本课您将学到:认出差别,不规则的名词的数
你是否曾半夜起来去厨房找甜食解馋?像情人节这样的节日,是不是会让你流着口水期待收到夹心巧克力?承认吧,别为自己的嘴馋而不好意思,告诉你,其实那都是基因惹的祸!
Researchers say that they have identified(确认) a gene in mice(老鼠) and humans responsible for making us crave sweet things. If the gene really does produce(制造) a sweet receptor(接受器), it could explain why some folks are irresistibly(无法抗拒地) drawn to sugary foods, while others can simply turn away from them.
If the research gets good results, scientists speculate(推测) that one day they may be able to switch(打开(或关掉)的开关) the receptor gene off, which could help diabetics(糖尿病患者) and overweight people control their sugar intake(摄入量). People with a sweet tooth can also take heart. The next time your mother tells you to get your hands out of the candy dish, tell her your genes made you do it.
「读书笔记」
研究人员表示他们已经在老鼠和人类身上找到了(Researchers say that they have identified a gene in mice and humans)让我们嗜好甜品的基因。(responsible for making us crave sweet things)identify是确认;识别;鉴定,验明的意思,注意它和recognize和know的区别:
recognize是认出的意思,指通过看得到的特点或线索得出结论,如:
The policeman recognized her as a pickpocket.(警察认出她是个扒手。)
Know也有认出、辨别的意思,强调一种了解某种实事的能力,如:
I know right from wrong.(我能辨别是非。)
要Identify,通常需要经过一段时间的研究或论证,才能下结论,如:
I cannot identify this signature.(我识别不出这是谁的签字。)
如果这个基因真的会制造甜味感觉器,(If the gene really does produce a sweet receptor)那就可以解释为什么有些人抗拒不了甜食的诱惑,(it could explain why some folks are irresistibly drawn to sugary foods)而其他人却能避开甜食。(while others can simply turn away from them)
folk形容词意思是民间的、通俗的,如folk tale就是民间故事,做名词时,指的就是人们、大众,常以复数形式出现,如:Hi folks, welcome to CBA news.(大家好,欢迎收看CBA资讯。)此外,家属或双亲,也可以用这个词,如:I write regularly to my folks.(我定期写信回家。)这是个很地道的用法,绝对没有一点不尊重的意思哦!
如果研究取得成功,(If the research gets good results)科学家推测有一天他们也许能够将这个甜味接受器基因关掉,(scientists speculate that one day they may be able to switch the receptor gene off)这样就能帮助糖尿病患者和肥胖的人控制糖分的摄入。(which could help diabetics and overweight people control their sugar intake)
switch就相当于turn,switch on/off = turn on/off,如果关调基因像关灯一样简单,该有多少疾病在世界上消失啊,呵呵
喜欢吃甜食的人也能够增加信心。(People with a sweet tooth can also take heart)
take heart意思是想开一点,不要将放在心上,如:
I know Jesses turned you down again, but take heart; things will get better, just wait for another chance to ask her out. (我知道Jesses又拒绝你了,不过想开点,情况会好转的,下次再找机会约她好啦。)比较口语话的说法,就是take it easy.
下次你妈妈要你别吃甜食时,(The next time your mother tells you to get your hands out of the candy dish)就跟她说,是基因在作祟。(tell her your genes made you do it)
「语法小教室」
今天的小教室里,我们讲讲名词复数得不规则变化。
英语的一大特点就是数的变化,大部分名词数的变化很有规律,就是+s,以s,sh,ch,x等结尾的词+es,如:bus-buses watch-watches以辅音字母+y结尾的词,变y 为i再加es,如:babybabies.
可是有一部分名词,它们的复数形式无规律可寻,只能靠死记硬背啦!
childchildren footfeet toothteeth
mousemice manmen womanwomen
注意:与 man 和 woman构成的合成词,其复数形式也是 -men 和-women.
如: an Englishman,two Englishmen. 但German不是合成词,故复数形式为Germans;Bowman是姓,其复数是the Bowmans.
另外还有一些名词,其复数形式有时可表示特别意思,如:goods货物,waters水域,fishes(各种)鱼