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Water on the Red Planet 红色星球不再干涸

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Water on the Red Planet  红色星球不再干涸

NASA scientists have just released convincing evidence which shows that the surface of Mars actually has flowing water. This new discovery gives credibility to the theory that Mars may have the right conditions needed for life on the planet. Images taken from a NASA probe show gullies and trenches that suggest water could have flowed on the surface within the last few years. However, some scientists think these gullies were formed by liquid carbon dioxide, rather than water.

美国太空总署科学家刚发布强而有力的证据，显示火星地表有流水存在。这项新发现使火星具备生命存活条件之说更有可信度。从太空探测仪传回的火星影像中可见峡谷及沟渠的踪迹，显示过去几年来地表可能有流水经过。然而，一些科学家则认为这些沟渠是由液态二氧化碳而非水造成的。

Determining what made these gullies is an important question, one that could help prove whether there is life on Mars or not. Scientists also claim that pools of liquid water could exist beneath the planet’s surface, and the planet is actually more active than they had originally thought.

厘清这些沟渠的成因为何是项重要的问题，这将有助于证明火星是否有生命存在。科学家亦声称液态水池可能位于火星地表下，而火星实际上比他们原先所想的更加活跃。

Money on Our Minds  爱财之心改变行为

If you were wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, what would you do? Many people talk about how they would give money away if they were in such a position. However, a recent study shows that the desire to share does not come easily to someone who is thinking about money, even if they are doing so unconsciously.

如果你超乎想象地富有，你会怎么做？许多人表示如果他们成为富翁，会将钱财捐献出去。但最近一项研究指出，对那些时时把钱放在心上的人来说，和他人分享财富的念头并不会轻易冒出，即使他们是不自觉地想着金钱。

Psychologists who conducted a series of experiments found that subconscious reminders of money compelled people to behave in interesting ways. Subjects became more self-reliant in their work and were less likely to ask for help or to provide it. They also became more reluctant to volunteer their time and money to charitable causes. The study also showed that this behavior took place in both men and women from a variety of backgrounds, whether they were wealthy or not.

心理学家在做了一系列实验后，发现脑海里下意识地想着钱会迫使人产生有趣的行为。受试者在工作上变得更独立自恃，较少求助他人或提供协助。他们也变得更不愿奉献时间、金钱于慈善活动上。研究亦显示这类行为会发生在各种不同背景的男女身上，不论他们富有与否。

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Vocabulary

单词发音

evidence [ˋɛvədəns] n. 迹象; 证据

credibility [͵krɛdəˋbɪlətɪ] n. 可信性；确实性

determine [dɪˋtɝmɪn] v. 确定；测定

conduct [kənˋdʌkt] v.〔尤指为获取信息或证实某事时〕进行(调查/实验/调查研究等)

experiment [ɪkˋspɛrəmənt] n. 实验；试验

reminder [rɪˋmaɪndɚ] n. 令人回忆的东西

self-reliant [ˋsɛlfrɪˋlaɪənt] adj. 依靠自己的; 自力更生的

reluctant [rɪˋlʌktənt] adj. 不情愿的

charitable [ˋtʃærətəb!] adj. 慈善的

More Information

单词发音

probe [prob] n. 太空探测器，探测飞船

gully [ˋgʌlɪ] n. 小峡谷

trench [trɛntʃ] n. 沟渠

in .. position 在.. 的位置

unconsciously [ʌnˋkɑnʃəslɪ] adv. 无意识地，下意识地

compel [kəmˋpɛl] v. 强迫

subject [ˋsʌbdʒɪkt] n. 接受实验者

volunteer [͵vɑlənˋtɪr] v. 自愿提供，自愿给予