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Everyday Miracles 生命的奇迹

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

In the beginning, a single cell floats in the darkness. It has only a slim chance of surviving. Against all odds, though, that cell could one day turn into a healthy, happy human being. In the BBC’s Everyday Miracles, we learn just how amazing a new life really is.

起初，一个细胞悬浮在黑暗中，存活的机会非常渺茫。然而，克服万难后，这个细胞有天可能会变成一个健康快乐的人。在BBC的《永不歇止的奇迹》中，我们认识到新生命究竟有多么奇妙。

Getting pregnant can be quite difficult. A woman can only get pregnant for about 30 days out of the year. Even when a sperm reaches an egg, there is only a fifty-fifty chance that the conception will be successful. If it is successful, the cell will start to reproduce, forming an embryo. Within weeks, thousands of new cells will be developing every second.

怀孕是很困难的，一名女性一年当中大约只有30天能怀孕。就算精子到达卵子，也只有一半的机会能受孕成功。如果成功了，细胞就会开始繁殖，形成胚胎。几周内，每秒钟都会有数千个新细胞产生。

There is still a great deal of danger because every embryo is following a unique genetic plan. If the plan has any flaws, the embryo will die. Five out of six embryos do not make it to eight weeks.

由于每个胚胎都遵循独特的基因设计，所以仍有相当大的危险性。如果该设计出现任何缺陷，胚胎就会死亡。每六个胚胎就有五个无法存活至第八周。

By eight weeks, the embryo’s head has become huge. The limbs have all sprouted. Millions of cells are becoming bone, lungs and brain. At nine weeks, the tiny little heart has begun pumping on its own. The embryo is now called a fetus.

到了第八周，胚胎的头已变得很大，四肢也都冒出来了。数百万个细胞正转变为骨骼、肺部和脑部。第九周时，小小的心脏已开始自行跳动。这时的胚胎称为胎儿。

Vocabulary

单词发音

pregnant [ˋprɛgnənt] adj. 怀孕的

reproduce [͵riprəˋdjus] v. 繁殖

genetic [dʒəˋnɛtɪk] adj. 基因的

flaw [flɔ] n. 缺点；瑕疵

sprout [spraʊt] v. (毛发等)生长，长出

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单词发音

slim chance 可能性很小  little or no chance of success

against all odds 尽管很困难 despite very low probability; in a most unlikely way

human being 人类 a human

sperm [spɝm] n. 精子

conception [kənˋsɛpʃən] n. 受孕

embryo [ˋɛmbrɪ͵o] n. 胚胎

fetus [ˋfitəs] n. 胎儿﹐胚胎

课文朗读

课文讲解

Over the next four weeks, the rest of the structures complete their basic development. The liver produces blood and the brain becomes active. At twelve weeks, the fetus only weighs about 14 grams, and is the size of a few fingers, but all the structures have formed. Now it will concentrate on simply getting bigger.

接下来四周，其他构造都会完成基本的发育。肝脏开始造血，大脑也变得活跃。第十二周时，胎儿约只有14公克重，其大小跟几根手指头并在一起时差不多，但是，胎儿的所有构造都形成了。现在，它将只专注于持续长大。

The mother is also enduring difficult changes at this point. Her breasts have gotten bigger as the blood flow to them increases. They will start producing milk. By the last three months of pregnancy, the womb is 20 times its original size. All of the mother’s organs are pushed up higher, which makes it harder for her to breathe.

母亲此时也得忍受让她难受的变化。由于胸部的血流量增加，她的乳房变大了，并且开始制造乳汁。到了怀孕期的最后三个月，子宫的大小是原来的20倍。母亲所有的器官都被往上推挤，使她较难呼吸。

The birth can be a long and painful experience. The mother’s cervix has to dilate to 10 cm, which, for a first-time mother, takes about 10 hours. Then the baby has to be pushed out. Its head comes first, acting like a ram to make way for the rest of the body. After surviving all the challenges from conception to pregnancy, the healthy newborn baby truly is a miracle.

分娩是既漫长又痛苦的经验。母亲的子宫颈必须扩张至10公分，这对于初产的母亲来说可能要花上10个小时。接着，宝宝必须被推挤出来。它的头先出来，像攻城槌一样为身体的其他部份开路。经历了从受孕到怀孕期的所有挑战之后，健康的新生儿确实是一个奇迹。

−by Alan Campana

Vocabulary

单词发音

structure [ˋstrʌktʃɚ] n. 结构

concentrate [ˋkɑnsɛn͵tret] v. 全神贯注；全力以赴[（+on/upon）]

endure [ɪnˋdjʊr] v. 忍受

original [əˋrɪdʒən!] adj. 原本的

make way for  为……开路 to give room for passage; move aside

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单词发音

womb [wum] n. 子宫

cervix [ˋsɝvɪks] n. 子宫颈

dilate [daɪˋlet] v. 扩大

ram [ræm] n. 【机】攻城槌; 夯，打桩机；撞杆，撞锤

Reading Questions

1.  What danger does the embryo face during the first eight weeks?

A. It might not be large enough to survive.

B. There might be a problem with its genetic plan.

C. The sperm might not find the egg in time.

D. It has to fight thousands of new cells that are developing.

2.  According to the article, which of the following statements is true?

A. After twelve weeks, the fetus starts developing basic parts.

B. The fetus usually only weighs 14 grams when it is first formed.

C. The mother starts producing milk before she gives birth.

D. Being pregnant is actually not painful for the mother.

3.  When does an embryo become a fetus?

A. When it is formed.

B. During the first eight weeks.

C. At nine weeks old.

D. When its brain becomes active.

4.  Judging from the article, how does the author feel about babies?

A. Having babies has been getting more difficult in recent years.

B. Babies are miraculous, as they go through many challenges.

C. It is so easy to have babies that they are obviously not miracles.

D. Babies are miracles, but they cause many problems for their parents.

The Human Body An Everyday Miracle

 Answer