严格控制饮食不会延长寿命(上)

科学家们的希望是，如果猴子可以通过少吃达到健康长寿的目的的话， 它们在进化意义上的近亲人类，或许也可以如此。

双语精读

Severe Diet Doesn't Prolong Life, at Least in Monkeys

严格的饮食不会延长寿命，至少对猴子来说是如此

For 25 years, the rhesus monkeys from China and India were kept semi-starved, lean and hungry. The males' weights were so low they were the equivalent of a 6-foot-tall man who tipped the scales at just 120 to 133 pounds.

过去25年当中，来自中国和印度的一些猕猴始终被保持在半饥饿状态，身体精瘦、饥肠辘辘。公猴的体重很轻，瘦的程度相当于一个身高1.8米左右，体重却只有120到133磅的男人。

The hope was that if the monkeys lived longer, healthier lives by eating a lot less, then maybe people, their evolutionary cousins, would, too. Some scientists, anticipating such benefits, began severely restricting their own diets.

科学家们的希望是，如果猴子可以通过少吃达到健康长寿的目的的话， 它们在进化意义上的近亲人类，或许也可以如此。从这些益处着眼，一些科学家已经开始严格限制自己的饮食。

The results of this major, long-awaited study, which began in 1987, are finally in. But it did not bring the vindication calorie restriction enthusiasts had anticipated. It turns out the skinny monkeys did not live any longer than those kept at more normal weights.

这项令人期待已久的重大研究始于1987年，如今终于公布了结果。但研究却并没有证实那些热衷节减卡路里的人们预期的益处。结果显示，瘦得皮包骨头的猴子并不比那些正常体重的同类活得长。

Some lab test results improved, but only in monkeys put on the diet when they were old. The causes of death -- cancer, heart disease -- were the same in both the underfed and the normally fed monkeys.

一些实验室测试结果有所改善，但仅限于那些步入老年之后才开始节食的猴子。不管节食与否，猴子的死亡原因----癌症、心脏病----都是一样的。

Lab test results showed lower levels of cholesterol and blood sugar in the male monkeys that started eating 30 percent fewer calories in old age, but not in the females. Males and females that were put on the diet when they were old had lower levels of triglycerides, which are linked to heart disease risk.

实验结果显示，老年公猴的饮食所含卡路里减少30%之后，它们的胆固醇和血糖水平有所降低，但是母猴的情况没有变化。节食的老年公猴和母猴都拥有较低的三酸甘油酯水平，三酸甘油酯是一种诱发心脏病的物质。

Monkeys put on the diet when they were young or middle-aged did not get the same benefits, though they had less cancer. But the bottom line was that the monkeys that ate less did not live any longer than those that ate normally.

节食的幼年或者中年猴子并没有获得这些益处，得癌症的几率却有所减少。不过，再怎么说 ，吃得少的猴子并不比饮食正常的猴子寿命更长。

Rafael de Cabo, lead author of the diet study, published online on Wednesday in the journal Nature, said he was surprised and disappointed that the underfed monkeys did not live longer. Like many other researchers on aging, he had expected an outcome similar to that of a 2009 study from the University of Wisconsin that concluded that caloric restriction did extend monkeys' life spans.

这篇节食论文于周三在《自然》(Nature)杂志发表，论文的首要作者拉斐尔·德·卡博(Rafael de Cabo)称，他觉得既惊讶又失望，因为节食的猴子寿命没有增加。和许多研究老龄化的学者一样，他本来估计能得到一个与2009年威斯康星大学的研究类似的结果，那项研究的结论是，减少卡路里的确可以延长猴子的生命。

But even that study had a question mark hanging over it. Its authors had disregarded about half of the deaths among the monkeys they studied, saying they were not related to aging. If they had included all of the deaths, there was no extension of life span in the Wisconsin study, either.

