【英语时差8，16】心冷手热

 Does drinking an alcoholic¹ beverage² make you warmer? That's the question Yael and Don discuss on this Moment of Science.   Yael: Hey Don, what're you reading?

Don: A travel brochure. Listen to this. "When the weather turns cold, some people dream about Caribbean vacations, but others look forward to cold-weather sports: ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing." I like ice fishing...nice day...sitting on the ice...little flask³ of brandy to warm up with.

Y: Don't say that, Don! Drinking does not make winter sports better. If anything, it makes them more dangerous.

D: Well, sure, too much alcohol can lead to trouble--poor judgment⁴, reckless driving, getting lost on the trail, that sort of thing--but what's the harm in a few nips of whisky by the side of the fishing hole? Warms you up.

Y: No, it doesn't. Alcohol may give you the feeling that you're getting warmer, but that's just an illusion: really, alcohol makes you more susceptible⁵ to the cold.

D: What? I don't believe it.

Y: In cold weather, the body reacts by routing blood away from the skin toward the internal organs. This prevents loss of heat through the skin and maintains the core temperature. But, alcohol reverses this effect by making you flush red. This flush makes you feel warm for a few minutes, but you are really losing heat through the skin to the cold air. You could lose enough heat to begin hypothermia and not even realize it, because as your skin feels warmer, the core body temperature is becoming colder and colder.

D: Guess I'd better stick to hot chocolate, eh?

1 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

2 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

3 flask   

n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱

参考例句：

• There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
• He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。