《中英對照讀新聞》Foot-and-Mouth Disease Secrecy 口蹄疫保密

When rumor hit the commodities trading floor in Chicago three years ago that Kansas cattle had contracted foot-and-mouth disease, prices plummeted.

當三年前有關堪薩斯牛隻感染口蹄疫的謠言傳入芝加哥的商品交易所時，牛隻價格一瀉千里。

A rumor that lasted only a day cost the beef industry an estimated US$50 million and forced agriculture officials to spend weeks assuring consumers that the food supply was safe.

一個持續僅一天的謠言，讓養牛業損失估計五千萬美元，並迫使農業官員花數週的時間向消費者保證，此一食品的供應安全無虞。

With this case and others like it in mind, lawmakers across the country are working on ways to keep livestock disease investigations secret until absolutely necessary.

由於對本案與諸如此類的其他案子記憶猶新，全國各地的立法者正致力研擬辦法要讓有關家畜疾病的調查工作保密，直到有絕對必要才予公開。

Proposals already have passed in Idaho and Wyoming, while lawmakers in Colorado, Maryland and Utah are considering bills this spring.

愛達荷州與懷俄明州已通過提案，而科羅拉多州、馬里蘭州與猶他州的立法者將在今年春天審查這類法案。

In Wyoming, false reporting of an animal disease outbreak is a crime.

在懷俄明州，謊報動物疾病疫情則構成違法行為。

Dictionary-新聞辭典

rumor：名詞，指謠言、傳聞。例句：Various rumors about him are going around.（到處流傳著有關他的流言蜚語。）亦可當動詞用，指據說、謠傳，常用被動語態。例句：He is rumored to have escaped.（據說他已脫逃。）

plummet：動詞，指快速落下、驟然下跌；亦可當名詞用，指垂球、垂規或重壓物。例句：The President's popularity has plummeted.（總統的聲望暴跌。）

across the country：片語，指全國各地。例句：John wants to travel across the country.（約翰想要到全國各地旅行。）

keep...secret：片語，指對…保密。例句：We must keep these plans secret.（我們必須對這些計畫保密。）

false：形容詞，指錯誤的、偽造的。例句：This investment bank gave a false industry report.（這家投資銀行發表錯誤的產業報告。）