英语听力精选进阶版 14292

BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News 

28 August 2013

Knife massage¹

Transcript²:

It's not food she wants to chop - it's you.

This is a massage parlour in Taiwan. Trained specialists use blunt knives as well as meditation³ to help their customers relax. 

Knife massages⁴ date back more than 2,000 years to China, where they were given by monks⁵ or nuns⁶.

Now Taiwan is one of the few places where this type of therapy is still practised.

Vocabulary:

to chop

to cut into pieces

massage parlour

a place where professional massages are given 

blunt

with a dull edge; not sharp 

meditation

concentrating on a single thing in order to become calm

therapy

treatment

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

to chop / massage parlour / blunt / meditation / therapy

1.  Lord Hutton released his findings in January 2004, reporting that the scientist had committed suicide by slashing⁷ his wrist with a __________gardening knife.

2.  The roasted guinea pig - called cuy in South America - was brought to our table whole before being __________ into five pieces - four leg portions and the head.

3.  A disease which robs children of the ability to walk and talk has been cured by pioneering gene⁸ __________ to correct errors in their DNA⁹, say doctors.

4.  Adam says that __________ is a crucial part of free-diving. "If you don't stay relaxed, you can't hold your breath," he tells BBC News. 

5.  Two men have been arrested and weapons have been seized after an armed robbery at a Brighton __________.

Answers:

1.  Lord Hutton released his findings in January 2004, reporting that the scientist had committed suicide by slashing his wrist with a blunt gardening knife.

Source: Dr David Kelly: Controversial death examined

2.  The roasted guinea pig - called cuy in South America - was brought to our table whole before being chopped into five pieces - four leg portions and the head.

Source: Could I bring myself to eat a guinea pig?

3.  A disease which robs children of the ability to walk and talk has been cured by pioneering gene therapy to correct errors in their DNA, say doctors GMT.

Source: Gene therapy trial 'cures children'

4.  Adam says that meditation is a crucial part of free-diving. "If you don't stay relaxed, you can't hold your breath," he tells BBC News. 

Source: Man v seal: How we compare with our marine¹⁰ cousins

5.  Two men have been arrested and weapons have been seized after an armed robbery at a Brighton massage parlour.

Source: Two arrested over Brighton massage parlour raid

1 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

4 massages   

按摩，推拿( massage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At present the doctor is giving him daily massages to help restore the function of his limbs. 目前医生每天在给他按摩，帮助他恢复腿臂的功能。
• His father massages his nose and chin. 他爸爸揉了揉鼻子和下巴。

5 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 nuns   

n.（通常指基督教的）修女， （佛教的）尼姑( nun的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ah Q had always had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns. 小尼姑之流是阿Q本来视如草芥的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Nuns are under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. 修女须立誓保持清贫、贞洁、顺从。 来自辞典例句

7 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

8 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

9 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。