VOA慢速英语-SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Alaska Disputing Federal Move

Also: Scientists confirm that the Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur¹ was an ancestor of modern chickens. Transcript² of radio broadcast:
02 June 2008

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty³.

VOICE TWO:
　

A polar bear in Alaska

And I'm Shirley Griffith. This week, we will tell about a decision by the United States federal government to protect polar bears. We will tell about a possible genetic⁵ link between farm birds and an ancient, meat-eating creature. And, we will have more first aid suggestions.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

America’s northernmost state is threatening legal action in an effort to prevent federal protection of the polar bear. Alaskan officials say there is not enough evidence that polar bears are threatened. They also say the federal listing would harm economic activities and development in the state.

Last month, the federal government identified polar bears as threatened under a wildlife law -- the Endangered Species Act. The polar bear is the first animal to gain such protection because of climate change.

VOICE TWO:

Polar bears live along the northern and northwestern coast of Alaska, in the Arctic Ocean. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said the animals are being protected partly because a large amount of Arctic ice has melted. The polar bear needs this ice to survive. The interior secretary also said computer studies show that the melting will continue into the future.

But Alaskan officials said such studies are undependable.

A United States Geological Survey study last year estimated that polar bears could disappear from Earth by twenty fifty. About twenty thousand to twenty five thousand polar bears live in the Arctic. But most are in Canadian territory.

VOICE ONE:

Environmental activists⁶ had hoped that identifying the animal as threatened would result in carbon dioxide restrictions⁷. But Mister Kempthorne said the government would not use the Endangered Species Act to limit gases from vehicles, power stations and other factories. He said a direct link could not be established between release of the gases and threat to polar bears.

In declaring protection for the bears, the interior secretary also announced a special rule. The rule will let exploration and drilling of oil continue in the Arctic. Mister Kempthorne said these activities do not harm polar bears.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Last week, we talked about some common medical emergencies. We suggested how to deal with problems such as choking, accidental poisonings and severe bleeding. Today, we will explain how to treat another problem: bleeding from the nose.

Medical experts at America's Mayo Clinic say nosebleeds can end without too much worry, or they can be serious. The experts say children and young adults usually bleed from the septum. The septum separates the two areas of tissue in the nose. This bleeding usually does not require medical attention.

VOICE ONE:

But a nosebleed in middle-aged⁸ or older adults can be coming from deep inside the nose. The problem can result from medical conditions including high blood pressure or hardening of the main blood passages. In some cases, the nose just starts bleeding for no clear reason. If you are a middle-aged or older adult with this condition, get medical help.

Also go to a doctor or hospital emergency room if any bleeding lasts longer than twenty minutes. The Mayo Clinic has the same advice if the nose starts bleeding after an accident, fall or blow.

VOICE TWO:

Here is what Mayo Clinic doctors suggest you do if you have a nosebleed: First, sit up and move forward from the middle of your body. That reduces the blood pressure in the nose. Sitting forward should keep you from swallowing blood that collects in your mouth. Use the thumb and the finger closest to the thumb to press inward on the outside of the nose. This finger is often called the index finger.

Breathe through your mouth. Keep doing this for five to ten minutes. It can often stop the blood from flowing. After the nosebleed has stopped, do not touch your nose or blow it. Make sure that your head is in a higher position than your heart.

VOICE ONE:

If the nosebleed should start again, breathe out strongly. Then treat both sides of your nose with a nose medicine that contains oxymetazoline. Press inward again on the outer surface of the nose with the thumb and index finger. Then, says the Mayo Clinic, you need to contact your doctor.

You also need a doctor if nosebleeds happen to you often. The doctor may advise cautery, a method that burns the blood vessel⁹ with electric current, silver nitrate or a laser. In addition, you need a doctor if you take blood-thinning drugs and have a nosebleed.

VOICE TWO:

Sometimes people get foreign objects in their noses. Children have been known to put anything from small pieces of food to medicine in the nasal passages. If that happens at your house, the Mayo Clinic says do not push at the object with any kind of tool. Tell the child to breathe through the mouth instead of the nose.

Have the child blow out the object softly, but not repeatedly. If only one side of the nose is affected¹⁰, hold the other side closed. Then have the child blow out the affected side. If you see the object and can easily take hold of it with a tool, go ahead. But if all these attempts fail, get medical help.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Finally, can you imagine taking a bite out of Tyrannosaurus Rex? T. Rex, as it was called, was that huge, fierce dinosaur often seen in films. The chickens people eat today do not look much like the ancient meat-eating animal. But evidence is increasing that T. Rex was the ancestor of the farm birds of today. The theory developed because the dinosaur and the chicken had similar bone structures.

Now, American scientists say they have confirmed the idea. Their study was published recently in Science magazine. The investigators¹¹ said the gene⁴ structure of T. Rex was more like that of chickens than reptiles¹² of today, like alligators¹³. The gene structure of the T. Rex also was similar to that of the ostrich¹⁴, a big bird that does not fly.

VOICE TWO:

The researchers were able to make those statements partly because of an event in two thousand three. At that time, John Horner of Montana State University found a T. Rex fossil in an area between the states of Montana and Wyoming. The fossil was removed from the bottom of what is called the Hell Creek¹⁵ Formation.

The dinosaur was not large, and appeared to be about eighteen years old when it died. It took three years for scientists from the Museum of the Rockies in Montana to get the bone out of the rock formation where it was buried. It was far from a road, and too heavy to be lifted by helicopter.

VOICE ONE:

Professor Horner says the scientists were forced to something that they always want to prevent. They had to break the bone into two pieces. But dividing it made possible the unlikely discovery of soft tissue.

Part of the leg bone was taken to dinosaur expert Mary Schweitzer of North Carolina State University. While examining it, she and her technical aide noted¹⁶ signs of soft tissue. This kind of tissue contains blood vessels¹⁷. The technician, Jennifer Wittmeyer, did the tests repeatedly because Miz Schweitzer could not believe what she was seeing.

The soft tissues had lasted through sixty-eight million years. Scientists probably never had made such a discovery before, said Miz Schweitzer. Soft tissues usually disappear over time, while hard tissues like bones become fossils.

VOICE TWO:

John Asara and Lewis Cantley then processed the proteins. Both work at Harvard University Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Massachusetts. Harvard University researcher Chris Organ compared the molecules¹⁸ of dinosaur protein with similar protein. The similar material came from many kinds of modern reptiles and birds.

Mister Organ was lead researcher. He said the researchers plan to continue their molecular¹⁹ comparisons. They say they now will study T. rex protein with reptiles and birds other than the chicken.

The researchers also studied material from another large prehistoric²⁰ creature -- a mastodon. They found that it is similar to the modern elephant. This finding is not a surprise, because the elephant looks very similar to the mastodon.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Jerilyn Watson. Brianna Blake was our producer. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Shirley Grifith. Read and listen to our programs at voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again at this time next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

1 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 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。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

9 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

10 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

11 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 reptiles   

n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 alligators   

n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Two alligators rest their snouts on the water's surface. 两只鳄鱼的大嘴栖息在水面上。 来自辞典例句
• In the movement of logs by water the lumber industry was greatly helped by alligators. 木材工业过去在水上运输木料时所十分倚重的就是鳄鱼。 来自辞典例句

14 ostrich   

n.鸵鸟

参考例句：

• Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
• The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。

15 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

16 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。

17 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

19 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

20 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。