不过，即使是那项研究也有一个可疑之处。研究报告的各位作者忽略了半数在研究过程中死亡的猴子，称这与老龄化无关。如果威斯康星的研究者把死亡的所有猴子都包括进来的话，那么，他们的研究也不能证明猴子寿命会延长。

词汇预习

• normally [高考]

  美[ˈnɔːrməli] | 英[ˈnɔːməli]

  adv. 通常；正常地

• extend [高考]

  美[ɪkˈstend] | 英[ɪkˈstend]

  v. 延伸；延长；伸展；扩展；提供；使竭尽全力

• journal [高考]

  美[ˈdʒɜːrnl] | 英[ˈdʒɜːnl]

  n. 日志；日记；期刊

• calorie [高考]

  美[ˈkæləri] | 英[ˈkæləri]

  n. 卡；卡路里(热量单位)

• lean [高考]

  美[liːn] | 英[liːn]

  v. （身体）倾斜；倾向于做；依靠；倚靠，靠在 adj. 瘦且健康的；（肉）瘦的，脂肪少的；不景气的，贫乏的；精简的，效率高的；（混合汽化燃料）空气所占比例高的，稀化的 n. 倾斜，歪曲；瘦肉 【名】（Lean）（丹）利恩（人名）

• evolutionary [高考]

  美[ˌiːvəˈluːʃəneri] | 英[ˌiːvəˈluːʃənri]

  adj. 进化的；发展的；演变的

• severely [高考]

  美[sɪ'vɪrli] | 英[sɪ'vɪə(r)li]

  adv. 严格地；严重地；严肃地；严厉地；朴实地

• equivalent [高考]

  美[ɪˈkwɪvələnt] | 英[ɪˈkwɪvələnt]

  adj. 等价的 相等的 n. 相等物

• outcome [高考]

  美[ˈaʊtkʌm] | 英[ˈaʊtkʌm]

  n. 结果，成果，效果，结局

• male [高考]

  美[meɪl] | 英[meɪl]

  adj. 男性的；雄性的 n. 男子；雄性动物

• extension [高考]

  美[ɪkˈstenʃn] | 英[ɪkˈstenʃn]

  n. 延长；伸展；延期；扩充；观念发展；增强 n. 电话分机；特别课程 n. [计]文件名

• restriction [高考]

  美[rɪˈstrɪkʃn] | 英[rɪˈstrɪkʃn]

  n. 限制；约束

• related to [高考]

  美 | 英

  与 ... 相关

• lower [高考]

  美[ˈloʊər] | 英[ˈləʊə(r)]

  adj. 低的；下级的；下层的 v. 降低；减弱；跌落

• disappointed [高考]

  美[ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd] | 英[ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪd]

  adj. 失望的

• span [高考]

  美[spæn] | 英[spæn]

  n. 时期；跨度；间距 vt. 延续；横跨；贯穿；遍及；弥补

• would [高考]

  美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]

  aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式

• middle-aged [四级]

  美[ˌmɪdl ˈeɪdʒd] | 英[ˌmɪdl ˈeɪdʒd]

  adj. 中年的

• any longer [四级]

  美 | 英

  (不)再

• skinny [四级]

  美[ˈskɪni] | 英[ˈskɪni]

  adj. 皮的；皮包骨头的；很瘦的 n. [俚]内部消息

• cholesterol [四级]

  美[kəˈlestərɔːl] | 英[kəˈlestərɒl]

  n. 胆固醇

• long-awaited [考研]

  美[ˌlɔːŋ əˈweɪtɪd] | 英[ˌlɔŋəˈweɪtəd]

  adj. 期待已久的

重点讲解

Severe Diet Doesn't Prolong Life, at Least in Monkeys

严格的饮食不会延长寿命，至少对猴子来说是如此

semi-  prefix.  半；部分

【例】semiconductor/semicircle/semiautomatic 半导体/半圆/半自动的

【拓展】与“半”相关的前缀：

1. demi-   半；部分；小； 次等；

【例】demi-fixed/demigod  半固定的/半神半人

2. hemi-   一半

【例】hemicycle/hemisect/hemisphere 半圆形/对半切/半球

3. half-   一半；半；偏向一部分

【例】half-asleep/half-awake/half-baked/half-blood 半睡状态/半醒状态的/半熟的/同父异母者或同母异父者

【辨析】

1. demi-：不像前缀hemi-和semi-那样常见。

2. hemi-：当使用与化学、数学、生物和医学有关的语言时，通常使用hemi-。

3. semi-：在谈论技术或科学科目以及数学时通常表示部分或一半。

4.half：现代英语中最为常见的表达一半的词汇。

tip the scales

1.称起来重为……，重量为……

【例】He tipped the scales at just over 80 kilos.

他称得体重刚过80公斤。

2. 起快定性作用

【例】In an interview, smart presentation can tip the scales in your favour.

