VOA慢速英语 2008 0205b

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.  I'm Bob Doughty¹.

VOICE TWO:

 
Chickens at a market in Bangkok.
And I'm Barbara Klein.  This week, we will tell how a deadly bird flu virus is able to infect people.  We will also tell about two studies of broken hipbones.  And, we report on the discovery of ancient ape remains³ in Africa.

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VOICE ONE:

Researchers in the United States have found an important reason why a virus known to kill birds has not infected many people.  They found that the bird flu virus only infects people when it connects with one kind of cell receptor.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported their discovery in the publication Nature Biotechnology.       

Not all influenza⁴ viruses affect people.  Some flu viruses only attack birds or pigs.  In recent years, the h-five-h-one bird flu virus has infected more than three hundred fifty people in fourteen countries.  The World Health Organization says the disease killed more than two hundred of them.

The victims seem to have become infected as a result of being with or near birds.  Experts fear the h-five-h-one virus could change and develop the ability to pass from one person to another.

VOICE TWO:

Scientists know that a protein on the flu virus must join with sugar receptors in a human respiratory cell before the virus can infect a person.  The virus uses the sugar receptor to enter the cell and infect it.

The new study has shown that this explanation was too simple.  For a person to get infected, the virus must connect with a special shape of receptor in human lung cells.  The receptor has two different shapes.  One is similar to a three-sided object.  The other looks like an open umbrella or sunshade. 

VOICE ONE:

The Massachusetts researchers found the bird flu virus must connect to the umbrella shaped receptor before it can spread from person to person.  Currently, it has only a way to connect with the three-sided receptors.

Scientists say this discovery should help them develop a more effective way to observe changes in the bird flu virus.  They now know to look for viruses that can connect to the umbrella shaped receptors.  The knowledge could also lead to a vaccine⁵ against the bird flu virus. 

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VOICE TWO:

Millions of people break a hip² at some time in their lives.  In the United States alone, more than three hundred twenty thousand people suffer broken hips⁶ each year.

A broken hip, also called a hip fracture, is very painful.  The hip is a boney area in the upper leg.  For some older adults, a hip fracture can mean loss of ability to walk.  The injury can end their chances for a normal life.

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published two studies about hip fractures.  The studies may help doctors identify people’s risks of broken bones during their later years. 

VOICE ONE:

Doctors usually order a bone mineral density⁷ test when an older adult breaks a hip by falling from a standing⁸ position.  Such a break is called a low-trauma fracture.  The doctors order the test because they suspect the bone-weakening disorder⁹ osteoporosis.  The disorder thins the thickness, or density, of bones without causing pain.  People usually do not know they have osteoporosis until a test confirms it.

But doctors may not order a test if the patient has suffered a high-trauma fracture.  This fracture results from a car crash injury.  Or, a fall from a chair may cause it.

VOICE TWO:

One study included adults sixty-six years of age or older.  Researchers collected nine years of information about eight thousand women.  The researchers also studied five years of information about almost six thousand men.  All those studied were tested for bone density.  People who showed lower bone density suffered more high-trauma fractures. 

Dawn Mackey led the study.  She works at the Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco, California.  Some women in the study had a high-trauma hip fracture during the period they were observed.  These women had about eight percent less bone density than women who did not suffer such breaks.  Men with high-trauma fractures had about six percent less bone density than the other men.

Miz Mackey’s team found that women with osteoporosis were two times as likely to get each kind of fracture than other women.  Men who had osteoporosis were three times as likely as other men. 

VOICE ONE:

The Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a separate study of hip fractures.  Jane Cauley of the University of Pittsburgh led a team that studied thousands of older women.  Her team formed a step-by-step process.  The process measured a woman’s threat for hip fractures over five years. 

The women studied reported eleven facts about themselves.  The researchers then considered the women’s ages, general health, height and weight.  They also noted¹⁰ the women’s ethnicity, physical activity, and broken bones after age fifty-four.  They noted whether or not the women smoked or had been treated with steroid drugs.  They examined for history of diabetes¹¹ and broken hips in the women’s parents. 

The team then kept records of the conditions.  They developed a measurement system for the possibility of hip fractures.  The system may add to a doctor’s ability to know which of their patients might break a hip.  The doctors then could advise protective measures. 

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VOICE TWO:

Scientists have reported finding remains of an ancient ape in eastern Africa.  The scientists believe the remains came from an animal that lived almost ten million years ago.  They say it may be close to the last common ancestor of modern African apes and human beings.

Yutaka Kunimatsu from Kyoto University led an international team of scientists.  Japanese and Kenyan researchers discovered bones from the chin and mouth of the ancient ape in two thousand five.  The jawbone fossils were found in northern Kenya.  The team tested the fossils for almost two years.  The findings were reported in Proceedings¹² of the National Academy of Sciences.

VOICE ONE:

The jawbone fossils came from volcanic¹³ soil in Nakali, an area forty kilometers from the Rift¹⁴ Valley.  In the past, other fossils were found there.

Mister Kunimatsu’s team named the ape Nakalipthecus nakayamai ‿or just Nakali.  The jawbone held three teeth.  The researchers also found eleven other ape teeth.  

Mister Kunimatsu said the animal was about the size of a female gorilla¹⁵ or orangutan.  He said the teeth showed the ape could have crushed hard food.  The teeth are similar to those of another ancient ape that lived in what is now Greece.

VOICE TWO:

The researchers used several methods to find Nakali’s age.  They compared the fossils with remains of ancient horse-like creatures called hipparions.  The hipparions had already been found to be ten million to eleven million years old.  Geologists¹⁶ on the team collected rocks from the Nakali area.  The geologists used radiation to learn the ages of the rocks.  The team then combined all the methods to estimate the ape’s age.  Mister Kunimatsu reported that Nakali lived about nine point eight to nine point nine million years ago. 

VOICE ONE:

The test results dispute a widely accepted theory.  Some scientists believe the ape from Greece was the last common ancestor to both modern African apes and humans.  They say the last common ancestor began life in Africa and then moved to Asia and Europe.  Under this theory, the ancient ape returned to Africa where it developed into humans.

The theory resulted because scientists working in Africa have found few ape fossils from seven million to thirteen million years ago.  But now there are the jawbone and teeth from Nakali. 

VOICE TWO:

Recently, other ape fossils from that period reportedly were found in eastern Africa.  An aide to fossil researchers found an ape’s canine¹⁷ tooth about two years ago in Ethiopia.  Last year, this research group found eight more teeth from the same kind of animal in the same place.  Gen Suwa of the University of Tokyo led the researchers.  He says the creature may have been a direct ancestor of a gorilla.  Or, he says it may have been an animal that developed teeth like a gorilla but died out over time. 

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VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Nancy Steinbach and Jerilyn Watson.  Our producer was Brianna Blake.  I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein.  Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

 

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 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。

3 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。

4 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

5 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

6 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 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。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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

13 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

14 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

15 gorilla   

n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手

参考例句：

• I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。
• A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。

16 geologists   

地质学家，地质学者( geologist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Geologists uncovered the hidden riches. 地质学家发现了地下的宝藏。
• Geologists study the structure of the rocks. 地质学家研究岩石结构。

17 canine   

adj.犬的，犬科的

参考例句：

• The fox is a canine animal.狐狸是犬科动物。
• Herbivorous animals have very small canine teeth,or none.食草动物的犬牙很小或者没有。