近日，一项新研究发现贝多芬的两缕头发中，铅含量比正常水平高出95倍。研究人员认为，贝多芬可能因对鱼和酒的嗜好而导致铅中毒。研究人员指出，虽然这么高的铅含量可能不足以致命，但可能会诱发疾病，包括听力减退。　　🤔️小作业：　　1. According to the research, what specific treatment of wine likely increased Beethoven's exposure to lead?　　A) Drinking water from local wells contaminated with lead.　　B) Consuming wine that was sweetened with lead.　　C) Storing wine in lead-sealed glassware.　　D) Drinking imported wines with high natural lead content.　　2. How did the researchers verify that the hair samples analyzed belonged to Beethoven?　　A) By comparing with known genetic profiles of his relatives.　　B) Through historical records linking the hair samples to Beethoven.　　C) DNA analysis showed degradation consistent with a 200-year timeline.　　D) The hair samples were found in Beethoven’s personal belongings.　　无注释原文：　　Beethoven's fondness for wine and fish may have caused his deafness　　From: The Telegraph　　Ludwig van Beethoven may have gone deaf from lead poisoning caused by a penchant for fish and wine, Harvard scientists suggest.　　The composer was beset by health issues throughout his life, including deafness, gastrointestinal problems as well as liver and kidney disease.　　But two locks of hair, confirmed as belonging to the composer, have been analysed and found to contain levels of lead up to 95 times higher than normal.　　Scientists say this was likely not enough to have killed Beethoven, but it would have likely caused illness which may have manifested as hearing loss.　　Lead had long been suspected as being behind many of his health woes, with some claiming it likely killed him.　　Previous studies have struggled to pin down the cause of Beethoven's death, mainly because the hair samples used for analysis have been of dubious origin. One previous study, for example, was conducted on a lock of hair reputedly from the composer, but which later analysis showed had belonged to a woman.　　The researchers speculate that Beethoven, who was born in Bonn, Germany, and later lived in Vienna, Austria, was likely subjected to such extreme lead exposure because of his penchant for fish and wine.　　“He was known to eat a lot of fish, and the Danube at the time was very heavily polluted with all the industry,” Dr Nader Rifai, co-author of the study, told The Times.　　“Plumbed” wine, which had lead mixed with it to make it sweeter and less acidic, added to the issue, as did serving the wine in a glass that had lead mixed into it to make it clearer. Beethoven was exposed to both, which also increased his risk of lead poisoning.　　“While the concentrations determined are not supportive of the notion that lead exposure caused Beethoven's death, it may have contributed to the documented ailments that plagued him most of his life,” Dr Rifai said.　　“We believe this is an important piece of a complex puzzle and will enable historians, physicians and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer.”　　Academics at Harvard tracked down two locks of hair and analysed them separately, and found the DNA was suitably degraded to match the 200-year timeline since his death. Further investigations found they shared the same mutations and were from an XY individual — a man, and likely from the same person.　　