英语听力文摘 English Digest 81、咖喱治疗癌症？(上)

　　If you like curry¹ then you must be delighted to learn that scientists in Ireland have found a certain type of curry spice can kill off cancer cells.
The chemical – curcumin – can be found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric. It’s long thought to have healing powers. Tests by a team at the Cork² Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab.
The cancer cells began to digest themselves after the curcumin triggered lethal³ cell death signals. And this process started within 24 hours.
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: “This is an interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.”
curcumin:姜黄素
turmeric:姜黄（植物）
healing powers:有治疗功能
gullet:食道
digest:消化
triggered:引发
lethal:致命的
opens up:开创，开辟
oesophageal cancer:食道癌

1 curry   

n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革

参考例句：

• Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
• Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。

2 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

3 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。