夏季的十件煩心事(上)

It is instilled in the minds of most people from a young age that summer is an exceptional time of year when good things are in abundance. It's a season to relax, catch up with friends and family, and experience life.

大多數人從小就被灌輸了一種思想：夏天乃一年佳季，這時生活最豐富，是一個帶上親朋好友去放鬆、去體驗生活的好季節。

But summer is also one of the most explosive times of the year. Maybe it's the carefree attitudes or the heavy volume of traffic that sets this season apart from the others. Whatever the underlying reason may be, one thing is clear: Summer kills.

可是，夏季也是一年中最上火的時候，也許是天氣熱得頭昏或是路上的噪音使夏天有別於其他季節。但無論潛在的因素究竟是什麼，有件事是顯而易見的——夏季的傷亡率高。

gs That Fly

10.飛行蚊蟲

With 176 known species in the United States, mosquitoes are everywhere. Most people don't give these small pests a second thought. Hibernating during the wintertime, they reemerge when the temperature reaches roughly 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit ). They thrive in hot weather, and their season will reach its peak accordingly.

蚊子無處不在，在美國就有176個已知物種。多數人都不會仔細考慮這種小東西。當氣溫恢復到10攝氏度（50華氏度）後，經歷了冬季冬眠的蚊子就會甦醒。他們生長於溫暖的時候，並在夏季達到生長高峯期。

They are not just a nuisance for causing red, itchy bumps. They sadly pose a more serious threat. Often, people associate mosquito-borne illnesses with less developed countries. However, that is far from true.

蚊蟲叮咬帶來的問題不僅僅是紅色發癢的包。倒黴的話，你的情況會比這嚴重的多。我們通常認爲蚊蟲傳播疾病只會在欠發達國家存在，不過這種想法是大錯特錯的。

Each year, over 1,000 Americans contract serious illnesses or die as a result of mosquito bites. Mosquito-borne diseases that are frequently documented include West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, and even the Zika virus.

每年都有超過1000名美國人因蚊蟲叮咬而重病甚至死亡。常見的被記錄的蚊蟲傳播疾病有西尼羅病、登革熱、奇昆古尼亞熱病甚至寨卡病毒等。

The West Nile virus is the most commonly seen of those few. In extreme cases, it can cause brain damage and even death. In recent years, dengue has also increased in occurrence. The mosquitoes that transmit these diseases are active both day and night, making the problem seemingly impossible to avoid and contain.

西尼羅病是這其中最常見的疾病，嚴重情況下它可造成腦損傷甚至死亡。近年來，登革熱的發病率也有所增加。傳播疾病的蚊子早晚都很活躍，這就使得控制、遏制疾病看起來不可能實現。

Accidents

9.交通事故

As if driving wasn't dangerous enough already, it seems as though the distractions and hazards reach new highs in the summer. The sheer volume of people on the road during the summer is enough to cause havoc and provoke anxiety. Many are traveling and vacationing. New drivers are also out of school, ready to use their newfound freedom.

即使開車已經沒有什麼危險，在夏天，分心次數和危險係數好像仍會達到新高。夏季道路上涌動的大量車流和人羣足以引發恐慌造成悲劇。很多人都會在夏天旅遊和度假去，駕駛新手也完成學習，準備享受他們新獲得的自由。

To no one's surprise, young drivers, ranging in age from 15 to 20, are responsible for a substantial number of traffic accidents during the summer months, more than any other time of the year. During these months, there are about 16 traffic accidents per day involving those in that age range.

毫不誇張的說，15~20歲的年輕駕駛者對夏季交通事故頻發負的主要責任比一年中的其他任何時候都多。這段時間，每天就大概有16起青年肇事案件。

New drivers are not the only determinant that makes summer a dangerous time for those on the roads. Weather conditions also seem to play a role. The warmth and the sun have the effect of making people more laid-back, even carefree, which can result in accidents.

新手也並不是讓夏天的公路危險的唯一因素，天氣條件似乎逃不了。陽光和熱浪使得人們更加懶散，甚至分心短神，從而導致事故。

During the winter, people are more cautious when driving, news stations frequently alert the public about road conditions, and fewer people are on the road. With that in mind, it doesn't seem too far-fetched that July 3 and 4 have a long-standing record of being the deadliest days on the road. Overall, people are much more alert when driving in the winter. In the summer, people just want to cruise with the top down—most likely speeding, too.

在冬天，人們開車時會更警覺，新聞站也會時常警示公衆道路情況，路上的人也更少。這樣對比下來，一年中夏季道路肇事率最高就顯得不那麼難以接受了。畢竟，冬天人們開車會很小心，而在夏天，你只不過想盡可能快速狂飆而已。

The weather impacts drivers in other ways as well in the summer. Unpredictable thunderstorms and extreme conditions can pop up out of nowhere. Also, as many learned in grade school, heat makes molecules expand (i.e., the air in tires). This can lead to a blowout, which is dangerous for motorists.

天氣也可以在其他方面影響駕駛員。無法預測的暴雷雨和極端的天氣隨處可見。另外，根據熱脹冷縮這一常識，夏天車胎氣壓的不穩定而導致的爆胎對駕駛員來說是相當危險的。

Warm weather also means that more people ride motorcycles and bicycles, which creates an added layer of danger for drivers. Pedestrians, too, are outside more in the warmer months. Road congestion and heavy traffic may spark road rage as well. It is almost as though the list of summertime driving dangers is endless.

