时间:2019-01-11 作者:英语课 分类:VOA慢速英语2008年(三)月


英语课
Health Report - The Dark Side of Skin Lightening

More people are using skin-lightening products, even if it means risking their health. Transcript 1 of radio broadcast:

04 March 2008

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressures even within the same racial or ethnic 2 group, if some members are darker skinned than others.

The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark skin are using skin-lightening products, even if it means they may face health risks.

They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter 3. This process is also called bleaching 4. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the most dangerous is hydroquinone.

Hydroquinone has been banned in several countries. This chemical has been linked to kidney 5 damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy 6.

At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long-term use they can cause problems. They could even make some skin darker.

The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.

Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage.

And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Lawan Davis. Transcripts 7, MP3s and podcasts of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
  • 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。
adj.人种的,种族的,异教徒的
  • This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏,这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
  • The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
漂白法,漂白
  • Moderately weathered rock showed more intense bleaching and fissuring in the feldspars. 中等风化岩石则是指长石有更为强烈的变白现象和裂纹现象。
  • Bleaching effects are very strong and show on air photos. 退色效应非常强烈,并且反映在航空象片上。
n.肾,腰子,类型
  • Several of the patients had received kidney transplant.病人中有几位已接受了肾移植手术。
  • The operation to transplant a kidney is now fairly routine.肾脏移植手术如今已相当常见。
n.怀孕,怀孕期
  • Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
  • Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。
n.抄本( transcript的名词复数 );转写本;文字本;副本
  • Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样,都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
  • You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书,你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句
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