SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2130 - Digest

18 科技新闻摘要（七）

DATE=6-26-01
TITLE=SCIENCE IN THE NEWS #2130 - Digest
 BYLINE=Staff

VOICE ONE:
This is Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Bob Doughty¹ with Science in the News, a VOA Special English program about recent developments in science.  Today, we tell about the discovery of (1) remains² of the second largest (2) dinosaur³ ever found.  We tell about developments that are influencing the world's future.  We tell about ways to delay the disease (3) diabetes⁴. And we tell about the (4) intelligence of (5) dolphins. 
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
Scientists working in the Sahara Desert of Egypt have found remains of a huge ancient creature never before discovered. They say the creature appears to be the second largest dinosaur ever found.  The scientists believe the dinosaur lived ninety-four-million years ago.  They say it was up to thirty meters long.  And they believe it weighed up to sixty-three tons.
Joshua Smith of the (6) University of Pennsylvania in (7) Philadelphia led the team of scientists.  Science magazine reported their discovery.
The scientists found the remains near the Bahariya Oasis⁵, about three-hundred kilometers southwest of (8) Cairo, Egypt.  The scientists named the creature Paralititan stromeri.  The name Paralititan means "(9) tidal giant."  The name stromeri honors the famous German scientist Ernst Stromer.  
VOICE TWO:
Mister Stromer discovered a large number of dinosaur remains in Bahariya in the early Nineteen-Hundreds.  He sent the (10) fossils⁷ to a museum in (11) Munich, Germany. However, most of the bones were destroyed by the (12) Allied⁸ (13) bombing during World War Two.
The University of Pennsylvania team began working in the Bahariya area two years ago.  The scientists say Paralititan (14) represents a new kind of titanosaurid.  This was a group of dinosaurs⁹ that had long necks and long tails.  They ate plants.  The scientists (15) estimated the size of Paralititan from several bones of the (16) upper arm, shoulder and back.  They say Paralititan appears to be similar to Argentinosaurus, the biggest dinosaur ever found.  Argentinosaurus was a titanosaurid from South America.  Mister Smith said a common (17) ancestor might have moved from one continent to another when South America and Africa were united in a single land mass. 
VOICE ONE:
The scientists say their discovery will help to answer questions about Africa during what is known as the late (18) Cretaceous period in Earth's history.
Ninety-million years ago, the (19) Sahara Desert was very different than it is today.  Scientists say the area was a large wetland with many plants. Along with Paralititan, the scientists found the remains of many other ancient creatures. These include other dinosaurs, fish and crabs¹⁰.  Some of these creatures were huge.  The scientists say the area had to produce a huge amount of plants to support such creatures.
In the past two years at Bahariya, the scientists have discovered remains of about fifty kinds of animals.  They have collected more than seven-hundred plant fossils. Scientists in the American city of Philadelphia are now studying and cleaning the fossils before returning them to Egypt.  
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE TWO:
A new study has found that people around the world are getting fatter, using more medicines, and driving their cars farther.  The Worldwatch Institute published the report last month.  It is called "(20) Vital Signs Two-Thousand-One."  The study measures developments that are influencing the future of the world. 
Michael Renner is the (21) director of the study.  He says many people in the world today are still too poor to make choices about how to live.  However, people in developing countries who are gaining wealth act much like people in industrial countries.  He says they are eating more meat, drinking more coffee, getting fatter and smoking more (22) cigarettes. 
VOICE ONE:
The researchers also found that more people depend on cars for (23) transportation. This is producing more pollution. People also are getting less exercise because they are driving more.The report says ninety percent of the energy used in industry around the world comes from fossil⁶ fuels, such as coal. When they are burned, fossil fuels produce pollution. The Worldwatch Institute says clean energy supplies, like wind, need to be used more.  However, the study says that wind power is only one percent of the energy used in the world.
The report says the demand for meat is also increasing around the world. It says the growing number of farm animals has created a (24) threat to soil, air and water quality.  Also, farmers are now giving (25) antibiotic¹¹ medicines to farm animals.  This may be (26) reducing the (27) effectiveness of these drugs in humans.  
VOICE TWO:
Mister Renner says that making medicines is one of the most (28) profitable¹² and fastest-growing industries in the world.  However, he says drug companies are failing to improve the health of much of the world's population. 
For example, the top selling drugs treat conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and weight problems.  These diseases mostly affect people in industrial countries.  He says the drug companies should be creating better treatments to fight diseases in developing countries, such as (29) malaria¹³.  
Mister Renner says the report shows that the choices people make can either sicken or save the Earth.  He says these choices will decide the quality of our lives and our children's lives in the new century. 
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
Medical researchers say people can make changes in their lives that can delay the development of the disease diabetes.  People with diabetes have high levels of the sugar called (30) glucose¹⁴ in their blood.  Glucose levels increase when the body lacks or cannot use the (31) hormone¹⁵ (32) insulin. Diabetes damages blood (33) vessels¹⁶.  It injures the (34) kidneys¹⁷, eyes and nerves.  It stops blood flow to the feet and legs.  And it increases the chances of heart disease and strokes.
There are two kinds of diabetes. Type One develops in children or young adults.  Type Two develops in older adults. The new study (35) involved Type Two diabetes. Medical researchers say more people are developing Type Two diabetes because of a lack of physical activity and an increase in weight.
VOICE TWO:
Researchers at the Diabetes Prevention Study Group in (36) Finland wanted to see if changes in people's lives could affect their development of the disease. 
Their study involved more than five-hundred men and women in Finland. Their average age was fifty-five. They had a higher than normal chance of developing diabetes.  About half the people met with a medical expert who helped them eat healthier foods and increase their physical activity.  The other half received only general information about such changes.
The researchers tested the people each year for diabetes.  The researchers said the risk of developing diabetes was fifty-eight percent lower in the group that ate healthier foods and exercised more. 
((MUSIC BRIDGE))
VOICE ONE:
Many people believe that dolphins are among the smartest animals on Earth.  Dolphins are warm-blooded sea animals. Recently, scientists discovered that dolphins could do something that humans can do.  They say dolphins can recognize themselves in a mirror, a shiny piece of glass.   
Scientists Diana Reiss and Lori Marino discovered this special skill.  They did separate studies with two (37) bottlenose dolphins at the New York (38) Aquarium¹⁸ in Brooklyn, New York.  Mizz Reiss and Mizz Marino say that dolphins have a level of self-knowledge because they are able to recognize themselves in mirrors.  This level of self-knowledge has been identified only in humans and one other kind of animal - the great (39) apes. 
VOICE TWO:
 The two researchers discovered this by using a test created thirty years ago by scientist Gordon Gallop¹⁹.  Mister Gallop placed a mark on animals.  He found that when animals study the mark in a mirror, they show signs of self-recognition. 
Mizz Reiss and Mizz Marino tested the two dolphins many times. Each dolphin repeatedly swam to the mirror to inspect the place where it had been marked.  Mizz Reiss says that most animals either refuse to look at a mirror.  Or they react (40) aggressively as if the (41) image were another animal.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by George Grow, Jill Moss²⁰ and Nancy Steinbach. It was produced by Caty Weaver²¹.   This is Sarah Long.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Bob Doughty.  Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

