Flow English Advanced: Lesson 5
Vampire Bats Suspected in Texas Deaths: Part 1
At least 28,000 Texans have died in possible bat attacks!
Prairie Chapel, Texas- At least 28,000 have died in remote towns in Texas, and medical experts suspect bites from vampire bats. Laboratory investigations have yet to confirm the cause, but the symptoms point to blood loss, according to two researchers from the University of California at Berkeley and other top medical experts.
The two UC Berkeley researchers — the husband-and-wife team of anthropologist Dr. Bruce “the Bat Man” Bambi and public health specialist Dr. Barbara Bambi — said the symptoms include headache, body pains, and tingling in the feet followed by a progressive loss of blood pressure.
Dr. Tim Mosquito, Chief of Necrology at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, agreed with their preliminary diagnosis.
"The history and clinical signs are compatible with vampirism," Mosquito told The Associated Press on Thursday. "Prevention is straightforward: Prevent bites and eat plenty of garlic."
CDC health officials are investigating the attacks and plan to distribute garlic to prevent bat bites and send a medical team to provide treatment in remote villages in northwest Texas, Mosquito said Thursday, according to the Flow English Times.
Outbreaks of bat vampirism are a problem in various areas of North America, Dr. Bambi said.
He said researchers suspect that in most cases environmental degradation — including oil drilling, mining, logging or dam construction projects — are contributing to growing populations of vampire bats.
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~End of Part 1~
Vocabulary
have yet to confirm the cause: not yet found the cause
anthropologist: scientist who studies people, human society, and biology
progressive: continuing, increasing
Necrology: study of death
preliminary diagnosis: first diagnosis, initial diagnosis
clinical signs: symptoms
vampirism: blood drinking
distribute: give out
in most cases: often, most of the time
degradation: damage, pollution
Notes:
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