考研英语第5期：吃饭看手机更容易胖
每日一句 来源:红宝书。
难句-1:
And thanks to the continual miniaturization of electronics and micro-mechanics, there are already robot systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with submillimeter accuracy - far greater precision than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their hands alone.
词汇:
miniaturization
n. 小型化，微型化
submillimeter
n. 亚毫米
precision
n. 精度，[数] 精密度；精确
adj. 精密的，精确的
surgery
n. 外科；外科手术；手术室；诊疗室
分析结构:
本句的主干是 there are already robot systems；
句首介词短语 thanks to 引导原因状语；
that can perform some ... with submillimeter accuracy 是修饰句子主干中 systems 的定语从句；
破折号后面 far greater precision 做 submillimeter accuracy 的同位语，其后面 than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their hands alone 是一个比较状语从句。
译文:
由于电子技术和微型机械不断小型化，现在已有一些机器人系统能够进行精确到亚毫米的脑部和骨科手术，其精确性远远超过娴熟的医生仅用他们的双手所能达到的水平。
难句:
Despite a spell of initial optimism in the 1960s and 1970s when it appeared that transistor circuits and microprocessors might be able to copy the action of the human brain by the year 2010, researchers lately have begun to extend that forecast by decades if not centuries.
词汇:
a spell of 一段时间的
spell
v. 拼写；拼缀出（单词）；拼成；意味着；替换，顶替；稍事休息；具有……的显著特征；导致
n. 符咒；着魔；一段时间；魅力，魔力；休息期；一轮投球时间；木片
initial
adj.最初的 字首的
vt.用姓名的首字母签名
optimism
n. 乐观；乐观主义
transistor
n. 晶体管（收音机）
circuits
n. [电子] 电路（circuit的复数）；环路；巡回
v. 环行；巡回旅行（circuit的三单形式)
microprocessor
n. [计] 微处理器；[计] 微处理机
extend
vt.& vi. 延伸;扩大;推广
vt. 伸展;给予;延长;发出（邀请、欢迎等）
vi. 伸出;延伸;增加
结构分析:
该句的主干是 researchers have begun to extend that forecast；
by decades if not centuries 是方式状语；
主句中有一个 that 引导的主语从句；Despite 引导的是让步状语从句，其中 when 引导的定语从句限定时间名词 the 1960s and 1970s。a spell of 指“一段时间”，it appears that 是一个固定句式，意思是“似乎，好像”。
译文:
虽然一开始在20世纪60年代和70年代有过一段乐观的时期——那时候似乎晶体管电路和微处理器的发展使它们在2010年前能模仿人类大脑的活动——但是最近研究人员已经开始将这个预测延后数十年，甚至数百年。
难句:
What they found, in attempting to model thought, is that the human brain’s roughly one hundred billion nerve cells are much more talented – and human perception far more complicated – than previously imagined.
词汇:
roughly
adv. 粗糙地；概略地
perception
n. 知觉；[生理] 感觉；看法；洞察力；获取
结构分析:
句子的主干中:
主语从句 What they found 做主语，后面 is 是系动词，that 引导表语从句；
介词 in 后面跟一个现在分词充当状语；
and human perception far more complicated 省略了谓语 is ；
than previously imagined 是一个比较状语从句；
What they found 意为“人们发现”，nerve cells 指“神经细胞”。
:比较状语 than previously imagined 的谓语用被动式，省略“主语+ be动词”；
译文:
在试图模仿人类思维的过程中，人们发现，人脑中约有一千亿神经细胞比以前想象的更能干——人类的感知过程也更为复杂。
短文扩展阅读
内容：人文科普，难度：4级，单词：315词。
建议：适合扩展阅读。
标题:
Scientists Warn Using aSmartphone at MealtimesCan Lead to an ExpandingWaistline
内容:
Using a smartphone at mealtimes canlead to an expanding waistline, sayscientists.
Researchers have found that men andwomen consumed 15 per cent morecalories when looking at their phoneswhile eating. They also ate more fattyfood.
The groundbreaking study suggests thatstaring at a phone screen may distractdiners from how much food they areactually eating.
Both men and women in the study ate 15per cent more calories when looking atmobile phones while eating compared towhen they had no distractions
‘It may prevent the correctunderstanding of the brain over theamount of food ingested,’ saidresearchers who filmed 62 volunteerseating alone.
The men and women, aged 18 to 28,were invited to help themselves to achoice of food – ranging from healthyoptions to soft drinks and chocolate –until they were satisfied. In three trials,the volunteers were recorded eating withno distractions, using a smartphone orreading a magazine.
On average, the volunteers ate 535calories without the distraction of asmartphone but 591 when using amobile.
Those in the sample who were classedas overweight ate 616 calories whileusing their phones. When in possessionof their mobiles, the volunteers alsoconsumed 10 per cent more fatty foods.They also ate more when reading amagazine.
It is believed that looking at a screen canprevent the brain correctlyunderstanding the amount of foodingested, leading to overeating andweight gain
‘Smartphone use during a mealincreased calorie and fat intake,’ saidMárcio Gilberto Zangeronimoa, a leadauthor of the study – carried out at theFederal University of Lavras in Brazil andUniversity Medical Center Utrecht in theNetherlands.
He added: ‘Tablets and smartphoneshave become the main “distracters”during meals, even early in childhood, soit is important to pay attention to howthis may impact food choices.
‘A distracter prevents the brain correctlyunderstanding the amount of foodingested.’