英语听力—环球英语 750 Steps Forward in Science

　　Voice 1
Hello, and welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Steve Myersco.  This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
The world of science never seems to stand still! Scientists are continually² testing, researching, experimenting. They have a desire for knowledge about how the world works³. And their aim is to reduce the limits of that knowledge - to open doors to greater understanding. In today's Spotlight programme, we look at two developments in biology and medicine. And, we discuss what effects these discoveries may have on our future. Here are Marina Santee and Ruby⁴ Jones with our first story - a plant that produces fuel.
Voice 2
People say that money does not grow on trees. But does fuel? A scientist from Montana State University believes that maybe it does! Gary Strobel is a professor of plant sciences and plant pathology. He travels around the world, looking for unusual plants. He then examines them to find if they contain any bacteria that may be useful to humans.
Voice 3
In 2002, Professor Strobel visited the Patagonian rainforest. This rich, fertile⁵ area covers parts of two South American countries: Argentina and Chile. Strobel collected many cuttings from different plants and trees growing in the rainforest. He then returned home and examined them closely⁶ some time later. One of the cuttings came from an ancient family of trees called "ulmo".
Voice 2
Strobel and his team of helpers found an organism⁷ growing on the ulmo's leaves. It was a fungus⁸ - a growth that lives by feeding off another organism. The scientists investigated some more. They discovered that the fungus was naturally producing a mix of chemicals. And they found that this chemical mix was very similar to diesel⁹ fuel! Strobel named the mix, "Mycodiesel." He stated that the discovery was the first of its kind. They were the first people to find an organism that could produce this mix of fuel substances. And in his opinion, the mix was ready for use in any diesel fuel engine - no need for any changes!
Voice 3
Other scientific experts have welcomed this new discovery. However, producing fuel from crops - biofuel - still causes many arguments. It may be a more friendly kind of fuel for the environment. But people need large amounts of crops, such as corn, to produce it. This increases crop prices. And people who depend on these crops to survive often do not have the money to pay for them. So Strobel's discovery is creating hope. The mycodiesel provides a natural way of supplying biofuel - without using up much-needed crops!
Voice 2
However, Professor Strobel still has a lot of work to do. The next step will be to produce purer versions¹⁰ of the mycodiesel. To do this, the professor needs to find a way to make the fungus grow more quickly - and in larger amounts! Then, it will be time to test the mycodiesel outside the laboratory¹¹. Only time will tell if we will one day fill our tanks with fuel from the ulmo tree fungus. But Professor Strobel and his team are sure that they will succeed!
Voice 1
And now, an exciting development from the medical world. Here are Christy Van Aragon and Adam Navis to tell us about it.
Voice 4
Doctors perform organ transplant¹² operations often these days. People receive new lungs, new kidneys¹³ - and even new hearts. Usually these organs come from especially kept dead bodies. These organs often save patients' lives. But, there are risks involved. It is possible for the body to reject its new organ. So, patients have to take a number of different medicines for the rest of their lives.
Voice 5
However, in June 2008, doctors in Spain achieved a new kind of transplant success! For the first time ever they used an organ grown from cells from the patient's own body! The name of the patient was Claudia Castillo. And she was suffering from tuberculosis¹⁴. The tuberculosis had damaged her wind-pipe - the airway¹⁵ going from her nose and mouth to her lungs. This made her breathing difficult. Even a little exercise left Claudia weak. Because of the damage to her wind-pipe, she was in danger of losing her left lung. So, doctors decided¹⁶ to replace the damaged part of Claudia's wind-pipe.
Voice 4
Doctors cut a piece of wind-pipe from a dead body. Then they ‘washed' it in strong chemicals. They did this to destroy all the cells belonging to the owner of the wind-pipe. This cleaning process left the doctors with the basic structure of the piece of wind-pipe: like a tent without its protective¹⁷ cover! Doctors then took two different kinds of cells from Mrs Castillo. One kind of cell was from her wind-pipe. The other cells were young adult stem¹⁸ cells from her hip¹⁹ bone. The body's stem cells are able to grow into any kind of specialized²⁰ cell. The doctors mixed the two kinds of cells together. And the stem cells grew into new wind-pipe cells.
Voice 5
Doctors in the United Kingdom helped with this process. And they managed to grow enough cells to cover the old piece of wind-pipe. They flew the new cells back to Spain. And there, doctors covered the wind-pipe with them. All that remained for them to do was to replace the damaged piece of wind-pipe in Mrs Castillo!
Voice 4
It was a very tense event. Professor Paolo Macchiarini performed the operation. And he admitted that he was very afraid. However, the doctors had managed to trick Mrs Castillo's body. The new cells covering the wind-pipe made her body believe that this new wind-pipe was part of itself - not a strange new organ. Mrs Castillo has recovered well. And she will not have to take any extra medicine to stay healthy.
Voice 5
Professor Martin Birchall was one of the United Kingdom doctors who helped grow the new cells. He believes that this process marks a huge step forward in this kind of organ transplant. It reduces the chances of a body rejecting the new organ. And, it may also reduce the amount of time that patients have to wait for a transplant. Professor Birchall estimates²¹ that in twenty years' time, doctors could make almost any transplant organ in this way.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 continually   

adv.不间断地，不停地；多次重复地

参考例句：

• The other kids continually taunted him about his size.其他孩子不断地耻笑他的个头儿。
• The US is continually building up its armed forces.美军正持续加强它的三军。

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

4 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

5 fertile   

adj.肥沃的，富饶的；多产的，丰产的

参考例句：

• The district is fertile of wheat.该地区盛产小麦。
• Plants grow well in fertile soil.植物在肥沃的土壤里长势良好。

6 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

7 organism   

n.生物，有机体；(如生物的)机体、有机组织

参考例句：

• The economy is not a mechanical device but a living organism.经济不是一套机械装置,而是活的有机体。
• Selection will root out such organism.自然选择将把这些物种消灭掉。

8 fungus   

n.真菌，真菌类植物

参考例句：

• Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
• This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

9 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

10 versions   

n.译本( version的名词复数 )；版本；（个人对事件的）描述；（原物的）变体

参考例句：

• There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本，一长一短。
• When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后，找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

12 transplant   

n.移植的器官或植物；v.使迁移，使移居

参考例句：

• Some plants do not transplant well.有些植物不宜移植。
• Several of the patients had received kidney transplant.病人中有几位已接受了肾移植手术。

13 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。

14 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

15 airway   

n.空中航线，通风口

参考例句：

• Lay them on their side and ensure the airway is unobstructed.让他们侧躺着，并确保呼吸道畅通。
• There is a purple airway in London Airport.伦敦机场里有一条皇家专用飞机跑道。

16 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

17 protective   

adj.防护的，保护的

参考例句：

• A mother naturally feels protective towards her children.做母亲的天生要保护自己的孩子。
• We feel safe with a protective device in the house.我们因为家里有了防护装置而感到安全。

18 stem   

n.茎，干，船首，词干，血统；vt.堵住，阻止，抽去梗；vi.起源于，发生

参考例句：

• Cut the stem cleanly,just beneath a leaf joint.把茎切整齐点，正好切在叶根下。
• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。

19 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

20 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

21 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》