文字稿
澳大利亞研究人員說，袋獾的乳汁可能會為人類對抗“超級細菌”提供有利的科學研究樣本。悉尼大學的一個科研小組稱，這種有袋動物的乳汁富含名為“肽”的重要化合物，它能殺死包括耐甲氧西林金葡菌（MRSA）在內的一系列難治的感染類病癥。請聽報道。
The Tasmanian devil may be an endangered species, but it is not a defenceless one. These feisty furry animals are the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial and have evolved a keen sense of smell along with sharp teeth and claws to catch their prey.
Another clue to their survival comes not from their adult diet but from what they drink as babies in the pouch — milk. Australian scientists have been studying devil milk and have found it’s packed with important proteins or peptides that can fight off hard-to-treat infections including the hospital superbug MRSA.
Elizabeth Murchison, a UK expert in Tasmanian devils says that the animals evolved this defence to help their vulnerable young grow stronger. The University of Sydney researchers ultimately hope to find new treatments for humans. They’ve scanned the devil’s genetic code to find and recreate the infection-fighting compounds. So far, they’ve found six. Work’s already begun testing other marsupials including koalas to see if these animals will reveal more.
詞匯表
Tasmanian devil 袋獾，分佈於澳大利亞塔斯馬尼亞州
defenceless 不能自衛的
feisty 精力充沛的，愛吵的
carnivorous （動物）食肉的
marsupial 有袋（目）哺乳動物
pouch （動物的）育兒袋
peptides 肽，一種化合物
hard-to-treat 難治的
superbug （對抗生素有抗藥性的）“超級細菌”
MRSA 耐甲氧西林金葡菌，“超級細菌”的一種
genetic code 遺傳密碼
compounds 化合物
測驗
請聽報道並回答下列問題。
1. What is the secret of Tasmanian devils’ survival apart from their keen sense of smell?
2. How many infection-fighting compounds have the researchers at the University of Sydney found so far?
3. True or false? The Tasmanian devils are meat-eating animals.
4. Which word in the text means ‘the animal captured and killed by another for food’?
答案
1. What is the secret of Tasmanian devils’ survival apart from their keen sense of smell?
Another secret of their survival is what they drink as babies — milk, which is packed with important peptides that can fight off hard-to-treat infections.
2. How many infection-fighting compounds have the researchers at the University of Sydney found so far?
So far, the researchers at the University of Sydney have found six infection-fighting compounds.
3. True or false? The Tasmanian devils are meat-eating animals.
True. The Tasmanian devils are carnivorous, which means they eat meat.
4. Which word in the text means ‘the animal captured and killed by another for food’?
Prey.
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