新科學家精讀：沒有腦子怎麼讀書？（1）

每日一句：

Anyone can memorise facts and get on-job training, but not everyone can think and analyse.

人人都能記憶並接受在職訓練，但並不是每一個人都會思考和分析。

SNAILS, jellyfish and starfish have taught us that you don』t need a brain to learn. These seemingly simple creatures are capable learners, despite being completely brainless. Perhaps this is no great surprise. After all, it』s not as if they lack nerve cells. Strictly speaking, it』s neurons that enable learning – theirs are simply spread out, rather than being packed into centralized bundles.

Word & Expression

1. seemingly adv. 看來似乎；表面上看來

seemingly simple 看似簡單

2. capable

1) adj. 能幹的，能勝任的；有才華的

capable of 有…能力的；可…的

同義替換：able , competent

例句：Show your teacher what you are capable of. 向你的老師表現出你能幹什麼。

2) capability n.才能，能力；性能，容量

3. despite prep. 儘管，不管

despite of 不管；不顧

in despite of 儘管；不管

同義替換：in spite of

例句：Despite their different cultural background they see eye to eye on the origin of the universe. 儘管他們的文化背景不同，他們對宇宙的起源卻有完全一致的看法。

4. brainless

1) adj. 無頭腦的，愚蠢的,腦殘的

同義替換：foolish , stupid

例句：For instance, it appears the ancestor of brainless starfish and sea urchins had a brain. 例如，無腦海星和海膽的祖先似乎曾有大腦。

2) -less 表示否定，「沒有」的意思，以此為後綴的詞一般是形容詞

aimless 無目的的

armless 無武器的

bloodless 不流血的

breathless 透不過氣來的

5. as if

1) 猶如，好似

例句：The girl looked around as if in search of something. 這女孩環顧四周好像在找什麼東西。

2) even if 即使，表讓步

if only 但願，希望，表示一種強烈的願望，後接虛擬語氣

only if 只有在……的時候，表示對條件的強調

6. strictly speaking adv. 嚴格地說；嚴格來說

broadly speaking 一般地說；廣義地說；泛泛地說

theoretically speaking 理論上說，就理論而言

frankly speaking 坦白地說

7. enable vt. 使能夠，使成為可能；授予權利或方法

同義替換：capacitate , empower

例句：This dictionary enables us to understand English words.這部詞典能幫助我們理解英語辭彙。

8. spread

1) vi. 傳播；伸展

同義替換：extend , push

例句：The fine scenery will spread before you when you walk through the forest.走出這片樹林，你就會發現一片美景展現在你的面前。

2) vt. 傳播，散布；展開；伸展；鋪開

同義替換：distribute

例句：The disease was spread in the small town.這種疾病曾在這個小鎮傳播蔓延過。

3) spread out 展開；鋪開；伸張

spread across 傳遍；席捲

spread knowledge 傳播知識

9. rather than而不是；寧可…也不願

同義替換：instead of

10. pack

1) n. 包裝；一群；背包；包裹；一副

a pack of 一包；（野獸等的）一群；一盒

2) vt. 包裝；壓緊；捆紮；挑選；塞滿

例句：The roads are packed with buses.路上滿是汽車。

3) vi. 擠；包裝貨物；被包裝；群集

例句：We are busy packing for a journey.我們忙於整理去旅遊的行裝。

4) pack into 擠進…里；塞進

pack up 整理；把…打包

pack with 塞進；擠進；塞滿了東西；某地方擠滿了人

11. centralized

1) adj. 集中的；中央集權的

centralized management 集中式管理，集權管理

同義替換：concentrated , intensive , mass

2) centralize vt. 使集中

例句：The king is trying to centralize all power in his own hands.這位國王想把一切權力集中於自己的手裡。

12. bundle

1) n. 束；捆

a bundle of 一群；一包，一束，一捆；一大堆

2) vt. 捆

例句：We bundled the old newspapers for the trash man.我們為垃圾清理工把舊報紙紮成一捆。

3) vi. 匆忙離開

例句：He indignantly bundled out of the meeting.他憤然地匆匆離開會場。

長難句翻譯

Strictly speaking, it』s neurons that enable learning – theirs are simply spread out, rather than being packed into centralized bundles.

