【英语时差8,16】因服装缝制不适走向灭绝

 D: It's time once again to go to the Moment of Science's mailbag.

 

Y: A listener writes in "Dear AMOS, the Neanderthals were smart, tough, and 

well-adapted to the cold where they lived in regions¹ north of Africa. So, what happened to them?

 

D: That's one of our favorite questions, and there're several possible answers. Some scientists have argued that when modern humans left Africa, they interbred with Neanderthals. Others have argued that modern humans wiped out Neanderthals by out competing them for resources and by waging war.

 

Y: But here's a different theory. Neanderthals died out because they lacked skills in clothing design.

 

D: Wait, what? Neanderthals?

 

Y: I read about it in "World Archaeology²". Here is the idea. Neanderthals disappeared about 35,000 years ago. That's just before the Last Glacial Maximum--a period when there was a sudden drop in temperature and glaciers³ advanced. Now, because Neanderthals had evolved⁴ to live in cool northern climates, they'd had no need to invent tools that would allow them to make complex, multi-layered clothing. So when suddenly got really cold, they were caught with their pants down, so to speak.

 

D: You mean they froze to death?

 

Y: Right. But modern humans were more vulnerable⁵ to the cold, so those living in cooler parts of northern Africa had long before the glacial maximum developed tools like needles and stone blades⁶ for sewing warmer, multi-layered cloths, including undergarments. So when the maximum hit, modern humans were better able to stay warm.

 

D: Interesting theory

1 regions   

n.地区( region的名词复数 )；[数学]区域；（艺术、科学等的）领域；行政区

参考例句：

• A flying doctor service operates in remote regions. 在偏远地区有飞行医生服务。
• More powers are gradually being devolved to the regions. 正逐步向地方下放更多的权力。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 archaeology   

n.考古学

参考例句：

• She teaches archaeology at the university.她在大学里教考古学。
• He displayed interest in archaeology.他对考古学有兴趣。

3 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

4 evolved   

动词evolve的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The idea evolved from a drawing I discovered in the attic. 这种想法是从我在阁楼里发现的一幅画得到启发的。
• Man was evolved from an ancestor that was probably arboreal. 人大概是从住在树上的祖先进化而来的。

5 vulnerable   

adj.易受伤的，脆弱的，易受攻击的

参考例句：

• He volunteered to protect her as she looked so vulnerable.她看上去很脆弱，他就主动去保护她。
• The company is in an economically vulnerable position.该公司目前经济状况不稳定。

6 blades   

n.刀口( blade的名词复数 )；（机器上旋转的）叶片；桨叶；（船桨的）桨叶

参考例句：

• the blades of a propeller 螺旋桨叶
• Stay well away from the helicopter when its blades start to rotate. 直升机的螺旋桨开始转动时，尽量离远点儿。