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Excitement is building for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The opening ceremony will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 5. For months, news media have been reporting on Rio’s dirty water, mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, transportation and security issues. That does not sound promising for a city expecting famous athletes, government leaders and visitors from around the world for the games. But during a recent visit to VOA’s headquarters in Washington, Olympic Organizing Committee chief Sidney Levy said something surprising: his top concern is not the Zika virus. Zika spreads to human beings through mosquito bites. Experts are especially concerned about infected mosquitoes biting pregnant women. They say this could cause microcephaly, which is linked to brain defects from birth.
* opening ceremony = 개회식/ take place in ~ = ~에서 열리다/ promising = 조짐이 좋은; 유망한, 촉망되는/ top concern = 최고 관심사/ infected = (세균에) 감염된[오염된]/ pregnant = 임신한/ microcephaly = 소두(小頭)증/ be linked to ~ = ~와 연관되다/ brain defect = 뇌 결함/ from birth = 날 때부터
Sidney Levy said he has 4,000 people working to make Rio’s sports centers ready for the 2016 Olympics. “Today, I have 4,000 people working for myself. In the fields, in the beaches in the parks, in t-shirts, and I have not a single case of Zika. So we really think this is not a threat.” Levy defended his claim. He said a study by researchers at England’s Cambridge University shows the likelihood of getting infected with Zika during August in Rio is one-in-1 million. Still, some athletes have expressed concerns about competing at the 2016 Olympics. The Irish golfer Rory McIlroy said recently he would not travel to Rio because he was worried about Zika. And a group of 150 doctors, scientists and bioethicists wrote a letter to the World Health Organization. They want the Olympics moved or postponed because of Zika. Levy said workers have been using insecticide products in the city for months and they will continue to do so during the games. Insecticides are designed to kill insects. Also, August is winter in Earth’s Southern Hemisphere. This should mean somewhat cooler temperatures and fewer active mosquitoes. With so many people coming into Brazil, Levy told VOA he is more concerned about security and transportation.
* threat = 위협, 협박/ defend = (말이나 글로) 옹호[변호]하다/ likelihood (of ~) = (어떤 일이 있을) 공산[가능성]/ express concern about(over) ~ = ~에 대한 우려[근심]를 표명하다/ bioethicist = 생명 윤리(학}자/ insecticide = 살충제/ the Southern Hemisphere = 남반구(南半球); [천문] (하늘의) 남반구
