Pollution is responsible for one in four deaths among all children under five, according to new World Health Organisation reports, with toxic air, unsafe water and and lack of sanitation the leading causes.
世界衛生組織發布的一項新報告稱，五歲以下兒童死亡中，有四分之一是由環境汙染造成的，其中有害氣體、不衛生的水資源以及衛生系統的匱乏是主要原因。
The reports found that polluted environments cause the deaths of 1.7 million children every year, but that many of the deaths could be prevented by interventions, such as providing cleaner cooking fuels to prevent indoor air pollution.
該報告發現，汙染的環境每年導致170萬兒童的死亡，但許多死亡可以通過幹預措施得到預防，比如提供更加清潔的烹飪燃料以減少室內空氣的汙染。
「A polluted environment is a deadly one – particularly for young children,」 says Dr Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO.「Their developing organs and immune systems – and smaller bodies and airways – make them especially vulnerable to dirty air and water.」
「受到汙染的環境具有致命性，特別是對幼兒而言，」世界衛生組織總幹事陳馮富珍博士說道。「他們的發育器官和免疫系統以及較小的身軀和氣道使他們特別容易受到骯髒空氣和水的影響。」
The harm from air pollution can begin in the womb and increase the risk of premature birth. After birth, air pollution raises the risk of pneumonia, a major cause of death for under fives. It may also increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer in later life.
空氣汙染所產生的危害會始於母親的子宮，這會增加早產的風險。孩子出生之後，空氣汙染又會增加罹患肺炎的風險，這是導致五歲以下兒童死亡的主要原因。這也可能增加日後罹患心臟病、中風以及癌症的風險。
【詞彙】
be responsible for 為…負責
lack of 缺少
sanitation [ˌsænɪˈteɪʃn] n.衛生系統
intervention [ˌɪntə'venʃn] n.幹預
immune [ɪˈmju:n] adj.有免疫力的
vulnerable [ˈvʌlnərəbl] adj.易受攻擊的
premature [ˈpremətʃə(r)] adj.早產的
pneumonia [nju:ˈməʊniə] n.肺炎
airway ['eəweɪ] n.呼吸道；氣道
stroke [strəʊk] n.中風
womb [wu:m] n.子宮