《英语流行话题阅读:语境识词4500》91 The ABC's of Vitamin Enhanced Skin Care

　　Unit 91
The ABC's of Vitamin Enhanced Skin Care
Most of us know that vitamins can work wonders on our skin from the inside. However, many people have yet to realize the benefits of using vitamins on the outside. Below is a simple guide to aid you through the daunting¹ maze² of vitamin-enriched products, while making sure your skin get its recommended daily allowance of beauty.
VITAMIN A:  helps with fine lines and wrinkles. As some have learned the hard way, attempting to hide fine lines and wrinkles behind layers of make up is a losing battle. Better to improve the condition of your skin with products containing retinoids -- a class of Vitamin-A derivatives³. However, due to the lower levels of retinoids in some consumer products, it may take a bit longer to see the desired result.
VITAMIN B: A healthy glow, moisture retention⁴. Vitamins B-3 and B-5 have become popular additions to skin-care products because of their ability to assist in retaining moisture. B-3 is a relatively⁵ new ingredient on the marketplace but has demonstrated great promise, offering a milder alternative to acidic elements, which some feel is too harsh for their complexions⁶. B-5 is a more common skin-care additive⁷, and is widely recognized for its (along with Vitamin E) moisturizing ability. It's also good for those with sensitive skin, as some creams made with Vitamin-E have been known to cause irritation⁸.
VITAMIN C: Repairs sun damage. Vitamin C has been one of skin-care's hot sellers for the past several years due to its proven effectiveness as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are a critical natural defense⁹ against "free radicals¹¹", unstable¹² molecules¹³ that age the skin as a result of pollution, smoking and sun exposure. Vitamin C can protect the skin from UV damage caused by prolonged sun exposure by reducing the amount of free radical¹⁰ formation. However ,while it can help safeguard against skin damage and reduce discoloration, it should be used in conjunction with ,not in place of, a good sunscreen.
VITAMIN E:  Repairs dry, rough skin. Vitamin-E is another powerful antioxidant that is commonly used in lotions¹⁴ and creams for its moisturizing ability. Though some of the "miraculous¹⁵" healing claims of Vitamin-E supporters have been exaggerated over the years, it is still widely recognized for its proven ability to help retain moisture in the skin.
VITAMIN K: Repairs dark, under-eye circles. Dark circles under you eyes can make you look old beyond your years. And while getting a good night's sleep is always recommended, topical Vitamin-K is a good additional defense against discoloration under the eyes. Often used as a treatment for spider veins¹⁶, Vitamin K enters through the pores all the ways to the damaged capillary¹⁷ or artery¹⁸ and helps to clot¹⁹ the blood, thus stopping any seepage²⁰ -- often the cause of dark circles -- and allowing the tissue to heal itself. In addition to K, Vitamin-C is also known for its ability to diminish dark circles, and using a product (or products) containing both vitamins is a good bet.

1 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

2 maze   

n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑

参考例句：

• He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
• She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。

3 derivatives   

n.衍生性金融商品；派生物，引出物( derivative的名词复数 )；导数

参考例句：

• Many English words are derivatives of Latin words. 许多英语词来自拉丁语。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These compounds are nitrosohydroxylamine derivatives. 这类合成物是亚硝基羟胺衍生物。 来自辞典例句

4 retention   

n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力

参考例句：

• They advocate the retention of our nuclear power plants.他们主张保留我们的核电厂。
• His retention of energy at this hour is really surprising.人们惊叹他在这个时候还能保持如此旺盛的精力。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 complexions   

肤色( complexion的名词复数 )； 面色； 局面； 性质

参考例句：

• Dry complexions are replenished, feel soft, firm and smooth to the touch. 缓解肌肤的干燥状况，同时带来柔嫩、紧致和光滑的出众效果。
• Western people usually have fairer complexions than Eastern people. 由于人种不同，西方人的肤色比东方人要白很多。

7 additive   

adj.附加的；n.添加剂

参考例句：

• Colour is often an additive in foods.颜料经常是各种食物中的添加物。
• Strict safety tests are carried out on food additives.对食品添加剂进行了严格的安全检测。

8 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

9 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 radicals   

n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

12 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

13 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

14 lotions   

n.洗液，洗剂，护肤液( lotion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do not use lotions or oils to lubricate the skin. 不要用润肤剂或油类来润滑皮肤。 来自辞典例句
• They were experts at preserving the bodies of the dead by embalming them with special lotions. 他们具有采用特种药物洗剂防止尸体腐烂的专门知识。 来自辞典例句

15 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

16 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 capillary   

n.毛细血管；adj.毛细管道；毛状的

参考例句：

• Rapid capillary proliferation is a prominent feature of all early wound healing.迅速的毛细血管增生是所有早期伤口愈合的一个突出表现。
• When pulmonary capillary pressure is markedly elevated,pulmonary edema ensues.当肺毛细血管压力明显升高时，就出现肺水肿。

18 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

19 clot   

n.凝块；v.使凝成块

参考例句：

• Platelets are one of the components required to make blood clot.血小板是血液凝固的必须成分之一。
• The patient's blood refused to clot.病人的血液无法凝结。

20 seepage   

n.泄漏

参考例句：

• Chemical seepage has caused untold damage.化学品泄漏已造成不可估量的损失。
• Water gradually escapes by seepage through the ground.水逐渐从地面渗走了。