夏天騎行的人也會增多，這使駕駛的危險等級又上了一檔。夏天行人也增多了，交通繁忙、大堵車也使得路怒現象頻發——夏季的交通危險似乎無窮無盡。

8.'Trauma Season'

8.創傷季節

Health-care workers refer to the summer months as "trauma season." Reports from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh show that the number of kids seen per month doubles during the summertime for traumatic injury–related incidents. Adult trauma cases also increase at this time of year.

醫療工作者稱夏季爲“創傷季”。匹茲堡兒童醫院的報告顯示，夏季每月的兒童外傷事件要翻一番。同時，成人的創傷病例也有所增加。

Among the most common category of injury in the summer is falls. It's not just senior citizens, though. Kids on jungle gyms, skateboards, slippery pool decks—you name it—everyone seems to lack balance during this time of year.

夏季最常見的外傷是跌傷。跌傷不僅是老年人的專利，也屬於在叢林健身場，滑板，滑溜的泳池甲板上的孩子們。不管怎麼說，這時候人們都很難保持平衡。

Ambitious "do-it-yourselfers" climbing ladders and engaging in other risky activities are likely candidates for fall-related injuries. Studies show that if a person falls more than 9 meters (30 ft), they have a 50 percent chance of dying. In years past, falls have sometimes surpassed car accidents as the top contender for hospitalization.

熱愛DIY，爬爬梯子或者做其他危險的活動都是跌落的因素。研究表明，正常人從9米（30英尺）以上的高度跌落，死亡率就高達五成。過去年間，因跌落送醫的人數有時會超過因車禍送醫的人數。

Usually, falls are preventable. Allowing kids to play outside and be active is important, but proper supervision is equally as important. Is it still considered an accident if a fall is preventable?

通常情況下，跌落是可以避免的。孩子在外活動、培養技能是很重要，但監護更重要。如果可以預防，還會有跌傷嗎？

Falling is not the only trouble that people manage to get into during the summer. Lawn mowers, bicycles, trampolines, and ATVs are all responsible for sending people to the hospital as well.

跌傷也不是人們夏季受傷的唯一原因，割草機、自行車、蹦牀和ATV都有非常可能讓送你去醫院。

s, Carnivals, Amusement Parks—Oh, My!

7.驚悚娛樂

We've all heard the stories of people getting hurt at an amusement park, but we pretend it could never happen to us. (This is called third-person or bystander effect.) It's not rare to see roller coasters and other rides "stuck" at the end of a long day of toting thousands of passengers around.

我們都聽說過遊客在遊樂園受傷的事（參見《死神來了》電影），但我們從不擔心我們是那個倒黴蛋（這被稱爲第三者或旁觀者效應）。

All too often, things become more dangerous than just a ride becoming stuck or ceasing to work at the end of a hot, busy day. Annually, around 4,000 are injured at amusement parks and fairs combined.

但是，長時間運作的機器突然卡住這事可不少見。多數時間裏，情況要比機器卡住或停止運行危險得多。每年在遊樂園和展覽會上就有約4000人受傷。

It's all fun and games until someone's seat belt breaks loose during a roller coaster ride. Horror stories of children falling off rides and even being decapitated paint a nasty image of these places to which we go for a good time.

過山車很有趣，可當你的安全帶鬆開後可就不那麼愉快了。兒童從車道上摔下甚至死亡這種嚇人事也使我們對遊樂園失去了好印象。

From waterslides to Ferris wheels, the ways to become injured are endless. In 2016, an 11-year-old girl was scalped after her hair was caught in a carnival ride. It took a horrifying 10 minutes for the operator to stop the ride, as the child's mother and other bystanders watched the incident unfold.

從水滑梯到摩天輪，在哪都有可能受傷。2016年，一位11歲女孩的頭髮被狂歡節花車纏住。她的母親也在現場目睹了全過程，操作者花了10分鐘纔將車停下來。

Hot To Handle

6.天氣過熱

Heatstroke and dehydration are all too familiar. Every year, people find themselves experiencing these two illnesses as a result of the blazing summer heat.

中暑和脫水我們再熟悉不過。每年，因爲高溫，人們都會經歷這種痛苦事。

Dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluids. It's no secret that the human body can't function properly without water, so dehydration can be very dangerous in certain conditions.

脫水即人體過量失水。人體缺水就不會正常運作早已成爲事實，所以在一定情況下，脫水是非常危險的。

Water loss and electrolyte loss are two different types of this condition. But the primary focus is preventing and treating it properly. Remembering to drink water throughout the day is vital to remaining hydrated.

脫水分爲失水和電解液缺失兩種。重點是合理的預防和緩解，對於預防脫水，記得經常補水尤爲重要。

Most physicians say that 8 to 10 glasses of water per day are enough to keep one hydrated. However, this varies from person to person and depends on the weather conditions. Once full-blown dehydration kicks in, things get hairy. Twitching, lethargy, confusion, convulsions, and even delirium are all symptoms of this.

多數專家認爲，8到10杯水足夠滿足日常飲水需求，但需求可能因人和環境的改變而改變。一旦真正脫水，問題就棘手了。抽搐，嗜睡，精神錯亂，抽搐等症狀都可能是脫水引起的。

Heatstroke is often seen in conjunction with dehydration. The symptoms of heatstroke, a form of hyperthermia, can vary—ranging from confusion and disorientation to coma. Affecting both young and old, heatstroke is usually considered a medical emergency and must be treated by a physician. In the summer months, this condition is often caused by overexertion.

中暑經常和失水有關。由高溫引起的中暑的症狀有從精神錯亂和迷失方向到昏迷不定。因爲中暑威脅着青年和老年人，它被認爲是醫療緊急事件，必須由專業醫療人員處理。在夏季，這種情況一般都是由過度勞累引起。