“The samples either came from a single individual or [identical] twins,” the scientists write in their study, published in Clinical Chemistry.　　“The analysis revealed several significant genetic risk factors for liver disease and evidence of an infection with hepatitis B virus that may have contributed to his death, it did not shed light on the definitive causes of his deafness and gastrointestinal problems,” the scientists wrote.　　The study also revealed “high hair lead concentrations” in both locks. One lock had 258 micrograms of lead per gram of hair, which is 64 times the normal level. The other was about 95 times the normal level.　　It is estimated the composer's blood would have had about 70 micrograms of lead per decilitre of blood.　　“Such lead levels are commonly associated with gastrointestinal and renal ailments and decreased hearing, but are not considered high enough to be the sole cause of death,” the scientists said.　　- ◆ -　　注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考　　含注释全文：　　Beethoven's fondness for wine and fish may have caused his deafness　　From: The Telegraph　　Ludwig van Beethovenmay have gone deaf fromlead poisoningcaused by apenchantfor fish and wine, Harvard scientists suggest.　　哈佛大学科学家认为，路德维希·凡·贝多芬 （Ludwig van Beethoven）可能因对鱼和酒的嗜好而导致铅中毒，进而失聪。　　lead　　lead /liːd/ 作名词，熟词僻义，1）表示“铅”，英文解释为“a wire covered in plastic and used to connect electrical equipment to the electricity supply”　　2）表示“主角，主演”，英文解释为“the main part or actor in a film or play”。　　poison　　poison /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ 作名词，表示“毒；毒药，毒物”，英文解释为“a substance that can make people or animals ill or kill them if they eat or drink it”　　作动词，表示“毒杀，毒害，使中毒；在…里放毒，在…里下毒”，英文解释为“to kill a person or animal or to make them very ill by giving them poison”举个🌰：Four members of the family had been poisoned, but not fatally. 这家中有四口人被人投毒，但未致命。　　penchant　　penchant /ˈpen.tʃənt/ 表示“偏好，倾向，嗜好”，英文解释为“If someone has a penchant for something, they have a special liking for it or a tendency to do it.”如：a stylish woman with a penchant for dark glasses. 一位对墨镜有特别喜好的时髦女子。　　Thecomposerwasbesetby health issues throughout his life, including deafness,gastrointestinalproblems as well asliverandkidneydisease.　　作曲家贝多芬一生饱受健康问题困扰，包括耳聋、肠胃问题以及肝肾疾病。　　composer　　composer /kəmˈpəʊ.zər/ 表示“（尤指古典音乐的）创作者；作曲者；作曲家”，英文解释为“a person who writes music, especially classical music”。　　beset　　beset /bɪˈset/ 表示“困扰的；充满…困难的”，英文解释为“having a lot of trouble with something, or having to deal with a lot of something that causes problems”举个🌰：With the amount of traffic nowadays, even a trip across town is beset by/with dangers. 目前交通如此拥挤，即使穿城而行也充满了危险。　　gastrointestinal　　gastrointestinal /ˌɡæs.trəʊˌɪn.tesˈtaɪ.nəl/ 表示“胃肠（里）的；与肠胃相关的”，英文解释为“in or relating to both the stomach and the intestine (= the long tube that food passes through after the stomach)”如：the gastrointestinal tract 胃肠道，gastrointestinal bleeding 胃肠出血。　　liver　　liver /ˈlɪv.