常春藤生活英语【21】In the Womb子宫内日记：多胞

Most of the time, mothers work hard all year round and are rewarded for it with only a single day of relaxation¹. With the celebration of Mother's Day in May, National Geographic² Channel is showing one of its all-time favorites, In the Womb. This month, In the Womb's latest show focuses on multiple births in Twins, Triplets, and Quads⁴. Many people have at least one brother or sister, but only a small amount have siblings⁶ that are twins, triplets, or quadruplets.

This series goes deep into the womb and answers numerous questions that have been on the mind of scientists for years. Do twins hold hands in the womb? If one twin pushes, will the other push back? If so, does this bullying⁷ carry over into their childhood? Scientists now believe that twins interact while in the womb. Sometimes they kick, push, and even play and kiss. In the womb is where these children bond and their behavior for the rest of their lives is formed.

妈妈们一年到头大多数时间都在辛苦工作，只得到一天的放松作为奖励。为了庆祝五月份的母亲节，国家地理频道即将播出最受大家喜爱的节目之一，《子宫内日记》。本月份，《子宫内日记》最新的节目《多胞胎篇》针对多胎生产作探讨。许多人至少有一个兄弟或姐妹，但只有少数人有孪生、三胞胎或四胞胎的手足。

这一系列节目深入子宫内部，回答多年来一直萦绕在科学家心头的许多问题。双胞胎在子宫里会不会手牵手？假如一个双胞胎推挤，另一个会不会推回去？若是如此，这种以大欺小的行为会不会延续至他们的童年？如今科学家认为双胞胎在子宫内会有所互动。有时他们踢脚、推挤，甚至还会玩耍和亲亲。子宫里头就是这些孩子建立情感和塑造后半辈子行为的地方。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.all-time　a. 最；空前的
Today's temperature reached an all-time high.
今天的气温创下新高。

2.multiple　a. 多的；复合的
Ron went to the hospital with multiple wounds.
朗恩因有多处创伤而前往医院。

3.interact　vi. 互动
Bruce seldom interacts with his co-workers.
布鲁斯很少跟他同事互动。

4.bond　vi. 建立关系；培养感情
Parents should spend more time bonding with their children.
父母亲应该花更多时间跟他们的孩子培养感情。

Phrases for Learning

1.focus on...　　集中焦点∕注意力于……
This chapter focuses on health problems.
这个章节着重在健康问题。

2.carry over　　继续下去
My love for art carried over from childhood.
我对艺术的爱好自孩提时代就延续至今。

参考字词

1.triplet　n. 三胞胎

2.quad³　n. 四胞胎（quadruplet　的缩写）

3.sibling⁵　n. 兄弟姊妹

4.bullying　n. 以大欺小（的行为）

Grammar Check

In the womb is where these children bond and their behavior for the rest of their lives is formed.
（子宫里头就是这些孩子建立情感和塑造后半辈子行为的地方。）

地方副词（there, here）或地方副词词组（in the room, at the station 等）置于句首时，可形成倒装句。以本句为例，其句型如下：

主词 + 不及物动词 + 地方副词（词组）
→ 地方副词（词组）+ 不及物动词 + 主词
A book is on the desk.
→On the desk is a book.
（桌上有本书。）

故本句原为：
Where these children bond and their behavior for the rest of their lives is formed is in the womb.

注意：
"Where these children...is formed"为疑问副词所引导的名词子句；之后的 is 为不完全不及物动词；而"in the womb"为地方副词词组。

1 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

2 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 quad   

n.四方院；四胞胎之一；v.在…填补空铅

参考例句：

• His rooms were on the left-hand side of the quad.他的房间位于四方院的左侧。
• She is a 34-year-old mother of quads.她是个生了四胞胎的34岁的母亲。

4 quads   

n.四倍( quad的名词复数 )；空铅；（大学的）四周有建筑物围绕的方院；四胞胎之一

参考例句：

• For best performance, use triangles and quads or a combination of both. 为了更好的性能，使用三边形和四边形或联合使用三边形与四边形。 来自互联网
• Because the quads follow the camera, they give the illusion of filling a 3D volume. 由于这些矩形是跟随摄像机的，所以利用它们就像幻觉一样就描绘出了3D体积效果。 来自互联网

5 sibling   

n.同胞手足(指兄、弟、姐或妹)

参考例句：

• Many of us hate living in the shadows of a more successful sibling.我们很多人都讨厌活在更为成功的手足的阴影下。
• Sibling ravalry has been common in this family.这个家里，兄弟姊妹之间的矛盾很平常。

6 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

7 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》