VOA慢速英语2011--How Cooling the Brain May Help People Sl

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - How Cooling the Brain May Help People Sleep

FAITH LAPIDUS: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I’m Faith Lapidus.
BOB DOUGHTY¹: And I’m Bob Doughty. Today, we tell how cooling the brain may help people who have trouble going to sleep. We also tell about two endangered animals that are in danger of disappearing forever.
(MUSIC)
FAITH LAPIDUS: Are you having a problem going to sleep? Try drinking a glass of warm milk. If that does not work, listen to some soft, beautiful music. Still no luck? Try thinking about sheep jumping over a fence. Count them to yourself. “One, two, three, four…one hundred ninety five, one hundred ninety…”
It is late at night and you are still awake. Should you take a sleeping pill? People who take pills often come to depend on the drugs. So you lie awake knowing that the new work day will soon arrive. If this happens to you for at least one month, you may have primary insomnia². There are millions of you…us…around the world.
BOB DOUGHTY: A new study has found that you might fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer if you try “cerebral³ hypothermia.” No, cerebral hypothermia is not a complex medical process. It just means cooling down your brain.
Eric Nofzinger and Daniel Buysse of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School led the study. They examined twelve people who had insomnia. Twelve others had no sleep problems. Each of them wore a soft plastic cap on their heads at bed time.
The caps had tubes inside filled with water. The researchers moved the water through the tubes and then changed the temperature of the water. Other studies showed that people who had trouble sleeping often had more chemical reactions in the front of their brains. The researchers thought lowering the temperature of the brain might help.
FAITH LAPIDUS: The first two nights of testing, the patients wore no water caps. During the next two nights, the caps were worn, but the water was not cooled. Then the researchers cooled the water a little for two nights. On the final two nights of the study, the temperature of the water was made much cooler.
The researchers found that the water caps did not help the insomnia patients until the temperature was about fourteen degrees Celsius⁴. Most of the patients fell asleep faster and slept better when the coolest water was moving around their heads.
Dr. Nofzinger and Dr. Buysee noted⁵ that this is only the beginning of the brain temperature study. But they believe they have discovered something important that needs more research. They presented their test results in June at a meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: Scientists completed a census⁶ in Nepal recently. This population study, however, did not count people. Instead, biologists and other people counted the number of greater one-horned rhinoceros⁸ in the Himalayan nation.
The greater one-horned rhinoceros is in danger of disappearing. In general, the animals live only in protected areas of Nepal and India. India has most of them.
The population study showed that five hundred thirty-four one-horned rhinos⁹ now live in Nepal. That is an increase of ninety-nine rhinos since two thousand eight. Five hundred three of the animals were observed in Chitwan National Park. Thirty-one others live in another national park and a wildlife area.
The census marks the first time that more than five hundred rhinos were seen in Nepal since the nation’s civil war. Animal-traders killed many rhinos during that conflict, fought from nineteen ninety six to two thousand six.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Rhinoceros horns are valued in Asian medicines. They also are popular in some Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. The horns have a beautiful, shining quality after carved and made smooth. They are sometimes seen on daggers¹⁰, short, pointed¹¹ knives, and in objects like ceremonial cups.
Illegal rhino⁷ hunting was a big reason that only one hundred of the animals lived in the Chitwan Valley in nineteen sixty-six. Over the years, the Nepali rhino population has increased and decreased. But life became more secure for the animals in nineteen seventy-three. At that time, Nepal established the Chitwan National Park, first called Royal Chitwan National Park. It was the first wildlife area of its kind in the nation. Nepal opened it to save the one-horned rhinoceros.
Officials have taken strong steps to protect this huge grassland¹² and forest animal. People caught killing¹³ rhinos are sentenced to prison. Continuing efforts like the census support the population.
BOB DOUGHTY: During the recent count, scientists measured the population from seats on the backs of elephants. The census-takers had cameras, radio handsets and rhino date-recording books. They also carried GPS receivers that show the position of the user. There were also GPS supplies and books to record the presence of an invasive plant. The plant threatens the grasslands¹⁴ where rhinos live.
The scientists and technicians identified each rhino by the shape and size of its horn. They also looked for body markings like cuts and old healed wounds. The animals’ necks and backsides were inspected for pieces of skin that lie one on top of the other. The census takers noted the numbers of males and females.
The wildlife organization WWF helped support the census with Nepalese park and wildlife agencies and Nepal’s National Trust for Nature Conservation.
Shubash Lohani is an official of WWF’s Eastern Programs. He expressed satisfaction that the country has more rhinoceros. But he warned that illegal trade and loss of homelands continue to threaten the rare animals.
(MUSIC)
FAITH LAPIDUS: Since ancient times, people have respected cheetahs¹⁶ for their speed and beauty. Some cheetahs can reach speeds of up to one hundred ten kilometers an hour.
There were once more than one hundred thousand of the animals in Africa and Asia. But over the past century, that population has dropped to about ten thousand. Today, cheetahs are mainly found in twenty-four African countries.
Yet the cheetah¹⁵ population has started to recover because of one woman. Her name is Laurie Marker.
LAURIE MARKER: “I started working with cheetahs when I lived in Oregon – I ran a wildlife park there. This was back in the early seventies and nobody knew anything about cheetahs, and I was fascinated about them. And the more people I asked, they said when you find out something about cheetahs let us know, they don’t do well in captivity¹⁷, they have a very short lifespan, and we’re losing them throughout the ranges in the world. So that just made me fascinated and I wanted to know everything there was about them.”
FAITH LAPIDUS: Laurie Marker traveled to Namibia to learn as much about cheetahs as she could. The African nation is home to the world’s largest wild cheetah population.
LAURIE MARKER: “Understanding about how the cheetah lives is really important. So understanding its biology and its behavior, understanding the ecology of it, which really revolves¹⁸ around where it’s living and how it’s living, and that interfaces¹⁹ with humans.”
BOB DOUGHTY: In nineteen ninety, Ms. Marker founded the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a not-for-profit group with offices in Namibia. The group carries out research and offers educational programs. It also develops ways to fight some of the biggest threats to cheetahs, including clashes with farmers.
Some farmers kill cheetahs because they attack and feed on cattle, sheep and goats. So Laurie Marker started working with local farming communities to find ways to protect their livestock²⁰ from the big cats.
In nineteen ninety-four, she proposed that Namibian farmers use Anatolian Shepherds to protect their cattle and other animals. Ms. Marker now raises and trains the guard dogs, which put themselves between the livestock and any attacker.
LAURIE MARKER: “This breed has been used for about five thousand years to protect livestock from predators²². And they act as a guardian²³ by avoidance – they bark loudly, they tell a predator²¹ that they’re there protecting the flock, and the flock will come around the dog and by the dog barking – the predator doesn’t want to get hurt – and they will then avoid those flocks where the dogs are.”
FAITH LAPIDUS: Over the past fifteen years, CCF has bred and given more than four hundred dogs to Namibian farmers. They have reported up to an eighty percent decrease in livestock losses. At the same time, many farmers have grown to accept having cheetahs around.
LAURIE MARKER: “Since our time in Namibia the population of cheetahs there was about a thousand to fifteen hundred individuals. Today it’s probably thirty five hundred, maybe four thousand cheetahs. So we’ve been able to really grow the population. And that’s out of a world population of about ten thousand.”
FAITH LAPIDUS: Ms. Marker would like to keep growing that number by expanding the CCF programs to other countries where cheetahs once lived.
Today, Laurie Marker is considered one of the world’s leading experts on cheetahs. She travels the world giving speeches and attending money-raising events to increase understanding of this highly endangered animal.
LAURIE MARKER: “If we are not successful we’re going to lose this amazing species in a very short period of time.”
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Brianna Blake, Jim Tedder²⁴ and Jerilyn Watson. Our producer was June Simms. I’m Bob Doughty.
FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

