科学美国人60秒 SSS 2014-2-26
时间：2018-12-24 作者：英语课 分类：2014年Scientific American(二)月
英语课
This is Scientific American-Sixty Seconds Science. I'm Chris *. Got a minute?
I'm guessing you brush twice a day, or aspire 1 to. Our ancestors were a little less diligent 2. But that's a good thing for scientists, because ancient placode teeth are like time capsules, preserving early evidence of cavities or even plaque 3 DNA 4. Now researchers have turned to a-thousand-year-old teeth from a convict cemetery 5 outside Frankfurt Germany, and they cleaned it up much like your dentist does.
We use the same dental tools, and we collect the calculus 6 from the teeth.
That's molecular 7 anthropologist 8 Christina Warner of the University of Oklahoma. Inside that calculous plaque, she and her colleagues found tiny bits of pork, bread wheat and cabbage, identified by their DNA. Along with the bugs 9 behind strap 10 through, bacterial 11 meningitis and oil string of Gonorrhea. And don't be too quick to judge.
Nearly all of us still have Gonorrhea at our mouth.
There study is in the journal Nature Genetics. Some of those bugs are antibiotic 12 resistant 13 too, because long before penicillin 14, some microbes produce natural antibiotics 15 to attack rivals.
Your mouth is like a battlefield to bacteria. So, chew on that.
1 aspire
vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于
- Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
- I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。
2 diligent
adj.勤勉的，勤奋的
- He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。
- She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。
3 plaque
n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板
- There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
- Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。
4 DNA
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
- DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
- Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。
5 cemetery
n.坟墓，墓地，坟场
- He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
- His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。
6 calculus
n.微积分；结石
- This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
- After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。
7 molecular
adj.分子的；克分子的
- 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。
8 anthropologist
n.人类学家，人类学者
- The lecturer is an anthropologist.这位讲师是人类学家。
- The anthropologist unearthed the skull of an ancient human at the site.人类学家在这个遗址挖掘出那块古人类的颅骨。
9 bugs
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
- 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》
10 strap
n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎
- She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
- The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。
11 bacterial
a.细菌的
- Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
- Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。
12 antibiotic
adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素
- The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
- Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。
13 resistant
adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的
- Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
- They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。
14 penicillin
n.青霉素，盘尼西林
- I should have asked him for a shot of penicillin.我应当让他给我打一针青霉素的。
- Penicillin was an extremely significant medical discovery.青霉素是极其重要的医学发现。
15 antibiotics
n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )
- the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
- The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。