2018考研英语双语阅读：榴莲为什么那么臭

　　2018考研复习进行时，考研英语阅读真题中的文章，多摘自英美主流外刊，有时候你认识所有单词、搞清全部语法还不够，还需要了解英美文化，掌握他们的表达方式，这就是阅读的潜台词。下面新东方在线考研整理《2018考研英语双语阅读精选》，速来学习吧！

　　Singapore scientists reveal origins of durian’s pungent aroma

　　新加坡科学家告诉你榴莲为什么那么臭

　　Researchers have found an odour gene which gives the thorny fruit its notoriously pungent scent.

　　研究人员在榴莲里面发现了一种气味基因，正是此基因赋予了这种多刺水果难闻的刺鼻气味。

　　The discovery meant the possibility of creating "odourless or milder-tasting" fruits in future, the scientists said.

　　研究人员称，这一发现意味着在未来我们可以创造出“无臭或吃起来适中”的水果。

　　It has sparked mixed feelings from durian aficionados, who worship its signature rank smell.

　　但是这种说法也使得那些热衷于吃榴莲并喜欢那种味道的人产生异议。

　　A durian without its smell is nothing but an empty shell with no essence, wrote Singaporean Richie Liang on Facebook, who also compared "a durian without its unique smell" to "a human being who has lost his or her soul".

　　“没有臭味的榴莲就是一个没有本质的空壳，”新加坡里奇.梁在脸书上写道，他还把没有臭味的榴莲比喻成没有灵魂的人。

　　After three years of research, privately funded by a group of anonymous durian lovers, the five-man team of cancer scientists now have a complete genetic map of the fruit, a world first.

　　由五个癌症专家组成的科研团队绘制出了世界上首个关于榴莲的基因图谱，这项研究由一群匿名的榴莲爱好者私人资助。

　　Their findings were published in academic journal Nature Genetics.

　　这一科研成果发表在学术期刊《自然遗传学》上。

　　Our analysis revealed that volatile sulphur production is turbocharged in durians, which fits with many people’s opinions that durian smell has a ’sulphury’ aspect, said geneticist Patrick Tan, who co-led the study.

　　“据我们的分析显示，在榴莲中产生的挥发性硫化物会使榴莲内部压力增大，这也与大多数人认为榴莲的气味有硫酸盐成分的观点是一致的。”参与这项研究的遗传学家Patrick Tan说。

　　The researchers said the durian’s distinctive odour served an important purpose to it in the wild: helping to attract animals to eat it and disperse its seeds.

　　研究人员说，榴莲的独特气味在野生环境中起到了重要作用：它有助于吸引动物吃掉它进而散播种子。

　　Grown in many countries across tropical South East Asia, the spiky, stinky durian is an acquired taste.

　　榴莲生长在东南亚热带地区的很多国家，食用刺鼻、臭气熏人的榴莲已经成为人们的一种嗜好。

　　The fruit is loved and loathed in equal measure. Eating durian is banned in many outdoor spaces throughout Singapore and carrying it is prohibited on public transport because of its smell.

　　榴莲被人们喜爱，但同样也被人厌恶。在新加坡的许多户外空间里，是禁止吃榴莲的。同时因为它的臭味，榴莲在公共交通工具上禁止携带。

　　But its fans remain fiercely protective over retaining its controversial scent.

　　但喜欢榴莲的吃货们仍然在极力地为它富有争议的气味辩护。

　　What’s durian if it’s odourless and tasteless? Yuck, said Manfred Man, adding that he would "never mess with nature".

　　“如果榴莲没有臭味、没有味道，那还是榴莲了么?想想都恶心!”曼弗雷德曼说，并补充说他“不会对水果的本性进行随意的更改”。

　　Jason Lim saw the potential in the durian discovery and shared his hope for new hybrid signature smells. "I wish someone would create avocado with durian smell. Durian fans will know what I am talking about."

　　但另一方面杰森.林也在发现了研究成果的潜力，并分享说他寄希望于使用该研究成果制造出带有混合气温的食物。“我希望有人能用榴莲的味道来制造鳄梨。”我想榴莲迷会知道我在说什么。

　　Odours aside, the durian’s ancestry was also revealed, believed to be dating back an estimated 65m years to the cacao plant.

　　除了气味的来源，榴莲的起始物种也被发现，据说可以追溯到6500万年前的可可树。

　　Zachary Tay hilariously summed up this revelation: "So we’re basically eating chocolate."

　　Zachary Tay幽默地总结了这一发现：“所以我们现在基本上都是吃巧克力”。

　　来源:BBC 新闻