BBC初級口語:Redheads and Pain 紅髮人和疼痛
Background: 紅頭髮的人是不是更怕疼呢？美國牙科協會雜誌發表的一項調查研究認爲，由於人體基因的不同對紅頭髮的人進行麻醉難度較大。出於此因紅髮人和金髮，棕發或黑髮的人比，更不願意去看牙醫。請聽記者Matt McGrath的報道，他本人也是紅頭髮。
【文本】
We redheads are well known for our fiery tempers. Now it seems there is scientific backing for our ginger whingeing as well.
Scientists in the United States studied a group of 144 dental patients almost half of whom had red hair. They found that the red-haired group were more sensitive to pain and as a result were twice as likely to avoid visiting the dentist.
Previous research had shown that gingers were more resistant to the effects of local anaesthesia than people with other hair colours.
The scientists say that this red-haired sensitivity to pain stems from the actions of a gene called MC1R. This is responsible for the production of melanin which gives skin and hair its colour. In about five percent of white people the gene is mutated leading to freckles, fair skin and red hair.
Two famous gingers
Researchers say there are some receptors of this gene in the brain and that this could affect pain sensitivity.
Professor Daniel Sessler from the Cleveland Clinic in the United States is one of the authors of the study. He says the research is a considerable scientific breakthrough.
"Red hair is the first phenotype of anaesthetic requirement in humans. And what I mean by phenotype is an external characteristic.
"So lets say you are walking down the street and you see someone who's a little older and a little younger - that tells you nothing about their anaesthetic requirement. You see a man and a woman - that tells you nothing about their anaesthetic requirement. But you see a redhead - aha! You know that person is going to require 20 percent more general anaesthesia."
From my own personal experience I would say that there is some merit to this idea. I have found that I have had to ask dentists for extra anaesthetic in the middle of procedures.
Some dentists argue that a greater sensitivity to pain might actually benefit redheads and drive them to see the dentist more quickly. In my own case I can attest that is definitely not true.
【口語突破】
fiery tempers
火爆脾氣
scientific
backing
有科學依據
ginger
薑黃色
whingeing
抱怨
dental patients
牙科病人
sensitive
敏感的
resistant
抵抗
local anaesthesia
局部麻醉
stems from
由…造成的
gene
基因
melanin
黑色素
mutated
產生突變
freckles
雀斑
receptors
接收器
scientific breakthrough
科學創新發現
phenotype
表現某一顯性特徵之生物個體或羣體
external characteristic
外部特徵
general anaesthesia
全身麻醉
merit
價值，功績
attest
證明
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重點單詞查看全部解釋resistant[ri'zistənt]想一想再看
adj. 抵抗的，反抗的
n. 抵抗者
resist抵抗，對抗+ant表形容詞，“ …的”→抵抗的 sensitive['sensitiv]
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adj. 敏感的，靈敏的，易受傷害的，感光的，善解人意的
聯想記憶X單詞sensitive聯想記憶：sense感覺+itive表形容詞，“…的”→敏感的 gene[dʒi:n]
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n. 基因
聯想記憶X單詞gene聯想記憶：外來語 benefit['benifit]
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n. 利益，津貼，保險金，義賣，義演
vt.
bene好，fit做－做事後的好處 considerable[kən'sidərəbl]
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adj. 相當大的，可觀的，重要的
聯想記憶X單詞considerable聯想記憶：這次走私的數目considerable，需要好好consider dentist['dentist]
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n. 牙科醫生
聯想記憶X單詞dentist聯想記憶：dent牙齒+ist表名詞，“表示信仰者，專家或從事某活動的人”→醫科醫生 affect[ə'fekt]
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vt. 影響，作用，感動
聯想記憶X單詞affect聯想記憶：af一再，fect做，力求－力求使人做－影響 breakthrough['breik.θru:]
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n. 突破
avoid[ə'vɔid]想一想再看
vt. 避免，逃避
聯想記憶X單詞avoid聯想記憶：a朝向，void空－空城計－避開 previous['pri:vjəs]
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adj. 在 ... 之前，先，前，以前的
聯想記憶X單詞previous聯想記憶：pne以前+vi路[引申爲走]+ous→以前走過的→以前的
