農業恐攻？
In early June 2025, U.S. federal authorities moved to charge two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34), with smuggling the fungus Fusarium graminearum — a pathogen that devastates cereal crops — into the United States.
2025年6月初，美國聯邦當局指控兩名中國籍人士，33歲的簡雲青與34歲的劉尊勇，涉嫌禾穀鐮刀菌走私入境美國，這種真菌是一種會摧毀穀類作物的病原體。
pathogen(n.)病原體
Jian, a researcher at the University of Michigan, and Liu, her partner employed at a Chinese university, are accused of transporting the fungus via Detroit Metropolitan Airport during the summer of 2024.
簡女士是密西根大學的研究人員，而她的伴侶劉先生則在中國一所大學任職，兩人被指控在2024年夏天，經底特律大都會機場將禾穀鐮刀菌帶入美國。
be accused of 被指控～
According to agents, Liu carried concealed samples in his luggage, allegedly intending to cultivate them in Jian’s lab at Michigan.
根據調查人員表示，劉某將真菌樣本藏在行李中，疑似打算在簡女士於密西根的實驗室中培養。
conceal(v.)隱藏、掩蓋=hideallegedly(adv.)據稱=reportedly
Prosecutors argue that scientific literature deems the fungus a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”
檢察官主張，科學文獻中已將此類真菌列為「潛在的農業恐怖攻擊武器」。
prosecutor(n.)檢察官、prosecute(v.)起訴persecutor(n.)迫害者、persecute(v.)迫害scientific literature科學文獻deem(v.)視為、視作=consideragroterrorism(n.)農業恐怖主義agroecology(n.)農業生態學
Jian reportedly received funding from the Chinese government for this research, and her electronic devices contained evidence of Communist Party affiliation.
據報導，簡女士的研究獲得中國政府的資金支持，而且她的電子裝置中含有與共產黨相關的紀錄。
affiliation(n.)隸屬、關聯、加入have an affiliation with+機構／團體 隸屬於～、與～有關
Liu, who later returned to China, has not been extradited; Jian remains in U.S. custody pending a bond hearing set for June 13.
劉某其後返回中國，目前未被引渡；簡女士則仍在美方拘留中，保釋聽證預定於6月13日舉行。
extradite(v.)引渡(罪犯)in custody拘留中be held／taken into custody被拘留／收押pending(prep.)直到…時為止bond hearing保釋聽證會
However, plant pathology experts have voiced skepticism regarding the severity of the alleged threat.
然而，植物病理學專家對於這項威脅的嚴重性表示存疑。
skepticism(n.)懷疑、質疑voice or express skepticism about／regarding sth.對⋯表示懷疑
They note that F. graminearum has been present in U.S. agriculture for over a century, regularly causing “head blight” in wheat, barley, maize, and rice.
他們指出，禾穀鐮刀菌早已在美國農業中存在超過一世紀，常見於小麥、大麥、玉米與稻米中，引發所謂的「赤黴病」。
head blight赤黴病
It produces mycotoxins — such as “vomitoxin” — but these are routinely monitored and mitigated through fungicides and resistant crop strains.
禾穀鐮刀菌會產生真菌毒素，例如「嘔吐毒素」，但目前已有常規的檢測與緩解措施，例如使用殺菌劑與抗病作物品系。
mycotoxin(n.)黴菌毒素vomitoxin(n.)嘔吐毒素mitigate(v.)緩解、減輕resistant(adj.)具抗性的、不易受影響的fungicide(n.)殺菌劑、殺真菌劑
Specialists emphasize that the strain would need to be significantly more virulent or resistant than those already in circulation to pose a genuine agroterrorism risk.
專家強調，若要構成真正的農業恐怖威脅，該菌株必須比目前已流通的菌株具有顯著更強的致病力和抗藥性。
strain(n.)菌株virulent(adj.)劇毒的、致命的highly infectious具有高度傳染性的in circulation正在流通中;(病原等)普遍存在
The case reflects broader tensions between the U.S. and China over biological materials and research oversight.
這起案件反映出美中兩國在生物材料與科研監管上的緊張關係。
oversight(n.)監督、管理
Policymakers are scrutinizing foreign-born researchers and imposing stricter biosecurity and immigration controls.
政策制定者正加強對外籍研究人員的審查，並施行更嚴格的生物安全與入境管制。
scrutinize(v.)仔細檢查、審查biosecurity(n.)生物安全
While federal prosecutors highlight potential threats to national food security, it remains uncertain whether the smuggled fungus strain posed a novel danger.
儘管聯邦檢方強調此事可能威脅國家糧食安全，但目前仍無法確定走私的真菌菌株是否構成新型危害。
posed a danger構成危險novel(adj.)新的、新穎的novel influenza新型流感
Experts agree that legal, transparent pathogen exchange — under proper regulatory safeguards — is vital for scientific progress and farming resilience, but that still must be balanced with the increasing concern for national security.
專家們一致認為，在適當的監管保障下，合法且透明的病原體交流對科學進展與農業韌性至關重要，但同時也必須與日益升高的國家安全疑慮取得平衡。
under proper regulatory safeguards在適當的監管機制下resilience(n.)韌性;復原能力