VOA慢速英语-SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Dead Sea Scrolls Coming to the

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:
　
Scientists are bringing the Dead Sea Scrolls¹ to the Internet

And I'm Steve Ember. This week, we will tell about an effort to place two thousand year old documents on the Internet. We will tell why two American scientists are concerned about frogs. And we tell about Down syndrome² -- a disorder³ that has been noted⁴ in the American election campaign.

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VOICE ONE:

Israeli officials have announced plans to make the Dead Sea Scrolls available on the Internet. Officials say scientists have begun using space technology to take pictures of the scrolls. They say the technology will help uncover some writings that have been hidden for years.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are about two thousand years old. They include pieces from about nine hundred documents. The scrolls contain the oldest known copies of the Hebrew holy book or Bible. They also include descriptions of life for Jews and early Christians⁵ during the time of Jesus.

The scrolls were found near the Dead Sea in nineteen forty-seven. They are written on two kinds of paper: parchment or papyrus⁶. Some parts of the documents have become difficult to read over the years.

VOICE TWO:

The Dead Sea Scrolls are in the possession of the Israel Antiquities⁷ Authority. Last month, officials announced that all of the scrolls would be digitally copied and placed on the Internet. The scientists say they are using non-damaging, high-tech⁸ imaging technology. Infrared⁹ cameras were used to make pictures of the Dead Sea Scrolls not long after they were found. Since then, infrared technology has greatly improved.

Scientists say the new method will show never before seen details. Officials say the imaging process will be done in way that protects the documents from the harmful effects of light and heat.

VOICE ONE:

The imaging technology being used on the scrolls now has also been used in space. Scientist Greg Bearman is taking part in the project. Mister Bearman recently retired¹⁰ from the American space agency. He says the imaging equipment is used to study planets, but that it also works on the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Officials say the goal of the project is make the scrolls more widely available to researchers and the public. The work is expected to take about five years.

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VOICE TWO:

Two American scientists believe many kinds of wildlife life are in great danger. The scientists say these animals and plants could permanently¹¹ disappear from Earth. They also say a widespread loss of amphibians¹³ in recent years shows that a biological disaster has begun.

Amphibians are land animals that reproduce in water. The scientists studied a well-known amphibian¹² -- the frog. They found that some frog populations are only two to five percent of their normal size. David Wake and Vance Vredenburg reported the finding in the Proceedings¹⁴ of the National Academy of Sciences.

VOICE ONE:

Mister Wake teaches at the University of California at Berkeley. Mister Vredenburg works at the university's Museum of Vertebrate Zoology¹⁵ and teaches at San Francisco State University. Their joint¹⁶ observations represent almost fifty years of research.

The report says at least two hundred species, or kinds of life, have died out during the past twenty years. But the scientists are hopeful about some amphibians. They believe at least some will live through the current threat of extinction¹⁷.

Professor Wake says people are mainly responsible for conditions that threaten wildlife. He blames human beings for destruction of the animals' habitats or living areas. This often happens when unoccupied land is developed for human use.

VOICE TWO:

The men and their team did some of the research in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Five of seven amphibian species at the top of the mountains are threatened.

The scientists walked along forty kilometers of streams and lakes to observe the frogs. Mister Vredenburg says one area -- Yosemite National Park -- is especially well protected. Yet its population of two kinds of frogs dropped sharply in recent years. Ninety-five to ninety-eight percent of the Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog and the Southern Yellow-legged Frogs disappeared during that time.

VOICE ONE:

Professor Vredenburg says the frogs may have started disappearing in the nineteen nineties. At that time, people were adding rainbow trout¹⁸ to streams and lakes. The fish like to eat frog eggs and young frogs. When the trout were removed, the frogs stopped dying for a time.

Mister Vredenburg says they came back by the thousands, but later died off again. He says a few hundred yellow legged and Sierra frogs are alive today. That compares with many thousands in the past.

VOICE TWO:

The University of California team said the frogs died from an infection caused by a fungus¹⁹. This disease, chytridiomycosis, also has killed many other animals over the past five years. And it has spread to other species around the world.

It is not known how the disease is spread. Birds or wind may be responsible. But experts now have been able to complete a genetic²⁰ map of the fungus. They hope to develop prevention methods within a year. Mister Wake notes that new kinds of animal and plant life have developed and died off over the centuries. Sometimes, however, an extinction event takes place. During this time, many more species die out permanently than develop. Mister Wake says humanity is living in the sixth great extinction event of history. He says human responsibility makes it different from the first five extinction events.

VOICE ONE:

Scientists disagree about when the present mass extinction began. Some say it may have started about ten thousand years ago. That is when humans began to hunt.