ər/ 表示“肝，肝脏”，英文解释为“a large organ in the body that cleans the blood and produces bile, or this organ from an animal used as meat”　　kidney　　kidney /ˈkɪd.ni/ 表示“肾，肾脏”，英文解释为“either of a pair of small organs in the body that take away waste matter from the blood to produce urine”如：kidney failure 肾脏衰竭。　　But twolocksof hair, confirmed as belonging to the composer, have been analysed and found to contain levels of lead up to 95 times higher than normal.　　但是，经分析证实属于贝多芬的两缕头发中，铅含量比正常水平高出95倍。　　lock　　lock /lɒk/ 熟词僻义，表示“（尤指卷发的）一股，一缕”，英文解释为“a small group of hairs, especially a curl”举个🌰：There is a lock of Napoleon's hair in the display cabinet. 在展柜中有一缕拿破仑的卷发。　　locks 复数可以直接表示“头发”，英文解释为“the hair on someone's head”如：curly locks 卷发，flowing golden locks 飘逸的金发。　　Scientists say this was likely not enough to have killed Beethoven, but it would have likely caused illness which may havemanifestedas hearing loss.　　科学家表示，虽然这么高的铅含量可能不足以致命，但可能会诱发疾病，包括听力减退。　　manifest　　manifest /ˈmæn.ɪ.fest/ 表示“显示；表现；表明”，英文解释为“to show something clearly, through signs or actions”举个🌰：The illness first manifested itself in/as severe stomach pains. 这种疾病最初表现为严重的胃痛。　　Lead had long been suspected as being behind many of his healthwoes, with some claiming it likely killed him.　　长期以来，人们一直怀疑铅是导致他健康问题的罪魁祸首，有观点认为是铅导致其逝世。　　woe　　woe /wəʊ/的复数形式woes，表示“麻烦；问题；困难”，英文解释为“the troubles and problems that sb has”举个🌰：Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。　　而woe作不可数名词时，表示“悲伤；悲哀”，英文解释为“extreme sadness”举个🌰：Her face was lined and full of woe. 她满脸皱纹，一副悲伤的表情。　　Previous studies have struggled topin downthe cause of Beethoven's death, mainly because the hair samples used for analysis have been ofdubiousorigin. One previous study, for example, was conducted on a lock of hairreputedlyfrom the composer, but which later analysis showed had belonged to a woman.　　以往的研究一直难以确定贝多芬的死因，主要是因为用于分析的头发样本来源可疑。例如，之前的一项研究是在一缕据说来自贝多芬的头发上进行的，但后来的分析表明头发属于一名女性。　　pin sth down　　pin sth down表示“清楚地知道；确认”，英文解释为“to discover exact details about something”举个🌰：We can't pin down where the leak came from. 我们无法确定哪里发生了泄漏。　　dubious　　dubious /ˈdʒuː.bi.əs/ 表示“半信半疑的，可疑的；不确定的；不可信的”，英文解释为“thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted”举个🌰：These claims are dubious and not scientifically proven. 这些说法未经科学证实，有些可疑。　　🎬电影《唐璜》（Don Jon）中的台词提到：- Yo, Jonny, you coming out tonight? - That's dubious.-璜璜 你今晚出去吗 -不确定。　　reputedly　　reputedly /rɪˈpjuː.tɪd.li/ 表示“据说”，英文解释为“in a way that is said to be true, although it is not known to be certain”　　The researchersspeculatethat Beethoven, who was born in Bonn, Germany, and later lived in Vienna, Austria, was likely subjected to such extreme lead exposure because of his penchant for fish and wine.　　研究人员推测，出生于德国波恩、后来居住在奥地利维也纳的贝多芬可能因为对鱼和葡萄酒的嗜好而面临极高的铅暴露风险。　　speculate　　speculate /ˈspek.jə.leɪt/ 表示“推测；猜测；推断”，英文解释为“to form an opinion about sth without knowing all the details or facts”举个🌰：We all speculated about the reasons for her resignation. 我们大家都推测过她辞职的原因。　　📺美剧《24小时》（24 Hours）中的台词提到：I wouldn't want to speculate at this time, 这次我不想妄加揣测。　　“He was known to eat a lot of fish, and the Danube at the time was very heavily polluted with all the industry,” Dr Nader Rifai, co-author of the study, told The Times.　　“众所周知，他吃很多鱼，而当时多瑙河工业污染严重，”该研究的共同作者纳德·里法伊博士（Dr Nader Rifai）在接受《泰晤士报》（The Times）采访时提到了这一点。　　