国家地理-2008-09-20 印度的双胞胎村

The remote village of Kodinji in southern India, population about 13,500, is home to more than 100 pairs of twins, and 90% of those were born within the last 18 years. No one quite knows why, and no published study explains the phenomenon. At the last count, 20 pairs of twins were enrolled¹ in one local school, most of them identical and same-sex. Other nearby schools report similar incidences.

 As far as this village is concerned, it has a lot of twins, much more than others. Most schools have a lot of twins. We can’t pinpoint² the reason though.

 Born in 1993 within 12 minutes of each other, Abhi and Anu Bhaskar walk together to school every day.

 In our school, they identify us by the way we comb our hair. I comb to the left and he to the right. And I have a mark on my neck. Apart from these, I do not think there are any differences.

 One of the most popular Hindu Gods in Hindu mythology³, Lord Rama had twin boys named Luv and Kush.

 I think it’s a blessing⁴. Maybe this place is one of God’s favorite ones. Kodinji is different from other places.

 The village also has a set of identical triplets.

 The fact that the number of twin births is said to have risen substantially here during the last 20 years is puzzling. And at present, there’s no scientific explanation for the phenomenon.

 Pinpoint: to be able to give the exact reason for sth or to describe sth exactly

Rama: a deified hero worshiped as an incarnation of Vishnu(印度教主神之一,守护之神).

1 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

3 mythology   

n.神话，神话学，神话集

参考例句：

• In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
• He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。

4 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。