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Junk Food: Not Just Monkeys’ Business 地位越低人越胖？

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Since the days of Darwin, scientists have reminded us of how closely related we are to our primate cousins. Yet in addition to a common ancestor, researchers have discovered that we share something else. After a tough day at work, both humans and apes have a ___1___ for junk food.

自达尔文的时代以来，科学家就一直提醒我们，人类和灵长类的关系有多么密切。然而，除了有共同的祖先之外，研究人员发现，我们还有其他共通点：辛苦工作一天之后，人类和猿猴都无法抗拒垃圾食物。

While observing a community of female monkeys, American scientists noted that high-status monkeys ate slightly more than ___2___ with lower status, but that changed once a delicious new meal was introduced. Immediately after researchers began providing fatty banana-flavored pellets, the low-status monkeys started pigging out. In fact, they began eating much ___3___ than their social superiors. Researchers believe this happened because fatty foods ___4___ the release of stress hormones. Thus, the stressed-out low-status monkeys felt more relaxed after eating them.

美国科学家在观察一群母猴子时注意到，地位高的猴子吃得比地位低的猴子多一些，但是当美味的食物出现时，这种情况就改观了。研究人员开始提供高热量的香蕉口味丸子后，地位低的猴子马上开始大吃起来。事实上，牠们吃得远比社会地位较高的猴子还多。研究人员认为，这是因为高热量的食物减少了压力荷尔蒙的释放，因此，压力大的低阶猴子吃了之后，就会觉得比较轻松。

The results correspond to the findings of another study ___5___ on British civil servants. In England, ___6___ having a satisfactory salary and good health care, low-ranking workers were found to be more obese than their superiors.

该研究结果符合针对英国公务员所做的研究。在英国，低阶公务员虽然有不错的薪水和良好的医疗照顾，但他们比高阶公务员胖。

These studies suggest that a high-calorie diet may actually be a natural response to difficult social ___7___. So if you are thinking about going on a diet, maybe you should focus on getting a promotion instead!

这些研究显示，面对困难的社会处境时，吃高热量食物或许是自然反应。所以如果你正考虑节食，也许应该先想想该如何晋升才对！

−by Jamie Blackler

Vocabulary

单词发音

ancestor [ˋænsɛstɚ] n. 祖宗，祖先

status [ˋstetəs] n. 地位，身分

correspond [͵kɔrɪˋspɑnd] v. 符合，一致[（+to/with）]

satisfactory [͵sætɪsˋfæktərɪ] adj. 令人满意的

obese [oˋbis] adj. 肥胖的

promotion [prəˋmoʃən] n. 提升，晋级

More Information

单词发音

monkey business 胡闹; Slang  silly, mischievous, or deceitful acts or behavior

remind [rɪˋmaɪnd] v. 提醒；使想起，使记起[（+of）][O2][+that][（+about）]

primate [ˋpraɪmɪt] n. 灵长类动物

ape [ep] n.（无尾）猿

pellet [ˋpɛlɪt] n. 〔软的〕小丸; 〔用手指搓成的〕小球﹐小丸

pig out【非正式】大吃大喝; 狼吞虎咽 to eat greedily

superior [səˋpɪrɪɚ] n. 占优势者; 上司；长官；长辈

hormone [ˋhɔrmon] n. 荷尔蒙

stressed-out 因心理紧张而被压垮的

civil servant（政府）文职人员；公务员 a person employed in the civil service

whereabouts [ˋhwɛrəˋbaʊts] adv. 在哪里，靠近什么地方

Answer