美国有线新闻 CNN 研究显示空气污染可能会损害思考能力

研究显示空气污染可能会损害思考能力

And today begins with an international study that suggests air pollution may be damaging the people's ability to think. The study came out Tuesday in the proceedings¹ of the National Academy of Sciences. What researchers did was examine information for a survey conducted in China.

今天首先来关注一项国际调查，该调查表明空气污染可能会损害人们的思考能力。这项研究于周二发表在《美国国家科学院院刊》上。研究人员对在中国进行的一项调查进行了分析。

It contained verbal and math test scores given to 32,000 people between 2010 and 2014 and the study found that the more polluted their counties were at the time of the test, the more their test scores went down.

该调查包括2010年至2014年间3.2万人的语言测试成绩和数学成绩，调查发现，考试时污染越严重，考试成绩下滑得越多。

Researchers say the biggest difference was found in older, less educated men. And as far as dangers go, the study suggests that air pollution could increase people's chances of developing diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. The study was specific to China, a nation with several cities that have grappled with severe air pollution but researchers say the findings could be applied² to countries around the world. One thing scientists didn't find out was how pollution could hurt the brain. And some folks not involved in the study are skeptical³.

研究人员表示，最大的差值出现在年龄较大且教育程度偏低的男性群体中。就危险来说，这项研究表明，空气污染可能会增加阿兹海默症和痴呆症的发病率。该研究聚焦中国，中国多座城市在努力解决严重的空气污染问题，但是研究人员表示，这一研究结果可以适用于世界各国。科学家没能确定污染会如何伤害大脑。一些没有参加调查的人对这一结果持怀疑态度。

National Public Radio spoke⁴ to James Hendricks (ph), an official with the Alzheimer's Association and he says he doesn't think a direct cause between air pollution and brain function can be proven. That part of the study's findings are speculative⁵. He adds that as far as Alzheimer's goes, other factors like diet, social interaction and exercise all play a role in people's risk for developing the disease.

美国国家公共电台采访了阿兹海默症协会官员詹姆斯·亨德里克斯，他说他认为空气污染和大脑机能之间的直接因果关系无法被证明。该研究的这部分结果只是猜测。他还表示，就阿兹海默症来说，饮食、社会交往和锻炼等其他因素均在发病风险中发挥着重要作用。

1 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 speculative   

adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的

参考例句：

• Much of our information is speculative.我们的许多信息是带推测性的。
• The report is highly speculative and should be ignored.那个报道推测的成分很大，不应理会。