新奇事件簿 研究红薯科学家荣获世界粮食奖

Four scientists have won the 2016 World Food Prize. The scientists are from the global agricultural research group the International Potato Center. They won the prize for enriching¹ sweet potatoes. This has resulted in health benefits for millions of people across the world. The scientists developed a way to grow sweet potatoes that have extra amounts of Vitamin A in them. More Vitamin A means the sweet potato contains extra nutrition. One researcher said it was difficult to get farmers to help him with his work. Many farmers did not think it was a good idea. The researcher said: "They told me it was a bad idea. Their job was to increase yields², pest resistance³ and reduce poverty; it wasn't to improve nutrition."

四位科学家赢得2016年世界粮食奖。这些科学家来自全球农业研究小组国际马铃薯中心。他们因为让红薯更加富有营养而赢得该奖项。他们的研究使全世界数百万人的健康收益。这些科学家研究了一种可以增加红薯维生素A含量种植方法。维生素A含量增加意味着红薯更有营养。一位研究人员表示，让农民帮助他进行这项工作非常困难。许多农民不认为这是一个好主意。这位研究院表示：“他们告诉我，这个主意很糟糕。他们的工作是增加产量，防御害虫，减轻贫困，而不是增加营养。”

The sweet potato could change the lives of many people across the globe. People without food can die of malnutrition⁴ – not having enough to eat. A lack of Vitamin A is one of the most harmful examples of malnutrition. Scientists say malnutrition affects more than 140 million children up to the age of four in 118 countries. It also affects more than seven million pregnant⁵ women. Scientists also say it is a big reason for children becoming blind in developing countries. Jan Low, from the International Potato Center, said the prize-winning sweet potatoes could make a big difference in making sure hungry people get enough Vitamin A. She hopes more scientists will focus on increasing nutrition in vegetables.

红薯可以改变全球许多人的生活。许多没有食物的人会死于营养不良，因为没有足够的吃的。缺乏维生素A是营养不良中最有害的情况。科学家表示，营养不良影响着118个国家超过1.4亿名4岁以下儿童。还影响着超过700万孕妇。科学家还表示，缺乏维生素A也是发展中国家许多儿童眼盲的原因。来自国际马铃薯中心的Jan Low表示，赢得世界粮食奖的红薯可以确保饥饿的人们获得足够的维生素A。她希望更多科学家能够关注如何增加蔬菜中的营养。

1 enriching   

使富有( enrich的现在分词 )； 使富裕； 充实； 使丰富

参考例句：

• It was a dark enriching influence she had not known before. 这是一种她从来未感受到的朦胧而又不断丰美的感化力量。
• His hopes of enriching me perished now. 他想让我做个富家子的打算，如今已经化为泡影了。

2 yields   

n.产量( yield的名词复数 )；收益量；[财政学]投资实得率

参考例句：

• The yields on his shares have increased in this year. 今年他的股票红利增加了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These high yields have been achieved largely through better methods of cultivation. 这样高的产量主要是通过改良耕作方法取得的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 resistance   

n.抵抗力，反抗，反抗行动；阻力，电阻；反对；adj.抵抗的

参考例句：

• Very little resistance was put up by the enemy.敌人没怎么进行抵抗。
• An aircraft has to overcome the resistance of the air.飞机须克服空气的阻力。

4 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

5 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。