(1) remains [rI5meIns] n.残余, 遗迹, 遗体
(2) dinosaur [ 5dainEsC: ] n.恐龙
(3) diabetes [ 7daiE5bi:ti:z ] n.[医] 糖尿病, 多尿症
(4) intelligence [ in5telidVEns ] n.智力, 聪明, 智能
(5) dolphin [ 5dClfin ] n.海豚
(6) University of Pennsylvania n.宾夕法尼亚大学
(7) Philadelphia [ 7filE5delfjE ] n.费城
(8) Cairo [ 5kaiErEu ] n.开罗(埃及首都)
(9) tidal [ 5taidl ] adj.潮汐的, 定时涨落的
(10) fossil [ 5fCsl ] n.化石, 僵化的事物 adj.化石的, 陈腐的, 守旧的
(11) Munich [ 5mju:nik ] n.慕尼黑(德国城市,巴伐利亚州首府)
(12) allied [ E5laid75Alaid ] adj.联合的, 同盟的, 与...同属一系 v.联合
(13) bombing [ 5bCmiN ] 轰炸, 投弹
(14) represent [ 7ri:pri5zent ] vt.表现, 描绘, 声称, 象征, 扮演, 回忆, 再赠送, 再上演 vi.提出异议
(15) estimate [ 5estimeit ] v.估计, 估价, 评估 n.估计, 估价, 评估
(16) upper [ 5QpE ] adj.上面的, 上部的
(17) ancestor [ 5AnsistE ] n.祖先, 祖宗
(18) Cretaceous adj.〈地〉白垩纪的
(19) Sahara [ sE5hB:rE ] n.撒哈拉沙漠(非洲北部大沙漠), 荒野
(20) vital [ 5vaitl ] adj.生死攸关的, 重大的, 生命的, 生机的, 至关重要的, 所必需的
(21) director [ di5rektE ] n.主任, 主管, 导演, (机关)首长, (团体)理事, (公司)董事, 指挥仪, 控制器
(22) cigarette [ si^E5ret ] n.香烟, 纸烟
(23) transportation [ 7trAnspC:5teiFEn ] n.运输, 运送
(24) threat [ Wret ] n.恐吓, 凶兆, 威胁
(25) antibiotic [ 7Antibai5Ctik ] n.抗生素 adj.抗生的
(26) reducing [ ri5dju:siN ] n.减轻体重法
(27) effectiveness [ i5fektivnis ] n.效力
(28) profitable adj.有利可图的
(29) malaria [ mE5lZEriE ] n.疟疾, 瘴气
(30) glucose [ 5^lu:kEus ] n.葡萄糖
(31) hormone [ 5hC:mEun ] n.荷尔蒙, 激素
(32) insulin [ 5insjulin ] n.胰岛素
(33) vessel [ 5vesl ] n.船, 容器, 器皿, 脉管, 导管
(34) kidney [ 5kidni ] n.肾
(35) involve [ in5vClv ] vt.包括, 笼罩, 潜心于, 使陷于
(36) Finland [ 5finlEnd ] n.芬兰[欧洲]
(37) bottlenose [`bCtlnEJz] n.[动]宽吻海豚
(38) aquarium [ E5kwZEriEm ] n.水族馆
(39) ape [ eip ] n.猿
(40) aggressively adv.侵略地, 攻势地
(41) image [ 5imidV ] n.图象, 肖像, 偶像vt.想象, 作...的像, 反映, 象征

