托福听力短文 II-02-3
时间：2018-12-30 作者：英语课 分类：托福听力短文
英语课
(WA-LC) Well, if there are no more questions I would like to continue our discussion of human evolution by looking at Homo erectus, the earliest of our ancestors who stood upright. Homo erectus lived about one and a half million years ago and was given that name because, at the time the first fossil was discovered, it represented the first primate 1 to stand upright.
There is evidence now that Homo erectus had sharper mental skills than their predecessors 2. They constructed the first standardized 3 tool for hunting and butchering. They created an extraordinary stone implement 4, a large teardrop-shaped hand ax whose design and symmetry reveal a keen sense of aesthetics 5. This detailing, along with the ax's utilitarian 6 value, strongly suggest that Homo erectus had the ability to conceive of and execute a design to specification 7.
In addition, Homo erectus was the first hominid [HAH muh nid] to use fire. This discovery enticed 8 them to cook meat, which they could flavor and keep from spilling by flame, and which paleontologists now believe may have given them a new disease. Some fossil bones of Homo erectus are grossly deformed 9, and paleontologists have noted 10 that this condition is similar to that found in people today who have been exposed to chronic 11 overdoses of vitamin A. Apparently 12 Homo erectus first got this disease by eating large amounts of animal liver.
There is evidence now that Homo erectus had sharper mental skills than their predecessors 2. They constructed the first standardized 3 tool for hunting and butchering. They created an extraordinary stone implement 4, a large teardrop-shaped hand ax whose design and symmetry reveal a keen sense of aesthetics 5. This detailing, along with the ax's utilitarian 6 value, strongly suggest that Homo erectus had the ability to conceive of and execute a design to specification 7.
In addition, Homo erectus was the first hominid [HAH muh nid] to use fire. This discovery enticed 8 them to cook meat, which they could flavor and keep from spilling by flame, and which paleontologists now believe may have given them a new disease. Some fossil bones of Homo erectus are grossly deformed 9, and paleontologists have noted 10 that this condition is similar to that found in people today who have been exposed to chronic 11 overdoses of vitamin A. Apparently 12 Homo erectus first got this disease by eating large amounts of animal liver.
n.灵长类（目）动物，首席主教；adj.首要的
- 14 percent of primate species are highly endangered.14%的灵长类物种处于高度濒危状态。
- The woolly spider monkey is the largest primate in the Americas.绒毛蛛猴是美洲最大的灵长类动物。
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身
- The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
adj.标准化的
- We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
- The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。
n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行
- Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
- The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
n.(尤指艺术方面之)美学，审美学
- Sometimes, of course, our markings may be simply a matter of aesthetics. 当然，有时我们的标点符号也许只是个审美的问题。 来自名作英译部分
- The field of aesthetics presents an especially difficult problem to the historian. 美学领域向历史学家提出了一个格外困难的问题。
adj.实用的，功利的
- On the utilitarian side American education has outstridden the rest of the world.在实用方面美国教育已超越世界各国。
- A good cloth coat is more utilitarian than a fur one.一件优质的布外衣要比一件毛皮外衣更有用。
n.详述；[常pl.]规格，说明书，规范
- I want to know his specification of details.我想知道他对细节的详述。
- Examination confirmed that the quality of the products was up to specification.经检查，产品质量合格。
诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 )
- He enticed his former employer into another dice game. 他挑逗他原来的老板再赌一次掷骰子。
- Consumers are courted, enticed, and implored by sellers of goods and services. 消费者受到商品和劳务出售者奉承，劝诱和央求。
adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的
- He was born with a deformed right leg.他出生时右腿畸形。
- His body was deformed by leprosy.他的身体因为麻风病变形了。
adj.著名的，知名的
- 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。
adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的
- Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
- Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
- An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
- He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。