在面试中，机敏的表现是一种有利的条件。

For 25 years, the rhesus monkeys from China and India were kept semi-starved, lean and hungry. The males' weights were so low they were the equivalent of a 6-foot-tall man who tipped the scales at just 120 to 133 pounds.

过去25年当中，来自中国和印度的一些猕猴始终被保持在半饥饿状态，身体精瘦、饥肠辘辘。公猴的体重很轻，瘦的程度相当于一个身高1.8米左右，体重却只有120到133磅的男人。

semi-  prefix.  半；部分

【例】semiconductor/semicircle/semiautomatic 半导体/半圆/半自动的

【拓展】与“半”相关的前缀：

1. demi-   半；部分；小； 次等；

【例】demi-fixed/demigod  半固定的/半神半人

2. hemi-   一半

【例】hemicycle/hemisect/hemisphere 半圆形/对半切/半球

3. half-   一半；半；偏向一部分

【例】half-asleep/half-awake/half-baked/half-blood 半睡状态/半醒状态的/半熟的/同父异母者或同母异父者

【辨析】

1. demi-：不像前缀hemi-和semi-那样常见。

2. hemi-：当使用与化学、数学、生物和医学有关的语言时，通常使用hemi-。

3. semi-：在谈论技术或科学科目以及数学时通常表示部分或一半。

4.half：现代英语中最为常见的表达一半的词汇。

tip the scales

1.称起来重为……，重量为……

【例】He tipped the scales at just over 80 kilos.

他称得体重刚过80公斤。

2. 起快定性作用

【例】In an interview, smart presentation can tip the scales in your favour.

在面试中，机敏的表现是一种有利的条件。

The hope was that if the monkeys lived longer, healthier lives by eating a lot less, then maybe people, their evolutionary cousins, would, too. Some scientists, anticipating such benefits, began severely restricting their own diets.

科学家们的希望是，如果猴子可以通过少吃达到健康长寿的目的的话， 它们在进化意义上的近亲人类，或许也可以如此。从这些益处着眼，一些科学家已经开始严格限制自己的饮食。

anticipate v.

1. 预期；预料；预计

【例】We anticipate that sales will rise next year.

我们预料明年销售量将会增加。

2. 未待提出就回答（问题）；预先考虑并满足（请求、需要等）

【例】What Jeff did was to anticipate my next question.

杰夫预先回答了我的下一个问题。

3. 早于…做（或想、说）；先于…行动

【例】When Scott reached the South Pole he found that someone had anticipated him.

斯科特到达南极时发现有人已先到过那里。

The results of this major, long-awaited study, which began in 1987, are finally in. But it did not bring the vindication calorie restriction enthusiasts had anticipated. It turns out the skinny monkeys did not live any longer than those kept at more normal weights.

这项令人期待已久的重大研究始于1987年，如今终于公布了结果。但研究却并没有证实那些热衷节减卡路里的人们预期的益处。结果显示，瘦得皮包骨头的猴子并不比那些正常体重的同类活得长。

turn out

1.原来是；结果发现

【例】No one could have foreseen things would turn out this way. 

谁都没有预料到事情的结果会这样。

2.出席；参加；前去观看

【例】Thousands of people turned out for the funeral...

数千人参加了葬礼。

3.关掉，熄灭(电灯、煤气等)

【例】I'll just play until mom comes round to turn the lights out.

我会一直玩到妈妈过来熄灯

Some**** lab test**** results improved****,**** but only**** in**** monkeys put on**** the diet**** when**** they**** were**** old.**** The causes**** of**** death --**** cancer****,**** heart disease --**** were**** the same**** in**** both**** the underfed**** and the normally**** fed monkeys.****

一些实验室测试结果有所改善，但仅限于那些步入老年之后才开始节食的猴子。不管节食与否，猴子的死亡原因----癌症、心脏病----都是一样的。

Lab test**** results showed**** lower levels**** of**** cholesterol and blood sugar in**** the male**** monkeys that**** started eating**** 30**** percent fewer calories**** in**** old age,**** but not in**** the females.**** Males and females that**** were**** put on**** the diet**** when**** they**** were**** old had lower levels**** of**** triglycerides,**** which are linked**** to**** heart disease risk****.****

实验结果显示，老年公猴的饮食所含卡路里减少30%之后，它们的胆固醇和血糖水平有所降低，但是母猴的情况没有变化。节食的老年公猴和母猴都拥有较低的三酸甘油酯水平，三酸甘油酯是一种诱发心脏病的物质。

Monkeys put on the diet when they were young or middle-aged did not get the same benefits, though they had less cancer. But the bottom line was that the monkeys that ate less did not live any longer than those that ate normally.

