英国卫报：此时蜜糖,彼时砒霜(1)

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Is sugar the world's most popular drug?

糖是世界上最受欢迎的毒药？

It eases pain, seems to be addictive¹ and shows every sign of causing long-term health problems. Is it time to quit sugar for good?

它能减轻疼痛，好像还会上瘾，而且有引起长期健康问题的各种迹象。是时候永远禁糖了吗？

Imagine a drug that can intoxicate² us, can infuse us with energy and can be taken by mouth.

想象一下，有一种药物可以令我们沉醉，给我们注入能量，并且可以口服。

It doesn't have to be injected, smoked, or snorted for us to experience its sublime³ and soothing⁴ effects.

它不需要注射、吸或喷鼻便能令我们体验到它那令人称赞的舒缓效果。

Imagine that it mixes well with virtually every food and particularly liquids, and that when given to infants

想象一下，它能够与几乎所有的食物，尤其是液体混合得很好，当给婴儿食用时

it provokes a feeling of pleasure so profound and intense that its pursuit becomes a driving force throughout their lives.

它能够激发出一种深刻而强烈的愉悦感，以至于对它的追求成为了他们一生的动力。

Could the taste of sugar on the tongue be a kind of intoxication⁵?

糖在舌头上的味道是一种中毒的反映吗？

What about the possibility that sugar itself is an intoxicant, a drug?

糖本身会不会就是一种麻醉剂、一种毒品？

Overconsumption of this drug may have long-term side-effects, but there are none in the short term – no staggering or dizziness, no slurring⁶ of speech, no passing out or drifting away, no heart palpitations or respiratory distress⁷.

长期过量服用这款毒药可能会有副作用，但短期不会——不会令人晕眩、口齿不清、迷糊、心悸或呼吸困难。

When it is given to children, its effects may be only more extreme variations on the apparently⁸ natural emotional rollercoaster of childhood,

当给孩子使用时，它的影响可能只是令童年原本很自然的情感过山车变化得更加极端，

from the initial intoxication to the tantrums and whining⁹ of what may or may not be withdrawal¹⁰ a few hours later.

从最初的陶醉到发脾气并抱怨，有的几个小时后就停止了，有的几个小时后还在发作。

More than anything, it makes children happy, at least for the period during which they're consuming it.

最重要的是，它能让孩子们开心，至少在他们吃糖的时候是这样。

It calms their distress, eases their pain, focuses their attention and leaves them excited and full of joy until the dose wears off.

在药效消失之前，它能缓解他们的痛苦，集中他们的注意力，让他们兴奋并充满喜悦。

The only downside is that children will come to expect another dose, perhaps to demand it, on a regular basis.

唯一的缺点就是，孩子们会对下一颗有所期待，可能还会要求定期服用。

How long would it be before parents took to using our imaginary drug to calm their children when necessary, to alleviate¹¹ discomfort¹², to prevent outbursts of unhappiness or to distract attention?

在父母们不得不拿这种药来安抚孩子、缓解他们的不适、防止不愉快的爆发或者分散他们的注意力之前能有多长时间？

And once the drug became identified with pleasure, how long before it was used to celebrate birthdays, a football game, good grades at school?

一旦这种药物被认定为快乐，那么距离它被用来庆祝生日、足球比赛、在学校取得好成绩之前有多长时间？

How long before no gathering¹³ of family and friends was complete without it, before major holidays and celebrations were defined in part by the use of this drug to assure pleasure?

在任何家庭聚会和朋友聚会都离不开它、重大节日和庆祝活动在一定程度上被定义为必须使用这种药物来确保快乐之前能有多久？

How long would it be before the underprivileged of the world would happily spend what little money they had on this drug rather than on nutritious¹⁴ meals for their families?

在世界上的穷人愿意把他们仅有的一点钱花在这款药物上而非为他们的家人买营养餐之前有多久？

1 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

2 intoxicate   

vt.使喝醉，使陶醉，使欣喜若狂

参考例句：

• Wine has the power to intoxicate.酒能醉人。
• Cherishing a rose means to intoxicate yourself on her beauty more than pull her throns out.喜欢玫瑰意思是要我们陶醉它的美丽，而不是去除它的刺。

3 sublime   

adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的

参考例句：

• We should take some time to enjoy the sublime beauty of nature.我们应该花些时间去欣赏大自然的壮丽景象。
• Olympic games play as an important arena to exhibit the sublime idea.奥运会，就是展示此崇高理念的重要舞台。

4 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

5 intoxication   

n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning

参考例句：

• He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。
• Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。

6 slurring   

含糊地说出( slur的现在分词 )； 含糊地发…的声； 侮辱； 连唱

参考例句：

• She was slumped in the saddle and slurring her words. 她从马鞍上掉了下去，嘴里含糊不清地说着什么。
• Your comments are slurring your co-workers. 你的话诋毁了你的同事。

7 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

10 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

11 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

12 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

13 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

14 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。