嚴格來說，是神經元使人能夠學習。這些生物的神經元只是伸展開了，而不是擠在集中的一捆中。

But what if you take away the neurons?

Most life forms on Earth lack neurons, and yet they frequently manage to behave in complex ways. Previously, we have chalked this up to innate responses refined over generations, but it is beginning to look as if some of these humble non-neural organisms can actually learn. While that』s left some scientists scratching their heads, others are busy investigating how this ability could offer new approaches to fighting diseases and designing intelligent machines.

Word & Expreesion

1. take away

1) 帶走，拿走，取走

例句：For there is only one thing that people cant take away from you, and that is your wisdom. 因為只有一件東西是人們無法從你身邊取走的，那就是你的智慧。

2) take part in 參加，參與

take on 承擔；呈現；具有；流行；接納；僱用；穿上

take up 拿起；開始從事

take effect 生效；起作用

take的短語太多，大家自己平時注意積累

2. manage

1) vt. 管理；經營；控制；設法

同義替換：possess , run , regulate , conduct , direct

例句：She managed the household very well.她把家掌管得很好。

2) vi. 處理；應付過去

同義替換：cope with , handle with

例句：They thought we would to bankrupt, but we managed.他們以為我們會破產，但我們設法支撐了下來。

3) manage with 用…設法對付

manage to do 掙扎做某事；設法完成某事

3. behave

1) vi. 表現；（機器等）運轉；舉止端正；（事物）起某種作用

例句：He behaved towards her as a father.他像父親一樣對待她。

2) vt. 使守規矩；使表現得…

例句：He behaves himself well.他舉止得體。

3) behave oneself 使舉止規矩

behave well 表現好；舉止得體；行為檢點；表現良好

behave properly 行為正當

4. complex

adj. 複雜的；合成的

同義替換：sophisticated , intricate

5. previously

1) adv. 以前；預先；倉促地

同義替換：in advance , ago , formerly , ahead

2) previous adj. 以前的；早先的；過早的

6. chalk up 記下；取得；歸咎於

同義替換：attribute to

例句：You can chalk up his mistake to carelessness.你可以把他的錯誤歸因於粗枝大葉。

7. humble

1) adj. 謙遜的；簡陋的；（級別或地位）低下的；不大的

Lincoln was born in a humble log cabin.

林肯出生在一個簡陋的小木屋裡。

2) vt. 使謙恭；輕鬆打敗（尤指強大的對手）；低聲下氣

humble oneself自卑，低聲下氣

8. scratch

1) n. 擦傷；抓痕；刮擦聲；亂寫

from scratch 從零開始；白手起家

2) vt. 抓；刮；挖出；亂塗

例句：My sister always scratches my arms我的妹妹總是抓我的胳臂。

3) vi. 抓；搔；發刮擦聲；勉強糊口；退出比賽

例句：The cat scratches at the door.貓咪在外面抓門呢!

9. offer

1) vt. 提供；出價；試圖

同義替換：afford , provide

例句：He offered me a glass of wine.他給了我一杯葡萄酒。

2) n. 提議；出價；意圖；錄取通知書

同義替換：proposal , intention , meaning , will , bid

例句：We thank you for your offer. 非常感謝您為我們提供的一切。

3) vi. 提議；出現；獻祭；求婚

例句：Luck offers once on you.幸運只會在你身上降臨一次。

4) offer sb. sth./ offer sth. to sb.

provide sb. with sth./ provide sth. for sb.

supply sb. with sth./supply sth. to sb.

10. intelligent

adj. 智能的；聰明的；理解力強的

同義替換：wise , bright , clever , smart ,

例句：There is no more intelligent than you, only harder than you! 沒有比你更聰明的，只有比你更努力的！

長難句翻譯

While that』s left some scientists scratching their heads, others are busy investigating how this ability could offer new approaches to fighting diseases and designing intelligent machines.

然而這使一些科學家迷惑不解，一些科學家忙於調查這些能力如何能為戰勝疾病、設計智能機器提供新方法。

更多精讀文章

關注公眾號「神滬小烏龜」

http://weixin.qq.com/r/IzjH38jEopXdrYy8920x (二維碼自動識別)