v.批準(zhǔn)，認(rèn)可，通過

license for 向…頒發(fā)…許可證(或執(zhí)照)；批準(zhǔn)；準(zhǔn)許

conditional adj.有條件的

biotech firm 生物公司

behind its development 在它的技術(shù)發(fā)展的背后=研制該疫苗的

play a critical role in?發(fā)揮著至關(guān)重要的作用

ecosystem 生物系統(tǒng)

be known to do 被...所知