“Plumbed” wine, which had lead mixed with it to make it sweeter and lessacidic, added to the issue, as did serving the wine in a glass that had lead mixed into it to make it clearer. Beethoven was exposed to both, which also increased his risk of lead poisoning.　　“掺铅”葡萄酒，即在葡萄酒中添加铅以增加甜味、减少酸味；以及使用掺铅的玻璃器皿来饮用葡萄酒，都增加了贝多芬铅中毒的风险。　　plumbed　　plumb /plʌm/ 1）表示“给…装水管”，英文解释为“to supply a building or a device with water pipes, or to connect a building or a device to a water pipe”举个🌰：We've discovered that our house isn't plumbed properly. 我们发现我们房子里的水管安装得有问题。　　2）表示“探索，探究”，英文解释为“to understand or discover all about something”举个🌰：Now that she had begun, she wanted to plumb her own childhood further. 既然已经开始了，她就想深入发掘一番自己童年的故事。　　Plumbed通常与管道工程（plumbing）相关，源自拉丁词“plumbum”，意为铅。在管道行业，"plumbing"指的是安装和维修管道系统，这些系统过去常使用铅材料，特别是在水管中。　　在“plumbed wine”的上下文中，这个词的使用是指葡萄酒中混入铅的历史做法。这里的“plumbed”形容词，用来描述将铅添加到酒中的行为，这种添加是为了改善风味（例如使葡萄酒变甜或减少酸味）或改变酒的化学性质。铅的使用显然对健康有害，但在过去，人们对铅中毒的认识不足。　　acidic　　acidic /əˈsɪd.ɪk/ 1）表示“酸性的”，英文解释为“containing acid”如：acidic soil 酸性土壤；　　2）表示“很酸的”，英文解释为“very sour”如：a slightly acidic taste 微酸的味道。　　“While theconcentrationsdetermined are not supportive of thenotionthat lead exposure caused Beethoven's death, it may have contributed to the documentedailmentsthatplaguedhim most of his life,” Dr Rifai said.　　里法伊博士说：“尽管检测到的铅浓度并不支持直接致死的说法，但这些铅浓度可能导致了他一生中所遭受的多种疾病。”　　concentration　　concentration /ˌkɒn.sənˈtreɪ.ʃən/ 除了表示我们平常熟悉的“专注、专心；关注、重视；集中、聚集”等，还可以表示“浓度”，英文解释为“the exact amount of one particular substance that is found in another substance”举个🌰：High concentrations of toxic elements were found in the polluted areas. 在被污染地区发现了高浓度的有毒元素。　　notion　　notion /ˈnəʊ.ʃən/ 表示“观念；看法；理解；概念”，英文解释为“a belief or idea”举个🌰：The show's director rejects the notion that seeing violence on television has a harmful effect on children. 节目制片人们并不认为看到电视上的暴力场景会对孩子们造成不良影响。　　ailment　　ailment /ˈeɪl.mənt/ 表示“小病，微恙”，英文解释为“an illness”举个🌰：Treat minor ailments yourself. 一点儿小毛病可以自己治。　　plague　　plague /pleɪɡ/ 1）作名词可表示“瘟疫，疫病”，如：a fresh outbreak of plague 瘟疫的新一轮爆发；　　2）作动词表示“不断困扰，折磨，使苦恼”，英文解释为“to cause pain, suffering, or trouble to someone, especially for a long period of time”，举个🌰 ：She was plagued by weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. 她受虚弱、疲劳和眩晕所折磨。　　🎬电影《白宫管家》（The Butler）中的台词提到：It's time we take a stand against these injustices that have plagued our community. 现在是时候该表明立场和采取行动来对抗这些已困扰我们很久了的不公。　　“We believe this is an important piece of a complex puzzle and will enable historians, physicians and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer.”　　“我们相信，这是复杂谜团中的重要一环，将使历史学家、医生和科学家能够更好地了解这位伟大作曲家的病史。”　　Academics at Harvard tracked down two locks of hair and analysed them separately, and found the DNA was suitably degraded to match the 200-year timeline since his death. Further investigations found they shared the samemutationsand were from an XY individual — a man, and likely from the same person.　　哈佛大学的学者们找到了两缕头发，分别对它们进行了分析，发现DNA退化程度与贝多芬去世200年的时间线相符。进一步调查发现，这两缕头发具有相同的突变，来自一个XY个体（男性），极有可能是同一人。　　mutation　　mutation /mjuːˈteɪ.