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SSS 2008-08-12

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（单词翻译）

Transcript1

 

 This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber . This will just take a minute.

 

Some peppers have a mild, fresh flavor. But others burn your lips and leave a lingering, numbing2 kick. If you enjoy that tingling3 thrill, you might want to say thanks. But not to the peppers themselves—to bugs4. Peppers are tasty so they’ll be eaten and have their seeds dispersed5. But the snacker has to be the right creature—which the peppers need to be birds. Some insects also like to munch6 peppers, and they may puncture7 the skin. The wound leaves an opening for a microbial fungus8. The fungus wriggles9 inside and snacks on the seeds, destroying them.

 

Researchers from the U.S. and Bolivia tested whether a pepper’s heat offers it protection. They published August 11th in the Proceedings10 of the National Academy of Sciences. First, they collected chilies11 from seven populations of the same pepper species over a thousand-mile area. Then they counted insect-induced scars and tested pepper heat. In regions with lots of insects, and a greater risk of death by microbe, plants tended to be much hotter. And the hot chemicals, called capsaicinonids, slow microbial growth. Birds can’t sense capsaicin. So the hot peppers kill bugs, and still attract birds. And many humans, too.

 

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Cynthia Graber .
 


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1 transcript JgpzUp     
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。
2 numbing ae96aa62e5bdbc7fc11dd1b0f158c93e     
adj.使麻木的，使失去感觉的v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • Watching television had a numbing effect on his mind. 看电视使他头脑麻木。
  • It was numbing work, requiring patience and dedication. 这是一种令人麻木的工作，需要有耐心和忘我精神。 来自辞典例句
3 tingling LgTzGu     
v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • My ears are tingling [humming; ringing; singing]. 我耳鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • My tongue is tingling. 舌头发麻。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4 bugs e3255bae220613022d67e26d2e4fa689     
adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误
参考例句：
  • All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 dispersed b24c637ca8e58669bce3496236c839fa     
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的
参考例句：
  • The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
  • After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。
6 munch E1yyI     
v.用力嚼，大声咀嚼
参考例句：
  • We watched her munch through two packets of peanuts.我们看她津津有味地嚼了两包花生米。
  • Getting them to munch on vegetable dishes was more difficult.使他们吃素菜就比较困难了。
7 puncture uSUxj     
n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破
参考例句：
  • Failure did not puncture my confidence.失败并没有挫伤我的信心。
  • My bicycle had a puncture and needed patching up.我的自行车胎扎了个洞，需要修补。
8 fungus gzRyI     
n.真菌，真菌类植物
参考例句：
  • Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
  • This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。
9 wriggles 2bbffd4c480c628d34b4f1bb30ad358c     
n.蠕动，扭动( wriggle的名词复数 )v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的第三人称单数 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）
参考例句：
  • Each tail piece wriggles to wholly confuse and distract an attacker. 但是与其他的蜥蜴不同，玻璃蜥蜴的尾巴会逐段的散成碎片，每段碎片都在扭动，以迷惑攻击者，分散其注意力。 来自互联网
  • No turning back. He wriggles into the pipe and starts crawling, plastic bag dragging behind. 没有回头路，安迪钻进下水管开始爬行，塑料袋拖在后面。 来自互联网
10 proceedings Wk2zvX     
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
11 chilies 792c44b1b02c06a551b8df5efc038fe4     
n.红辣椒( chili的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Some people like to harvest the plants, when the chilies are green. 一些人喜欢在辣椒长成绿色的时候就采摘。 来自互联网
  • Sprinkle with scallions and sliced chilies and served hot. 洒上葱粒、辣椒丝，趁热上桌。 来自互联网

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