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All-Purpose Bacteria 细菌妙用多

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课文讲解

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Bacteria are found almost everywhere. They are in our homes, in our food, and even in our mouths and stomachs. Human and bacteria have lived together for so long that our health now depends on many strains of them. And, these relationships are getting even more complex as the science of genetic engineering progresses. Because of their simplicity, these life forms can easily be altered to become tiny organic machines. Today, scientists are engineering new bacteria to help humankind.

细菌几乎无所不在。它们就在我们的家中、食物里，甚至在我们的口腔和胃里。人类与细菌共生的历史如此悠久，以致于我们现在得依赖许多菌种来维持健康。而且，这些关系随着基因工程的发展而更形复杂。由于细菌结构简单，因此这种生命形式可以轻易地被改造成微小的有机机器。现今，科学家正培育新菌种来帮助人类。

Like all forms of life, bacteria break down some things they use as food and produce waste as they get rid of other things. By changing the DNA of certain strains of bacteria, scientists can control what they take in and what they release. The bacteria in your mouth, for example, consume sugars and discharge a form of acid that helps digestion. However, the acid also harms the protective enamel on your teeth, leading to tooth decay.

如同各种生命形式，细菌会分解一些东西作为食物，并在清除其他东西时释出排泄物。科学家目前可藉由改变某些菌种的DNA，来控制细菌的吸收与排泄。例如，口中的细菌以摄取糖类为主，并排出一种能帮助消化的酸。然而这种酸也会侵害牙齿的珐琅质，造成蛀牙。

Recently, scientists altered the DNA of these bacteria and changed their behavior. The new strain still breaks down sugars, but it does not produce the acid that is harmful to our teeth. Even better, it makes a toxin that kills off the original bacteria. Scientists now plan to apply the new finding to children’s teeth. The process only takes five minutes and will prevent 85% of all tooth decay. The scientists even say the frothy mixture tastes like chicken soup!

近来，科学家改变这些细菌的DNA，使其行为模式有所变化。新菌种仍可分解糖类，但不会产生有害牙齿的酸性物质。更棒的是，它可以制造出一种能杀害原有细菌的毒素。现在，科学家计划把这种新发现应用在小朋友牙齿上。这整个过程只需五分钟，就能预防百分之八十五的蛀牙。科学家甚至表示，这种泡沫药剂尝起来像鸡汤！

Vocabulary

单词发音

genetic [dʒəˋnɛtɪk] adj. 基因的

simplicity [sɪmˋplɪsətɪ] n. 简单

alter [ˋɔltɚ] v. 改变

discharge [dɪsˋtʃɑrdʒ] v. 排出（液体，气体等）

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单词发音

organic [ɔrˋgænɪk] adj. 有机的

engineer [͵ɛndʒəˋnɪr] v. 设计，建造

break down 分解

strain [stren] n.（动植物的）种，品种

take in 吸收; 让……进入 absorb

consume [kənˋsjum] v. 消耗

enamel [ɪˋnæm!] n. 珐琅

decay [dɪˋke] v. 腐烂；蛀蚀

is harmful to 对...有害

toxin [ˋtɑksɪn] n. 毒素，毒质

kill off  杀光；灭绝

apply .... to ... 将.... 应用于....

frothy [ˋfrɔθɪ] adj. 表面起泡沫的; 泡沫的

课文讲解

Besides protecting our teeth, new bacteria can also save lives. A team of scientists at the University of California, Berkeley is engineering a bacterium capable of generating artemisinic acid. The acid can be easily converted into malaria medicine. If they succeed, this bacterium could be farmed to cheaply produce enormous amount of the drug saving millions of lives.

除了保护牙齿外，新细菌也可以救人一命。加州柏克莱大学的科学团队正在改造一种细菌，让它可以产生「青蒿酸」，一种可轻易转换成治疟疾药物的酸性物质。如果成功的话，此菌种就可大量繁殖，让药品制造的成本大为降低，挽救数百万条性命。

Another new use for bacteria is to decompose various polluting substances. For example, Styrofoam is a light, resilient material used in products such as packing chips and disposable coffee cups. While cheap to make, it takes hundreds of years to break down. A new bacterium has been developed to turn this material into a biodegradable plastic, allowing it to be composted just like food scraps.

细菌的另一种新用处是分解各种污染物。举例来说，保丽龙是种轻巧、有弹性的物质，常被拿来做包装的材料与咖啡随身杯。其成本虽然低廉，但却需要数百年才能分解完毕。目前已开发出一新菌种，能将保丽龙转化成生物可分解的塑料物质，可像厨余般拿来堆肥。

As if this were not enough, bacteria can also be designed to break down toxic substances spilled into the environment. They can even be used to generate enough electricity to power a small cell phone. In the future, small electronic devices could be designed to run on toxic waste, killing two birds with one stone.

细菌的功能不只这些。它们还可被设计用来分解环境中散布的毒物，甚至发电供给小型手机运作。未来小型电子产品将用有毒废料来供电，可说是一举两得。

From producing medicine to reducing pollution, bacteria have become the newest form of micro-machine. These minute organisms may be the key to solving some of the world’s biggest problems.

从制药到降低污染，细菌已变成最新型的微机器。这些微生物体可能是解决世界上一些大问题的关键。

−by Michael Karanicolas

Vocabulary

单词发音

convert [kənˋvɝt] v. 转变，变换[（+to/into）]

resilient [rɪˋzɪlɪənt] adj. 坚韧的; 〔物质〕有弹性的

disposable [dɪˋspozəb!] adj. 用完即丢弃的

toxic [ˋtɑksɪk] adj. 有毒的

spill into  溢入

spill [spɪl] v. 使溢出；使溅出；使散落

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单词发音

generate [ˋdʒɛnə͵ret] v. 产生

artemisinic acid 青蒿酸

malaria [məˋlɛrɪə] n. 疟疾

enormous [ɪˋnɔrməs] adj. 庞大的

decompose [͵dikəmˋpoz] v. 分解

substance [ˋsʌbstəns] n. 物质

biodegradable [ˋbaɪodɪˋgredəb!] adj. 生物所能分解的

compost [ˋkɑmpost] v. 施堆肥

scrap [skræp] n. 残羹剩饭

run on (机器等) 靠....运转

kill two birds with one stone 一石二鸟; 一箭双鵰; 一举两得  to solve two problems at one time with a single action

reduce [rɪˋdjus] v. 减少

key  [ki] n. 关键

Reading Questions

1.  How would you describe the author’s attitude towards the subject of this article?

A.  He seems unsure about the role of bacteria.

B.  He is worried about how powerful bacteria may become.

C.  He is just presenting facts about bacteria.

D.  He is excited about the promise of bacteria.

2.  In this article, in what way are bacteria described as being similar to other forms of life?

A.  Bacteria consume some substances and discharge waste.

B.  Bacteria live, breathe, and even play like other organism.

C.  The relationships bacteria have to other forms of life are very simple.

D.  Bacteria cannot reproduce if there aren’t male and female bacteria.

3.  Which statement below is NOT true about bacteria?

A.  Some bacteria in the mouth are bad for your teeth.

B.  Because bacteria are so small, it’s not easy to change their DNA.

C.  Bacteria can be created to help end pollution.

D.  Bacteria are becoming a new form of bio-engineered machine.

4.  What would be the best title for this article?

A.  Bacteria Beware

B.  New Benefits of Bacteria

C.  The End of Pollution

D.  Terminating Bacteria

Answer