节食的幼年或者中年猴子并没有获得这些益处，得癌症的几率却有所减少。不过，再怎么说 ，吃得少的猴子并不比饮食正常的猴子寿命更长。

bottom line

1.要旨，最基本、最重要的因素

【例】The bottom line is that we have to increase our sales or take a cut in pay.

关键问题是我们必须增加销售额，否则就得减工资。

2.最终赢利（或亏损）

【例】Sales last month failed to add to the company's bottom line.

上月经销额没能使公司盈利增加。

3.可接受的最低价格，底价

【例】She says $5,000 is her bottom line. 

她说5000美金是她的底线。

Rafael de Cabo, lead author of the diet study, published online on Wednesday in the journal Nature, said he was surprised and disappointed that the underfed monkeys did not live longer. Like many other researchers on aging, he had expected an outcome similar to that of a 2009 study from the University of Wisconsin that concluded that caloric restriction did extend monkeys' life spans.

这篇节食论文于周三在《自然》(Nature)杂志发表，论文的首要作者拉斐尔·德·卡博(Rafael de Cabo)称，他觉得既惊讶又失望，因为节食的猴子寿命没有增加。和许多研究老龄化的学者一样，他本来估计能得到一个与2009年威斯康星大学的研究类似的结果，那项研究的结论是，减少卡路里的确可以延长猴子的生命。

life span  n. 

1. (人、动植物的)寿命，预期生命期限

【例】They have extended the potential life span of humanity everywhere. 

世界各地人类的预期寿命均有所延长。

2. (产品等的)预期使用期限；(组织、想法等的)预期存在期限

The batteries had a life span of six hours 

这些电池的寿命为6小时。

But even that study had a question mark hanging over it. Its authors had disregarded about half of the deaths among the monkeys they studied, saying they were not related to aging. If they had included all of the deaths, there was no extension of life span in the Wisconsin study, either.

不过，即使是那项研究也有一个可疑之处。研究报告的各位作者忽略了半数在研究过程中死亡的猴子，称这与老龄化无关。如果威斯康星的研究者把死亡的所有猴子都包括进来的话，那么，他们的研究也不能证明猴子寿命会延长。

disregard   v.

1.作动词：漠视；不顾；不理会

【例】Safety rules were disregarded.

安全规定被忽视了。

2.作名词：漠视；忽视

【例】He shows a total disregard for other people's feelings.

他丝毫不顾及别人的感受。

【同义词辨析】neglect/disregard/ignore  v. 忽视，无视

neglect指未能妥善照顾某人或给予某事足够的关注，也指未履行职责、义务等，多为无心地疏忽。

【例】She had neglected her child.

她疏于照管自己的孩子。

ignore指假装没有看见或听到某事，多为故意地忽视。

【例】His suggestions were ignored.

他的建议无人理会。

disregard指忽视或轻视某事物。

【例】Mary totally disregarded my advice.

玛丽完全不听我的建议。

课后练习

• Which of the following is true about the study of rhesus monkeys?

  A. It measured the minimal food needed for monkeys to survive.

  B. It compared the calorie consumption of monkeys with that of men.

  C. It aimed to prove whether dieting could lead to longer life spans.

  D. It explored how similar dietary regimes could affect monkeys and men.

• The results of the study showed that ____.

  A. the limitation of diets had little effect on life spans

  B. the underfed monkeys were in poorer conditions

  C. the older monkeys were surprisingly healthier

  D. the overweight monkeys were vulnerable to cancers

• The benefits of dieting were prominent among ____.

  A. female monkeys

  B. old monkeys

  C. young male monkeys

  D. monkeys with heart disease

• The weakness of the Wisconsin study was that ____.

  A. its conclusion was not supported by similar studies

  B. the caloric restriction caused deaths of some monkeys

  C. the researchers ignored the influence of aging and disease

  D. the data was incomplete and the cause of deaths was misjudged