1 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

2 insomnia   

n.失眠，失眠症

参考例句：

• Worries and tenseness can lead to insomnia.忧虑和紧张会导致失眠。
• He is suffering from insomnia.他患失眠症。

3 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。

4 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 census   

n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查

参考例句：

• A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
• The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。

7 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

8 rhinoceros   

n.犀牛

参考例句：

• The rhinoceros has one horn on its nose.犀牛鼻子上有一个角。
• The body of the rhinoceros likes a cattle and the head likes a triangle.犀牛的形体像牛，头呈三角形。

9 rhinos   

n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式）

参考例句：

• There are many reports of people taming and even training Indian rhinos. 有许多关于人们驯养甚至训练印度犀牛的记载。 来自辞典例句
• The rhinos had fed during the night in the rice fields of these villagers. 犀牛夜里在这些村民的庄稼地里也已吃饱了。 来自辞典例句

10 daggers   

匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I will speak daggers to her, but use none. 我要用利剑一样的话刺痛她的心，但绝不是真用利剑。
• The world lives at daggers drawn in a cold war. 世界在冷战中剑拨弩张。

11 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

12 grassland   

n.牧场，草地，草原

参考例句：

• There is a reach of grassland in the distance.远处是连绵一片的草原。
• The snowstorm swept the vast expanse of grassland.暴风雪袭击了辽阔的草原。

13 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

14 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 cheetah   

n.(动物)猎豹

参考例句：

• The cheetah is generally credited as the world's fastest animal.猎豹被公认是世界上跑得最快的动物。
• The distribution of the cheetah ranges from Africa to Central Asia.印度豹的足迹遍及从非洲到中亚的广大地区。

16 cheetahs   

n.（奔跑极快的）非洲猎豹( cheetah的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Unlike lions or cheetahs, leopards are secretive, solitary cats. 花豹不像狮子或印度豹，是属于较神秘而隐居的大猫。 来自互联网
• Among this lot are cheetahs, lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, spotted hyenas and elephants. 印度豹、狮子、花豹、犀牛、斑点土狼、大象等，都是此地的居民。 来自互联网

17 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

18 revolves   

v.（使）旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 )；细想

参考例句：

• The earth revolves both round the sun and on its own axis. 地球既公转又自转。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Thus a wheel revolves on its axle. 于是，轮子在轴上旋转。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 interfaces   

界面( interface的名词复数 )； 接口（连接两装置的电路，可使数据从一种代码转换成另一种代码）； 交界； 联系

参考例句：

• If the class needs to be reprogrammed, new interfaces are created. 如果class需要重新程序设计，新的interfaces创建。
• Interfaces solve this problem of evolving code. Interfaces解决了代码升级的问题。

20 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

21 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

22 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

24 tedder   

n.（干草）翻晒者，翻晒机

参考例句：

• Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆？特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
• Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆？泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网