英语听力精选进阶版 7216（在线收听）

Background: 英国的研究人员说，他们发现水下珊瑚里的某些化学物质能够用来帮助人们预防晒伤，他们希望能够研制出一种防晒药片。

Coral is an animal that thrives in shallow water, where it can absorb vital sunlight, but that also makes it vulnerable to strong ultraviolet rays.

It's long been known that algae living inside coral produces a sunscreen that protects it. But the team from King’s College in London says this is the first time they have got close to using that chemical to create something similar for humans.

After studying samples from the Great Barrier Reef they found that fish feeding off the coral are also able to withstand powerful ultraviolet rays, leading them to believe that the protective amino acids - the key ingredient - pass up the food chain.

Tests on human skin could take place within two years, though the scientists say it could take them a lot longer to work out whether the protective chemical can be turned into tablet form.

Glossary 词汇表

to thrive 大量生长 

to absorb 汲取，吸收 

to be vulnerable to 容易受到伤害的

ultraviolet rays 紫外线 

to feed off 靠吃…来生存 

to withstand 承受 

a protective amino acid 保护性氨基酸 

to pass up the food chain 传递食物链 

to work out 研究出 

a tablet 片剂

Questions:

1. Where does coral grow? 

In shallow water, where it can absorb sunlight.

2. What have scientists found out about the fish in the Great Barrier Reef?

They found out that fish that were eating the coral were not particularly affected by harmful rays from the sun.

3. When do the scientists hope to perform tests on humans? 

Within two years.

4. True or false? Scientists have known for a long time that some algae have a natural defence against sun rays. 

True. According to the report, algae living inside coral produces a sunscreen that protects it.