ESL Podcast 930 - Fearing Bioterrorism
gas mask - a device worn over one's mouth and nose that seals tightly to one's face and head to clean the air so that it is safe to breathe
Make sure you wear a gas mask before applying the pesticides to the plants and flowers, because it's highly poisonous.
bioterrorist attack - an event where a person or a small group of people tries to hurt and frighten a much larger group of people by using a microscopic (too small to be seen with the eyes) living creature to make them sick or to kill them, usually because of a disagreement over politics or ideas
What is the government doing to protect citizens from a bioterrorist attack that targets the water supply?
biological warfare - a type of fighting between two countries that uses microscopic (too small to be seen with the eyes) living creatures to sicken or kill the people of the other country
The problem with biological warfare is that there's no way to protect your own country's population from the weapons, since the biological agents can affect anyone and everyone.
warning - advance notification that something bad is going to happen; a statement to be careful that allows people to prepare for a bad thing
Do you think scientists will ever be able to give warnings long before earthquakes happen?
that's what you think - a phrase used to show one's disagreement with what another person has just said
A: If you don't study, you're going to fail the test. B: That's what you think! I never study for tests.
airborne - traveling or transmitted by air; being passed among people through the air they breathe
HIV and AIDS aren't airborne, so it's perfectly safe to talk to people who are sick in that way.
toxin - something that is poisonous and harmful to living creatures
It's important to keep cleaning supplies and other toxins away from children.
bacterium - a microscopic (too small to be seen), single-celled organism, including one that can cause disease
How many bacteria live inside the digestive system of a typical human adult?
virus - a microscopic (too small to be seen) agent that can reproduce only inside the cell of a living host (plant or animal), including one that can cause illness
Most often, the flu is caused by a virus, so an antibiotic can't help to cure the problem.
to detect - to find or identify something; to find evidence of something
Smoke detectors are designed to detect a small amount of smoke, so that people can get out of the building before the fire gets too big.
to infect - to make someone sick through exposure to a disease
Let's wash that cut on your leg before it gets infected.
in the blink of an eye - very quickly or rapidly; almost immediately
In the blink of an eye, Rimma lost control of the car and crashed into a tree.
to sound the alarm - to alert other people to a problem or danger; to let others know of a bad or dangerous situation
Let's keep this quiet and avoid sounding the alarm for as long as possible.
precaution - an action intended to prevent something from happening or to protect oneself while something happens
In the weeks before their baby was born, they covered all the outlets and locked away cleaning supplies as a precaution.
to escape - to run away from something so that one is not affected by it
No one can escape death or taxes.
to pooh-pooh - to belittle an idea; to indicate that something is unimportant, unnecessary, or silly
Ana Maria was highly offended when the bank's loan officer pooh-poohed her business plan.
the difference between life and death - something that is critically important and could save one's life under certain circumstances
Wearing a seat belt can mean the difference between life and death in a car accident.
stylish - fashionable; trendy; describing clothing or accessories that most people agree look good
Where did you buy that stylish purse?