 

 

 

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 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

4 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

5 oasis   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方

参考例句：

• They stopped for the night at an oasis.他们在沙漠中的绿洲停下来过夜。
• The town was an oasis of prosperity in a desert of poverty.该镇是贫穷荒漠中的一块繁荣的“绿洲”。

6 fossil   

n.化石，食古不化的人，老顽固

参考例句：

• At this distance of time it is difficult to date the fossil.时间隔得这么久了，很难确定这化石的年代。
• The man is a fossil.那人是个老顽固。

7 fossils   

n.化石( fossil的名词复数 )；老顽固；食古不化的人；老古董（老人）

参考例句：

• fossils over two million years old 两百多万年的化石
• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley. 在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

9 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

12 profitable   

adj.有益的，能带来利益的，有利可图的

参考例句：

• That business became profitable last year.那项生意去年变得很赚钱。
• The convention business is very profitable for the hotel industry.承办会议业务能给旅馆业带来很高的利润。

13 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

14 glucose   

n.葡萄糖

参考例句：

• I gave him an extra dose of glucose to pep him up.我给他多注射了一剂葡萄糖以增强他的活力。
• The doctor injected glucose into his patient's veins.医生将葡萄糖注入病人的静脉。

15 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

16 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 kidneys   

肾形矿脉； 肾，肾脏( kidney的名词复数 )； （可食用的动物的）腰子

参考例句：

• The function of the kidneys is to excrete wastes from the body. 肾的功能是排泄人体里的废物。
• She got a very dangerous disease of kidneys. 她得了一种很危险的肾病。

18 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

19 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

20 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

21 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。