ʃən/ 表示“（生物物种的）变异，突变”，英文解释为“a process in which the genetic material of a person, a plant or an animal changes in structure when it is passed on to children, etc., causing different physical characteristics to develop; a change of this kind”如：cells affected by mutation 受到突变影响的细胞。　　“The samples either came from a single individual or [identical] twins,” the scientists write in their study, published in Clinical Chemistry.　　研究结果发表在《临床化学》（Clinical Chemistry）杂志上，科学家们指出：“这些头发样本要么来自同一人，要么来自一对同卵双胞胎。”　　“The analysis revealed several significantgeneticrisk factors for liver disease and evidence of an infection with hepatitis B virus that may have contributed to his death, it did notshed light onthedefinitivecauses of his deafness and gastrointestinal problems,” the scientists wrote.　　科学家写道：“分析发现了几个重要的肝病遗传风险因素，以及可能导致他死亡的乙型肝炎病毒感染证据，但并未揭示他耳聋和肠胃问题的确切原因。”　　genetic　　genetic /dʒəˈnet.ɪk/ 表示“基因的；遗传信息的”，英文解释为“belonging or relating to genes (= parts of the DNA in cells) received by each animal or plant from its parents”如：a genetic defect/disease 基因缺陷/遗传性疾病。　　she light on　　cast/shed/throw light on sth 表示“使（问题等）较容易理解；为…提供解释；使…较容易理解；阐明；使…清楚地显出”，英文解释为“to make a problem, etc. easier to understand”举个🌰：As an economist, he was able to shed some light on the problem. 作为经济学家，他能解释这个问题。　　definitive　　definitive /dɪˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/ 1）表示“最终的，决定性的；不可更改的”，英文解释为“not able to be changed or improved”如：a definitive judgment/ruling 最终的判决；　　2）表示“最佳的；最完整可靠的”，英文解释为“considered to be the best of its type”举个🌰：He's written the definitive guide to Thailand. 他写出了最完整可靠的泰国旅游指南。　　The study also revealed “high hair lead concentrations” in both locks. One lock had 258microgramsof lead pergramof hair, which is 64 times the normal level. The other was about 95 times the normal level.　　研究还发现，两缕头发中“铅含量都很高”。其中一缕头发中每克头发含铅258微克，是正常水平的64倍。另一缕头发中铅含量约为正常水平的95倍。　　microgram　　microgram /ˈmaɪ.krəʊ.ɡræm/ 表示“微克”，英文解释为“one millionth of a gram”　　gram /ɡræm/ 表示“（质量单位）克”，英文解释为“a unit of mass equal to 0.001 kilograms”　　It is estimated the composer's blood would have had about 70 micrograms of lead perdecilitreof blood.　　据估计，贝多芬的血液中每分升大约有70微克的铅。　　decilitre　　decilitre /ˈdes.ɪˌliː.tə/ 表示“分升（十分之一升）”，英文解释为“a unit of volume that is equal to one tenth of a litre”　　“Such lead levels are commonly associated with gastrointestinal andrenalailments and decreased hearing, but are not considered high enough to be the sole cause of death,” the scientists said.　　科学家们说：“这样的铅含量通常与胃肠道和肾脏疾病以及听力减退有关，但并不足以成为致死的唯一原因。”　　renal　　renal /ˈriː.nəl/ 表示“肾的;肾脏的”，英文解释为“relating to the kidneys (= body organs)”如：a renal unit 肾病科。　　- 词汇盘点 -　　lead、 poison、 penchant、 composer、 beset、 gastrointestinal、 liver、 kidney、 lock、 manifest、 woe、 pin sth down、 dubious、 reputedly、 speculate、 plumbed、 acidic、 concentration、 notion、 ailment、 plague、 mutation、 genetic、 she light on、 definitive、 microgram、 decilitre、 renal　　- 词汇助记 By ChatGPT -　　A composer, beset by gastrointestinal woes, manifested symptoms doctors pinned down to lead poisoning—reputedly from his penchant for acidic plums. Speculating on genetic mutations, they plumbed his blood, finding lead concentrations of micrograms per decilitre, definitively linking to his renal and liver ailments.