【明報專訊】According to a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 93% of the world's children under the age of 15 (1.8 billion children) are breathing air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. It is estimated that in 2016, 0.6 million children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air.

As children breathe more rapidly than adults, they inhale more pollutants and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution. The health body said that children who had been exposed to high levels of air pollution might be at greater risk of chronic diseases later in life. Air pollution also impacts neurodevelopment (神經發育) and cognitive ability (認知能力). It can trigger asthma (哮喘) and childhood cancer.

While air pollution is a global issue, it is particularly profound in low and middle income countries. To minimise children's exposure to polluted air, schools and playgrounds are suggested to be located away from major sources of air pollution like busy roads, factories and power plants.

(sources: Ming Pao,World Health Organization)

■English highway﹕chronic disease

A chronic disease or illness is one that continues for a long time and cannot be cured.

e.g. He suffers from chronic pain in his ankles.

■Game

To escape from the Smarties' surveillance, Eason plans to change the colour and pattern of his car. Which of the following patterns matches the paint roller?

(See picture)

■Quiz

1. Where should schools and playgrounds be located to minimise children's exposure to polluted air? (Answer in a complete sentence)

2. In paragraph 2, "the health body" refers to:

a. the healthy child

c. World Health Organisation

b. the healthy children's bodies

d. None of the above

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

vulnerable (adj) 易受影響的

trigger (v) 觸發

profound (adj) 強烈的

minimise (v) 將……減到最低

[Smarties' Power English 第229期]