英语听力：自然百科 世上最高的人

 A man from Turkey was officially crowned the world's tallest man on Thursday. Sultan Kosen measures 8-foot 1-inch and his status as the tallest man on the planet was verified by the Guinness Book of Records. The 27-year-old Kosen was given a tour of London's main sights on Wednesday, towering above other pedestrians¹ as he mingled² with crowds outside Big Ben. The part-time farmer from Mardin in southeastern Turkey uses crutches³ to get around, because his knee joints⁴ have been weakened by his height. Guinness officials claim that there are only ten reliable or confirmed cases in history of humans growing over 8 feet. Kosen's height is attributed to a tumor⁵ in his pituitary gland⁶, which caused the gland to over-produce growth hormones⁷, a condition known as pituitary gigantism. The tumor was removed last year, and it was only then that he stopped growing. The condition also explains the size of his feet, which measure 14.4 inches, and his hands, which measure 10.8 inches.

 

The great thing about being so tall is that I can see everyone from a long distance away. I can see people from as far as 100 meters. The other great thing is that at home they use my height to change light bulbs and hang curtains, things like that.

 

Kosen told reporters he wants to use his new-found fame to travel the world and then meet a woman to marry. There is believed to be a taller man in the world, Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk, who reportedly measures 8-foot 5.5 inches tall, but he refuses to let anyone confirm his height, according to Guinness.

1 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

3 crutches   

n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑

参考例句：

• After the accident I spent six months on crutches . 事故后我用了六个月的腋杖。
• When he broke his leg he had to walk on crutches. 他腿摔断了以后，不得不靠拐杖走路。

4 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

5 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

6 gland   

n.腺体，(机)密封压盖，填料盖

参考例句：

• This is a snake's poison gland.这就是蛇的毒腺。
• Her mother has an underactive adrenal gland.她的母亲肾上腺机能不全。

7 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• 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。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。