Many large mammals disappeared from Earth during that period. Or, Mister Wake said, it may have started in the nineteenth century, when the Industrial Revolution began. But he and Mister Vredenburg believe it already has started.

Mister Wake says amphibians have lived for two hundred fifty million years. He says they survived when dinosaurs²¹ did not. And he warns the fact that amphibians are dying out should send people an important message.

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VOICE TWO:

This month, the governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, accepted the Republican Party's nomination²² for vice²³ president. Governor Palin has a son who was born with Down syndrome. She and her husband also have four other children who do not have the disorder.

Human genes²⁴ are normally organized along forty-six chromosomes²⁶ -- twenty-three from each parent. But as a result of a mistake in cell division, some people have three copies of the twenty-first chromosome²⁵. There are supposed to be just two.

About one in every seven hundred babies has this extra copy. A British doctor, John Langdon Down, first described the condition in the eighteen sixties.

VOICE ONE:

Many babies with Down syndrome have low muscle tone, so they need extra support when they are held. Their heads are smaller than average and they can have unusually shaped ears. Also, their eyes often point upward.

People with Down syndrome often have other symptoms. These include problems with their heart and with their breathing and hearing. But a lot of the problems are treatable.

As a result, people with Down syndrome are living longer. In nineteen eighty-three, they lived an average of just twenty-five years. Today the average life expectancy²⁷ is fifty-six. But that longer life has led to a sad discovery. People with Down syndrome may have an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease at an early age. The disease slowly destroys memory, thinking and reasoning skills.

VOICE TWO:

Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation²⁸. Most people with Down syndrome are mildly to moderately retarded²⁹. Many are able to attend classes with other students. Later, as adults, many hold jobs and lead independent lives.

There are tests to look for Down syndrome during pregnancy³⁰. The risk of it is higher for older mothers. The rate for those under thirty is one in one thousand births. In women age forty-four, like Governor Palin, that number is one in thirty-five.

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VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Jerilyn Watson, Caty Weaver³¹ and Brianna Blake, who was also our producer. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again at this time next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

 

1 scrolls   

n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕

参考例句：

• Either turn it off or only pick up selected stuff like wands, rings and scrolls. 把他关掉然后只捡你需要的物品，像是魔杖(wand)，戒指(rings)和滚动条(scrolls)。 来自互联网
• Ancient scrolls were found in caves by the Dead Sea. 死海旁边的山洞里发现了古代的卷轴。 来自辞典例句

2 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

3 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

4 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。

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

6 papyrus   

n.古以纸草制成之纸

参考例句：

• The Egyptians wrote on papyrus.埃及人书写用薄草纸。
• Since papyrus dries up and crumble,very few documents of ancient Egypt have survived.因草片会干裂成粉末所以古埃及的文件很少保存下来。

7 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

8 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

9 infrared   

adj./n.红外线(的)

参考例句：

• Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
• Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

12 amphibian   

n.两栖动物；水陆两用飞机和车辆

参考例句：

• The frog is an amphibian,which means it can live on land and in water.青蛙属于两栖动物，也就是说它既能生活在陆地上也能生活在水里。
• Amphibian is an important specie in ecosystem and has profound meaning in the ecotoxicology evaluation.两栖类是生态系统中的重要物种，并且对环境毒理评价有着深远意义。

13 amphibians   

两栖动物( amphibian的名词复数 )； 水陆两用车； 水旱两生植物； 水陆两用飞行器

参考例句：

• The skin of amphibians is permeable to water. 两栖动物的皮肤是透水的。
• Two amphibians ferry them out over the sands. 两辆水陆两用车把他们渡过沙滩。

14 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

15 zoology   

n.动物学，生态

参考例句：

• I would like to brush up my zoology.我想重新温习一下动物学。
• The library didn't stock zoology textbooks.这家图书馆没有动物学教科书。

16 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

17 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

18 trout   

n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属)

参考例句：

• Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。
• We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼，早饭时吃了。

19 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。

20 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

21 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》

22 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

23 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

24 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

25 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

26 chromosomes   

n.染色体( chromosome的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Chromosomes also determine the sex of animals. 染色体也决定动物的性别。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Each of four chromosomes divide longitudinally. 四种染色体的每一种都沿着纵向分裂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

27 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

28 retardation   

n.智力迟钝，精神发育迟缓

参考例句：

• Asbestos reinforcement confers excellent flame retardation properties on a composite. 石棉增强材料使复合材料具有优异的防火性能。
• The theory confirms the increase in the retardation effect with decrease in particle size. 理论证实，随着颗粒尺寸的减小，这一减速效应将增大。

29 retarded   

a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• The progression of the disease can be retarded by early surgery. 早期手术可以抑制病情的发展。
• He was so slow that many thought him mentally retarded. 他迟钝得很，许多人以为他智力低下。

30 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

31 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。