真题文章(2005年完型)
The human nose is an underrated tool. Humans are often thought to be insensitive smellers compared with animals, while this is largely because, unlike animals ,we stand upright. This means that our noses are limited to perceiving those smells which float through the air, missing the majority of smells which stick to surfaces. In fact, instead , we are extremely sensitive to smells, even if we do not generally realize it. Our noses are capable of detecting human smells even when these are diluted to far below one part in one million.
Strangely, some people find that they can smell one type of flower but not another, whereas others are sensitive to the smells of both flowers. This may be because some people do not have the genes necessary to generate particular smell receptors in the nose. These receptors are the cells which sense smells and send messages to the brain. However, it has been found that even people insensitive to a certain smell at first can suddenly become sensitive to it when exposed to it often enough.
The explanation for insensitivity to smell seems to be that brain finds it inefficient to keep all smell receptors working all the time but can trigger new receptors if necessary. This may also explain why we are not usually sensitive to our own smells ----we simply do not need to be. We are not aware of the usual smell of our own house but we notice new smells when we visit someone else's. The brain finds it best to keep smell receptors available for unfamiliar and emergency signals such as the smell of smoke, which might indicate the danger of fire.
考研核心词汇
underrate / 7QndE5reit / vt. 低估 , 看轻
[例] We underrated his powers as a speaker . 我们低估了他的演说才能。
[同义] belittle, minimize , underestimate
[反义] overrate / 5EuvE5reit / vt. 对估价过高
upright / 5Qp5rait / adj. 垂直的, 竖式的, 正直的, 诚实的, 合乎正道的
adv. 笔直 , 竖立着 n. 垂直, 竖立
[例] an upright man 正直的人
[同义] erect, honorable, law-abiding, moral, reputable, respectable, standing
[反义] dishonest / dis5Cnist / adj. 不诚实的
[派生] uprightly / 5Qp5raitli / adv. 笔直地, 正直地
perceive / pE5si:v / vt. 察觉 v. 感知, 感到 , 认识到
[例] I perceived that I could not make her change her mind.
我发觉我不能使她改变她的主意。
[同义] detect ,distinguish, experience, feel ,make out ,observe, recognize, sense
[派生] perceivable / pE5si:vEbl / adj. 可知觉的
surface / 5sE:fis / n. 表面, 外表, 水面 adj. 表面的, 肤浅的
[例] The truth began to surface. 真相开始露出来。
[同义] exterior, face , outside
[反义] interior / in5tiEriE / adj. 内部的, 内的 n. 内部
detect / di5tekt / vt. 察觉, 发觉, 侦查, 探测 v. 发现
[例] The dentist could detect no sign of decay in her teeth.
牙医在她的牙齿上找不到蛀蚀的迹象。
[同义] catch ,discover ,perceive ,recognize
[反义] conceal / kEn5si:l / vt. 隐藏, 隐蔽, 隐瞒 v. 隐蔽
[派生] detection / di5tekFEn / n. 察觉, 发觉, 侦查, 探测, 发现
dilute / dai5lju:t7 di5l- / v. 冲 淡, 变淡, 变弱, 稀释 adj. 淡的, 弱的, 稀释的
[例] The nurse diluted the drug with saline water.
护士用生理盐水把药加以稀释。
[同义] cut, reduce, thin ,weaken
[派生] diluted / dai5lju:tid / adj. 无力的 冲淡的
dilution / dai5lju:FEn7 di5l- / n. 稀释, 稀释法,冲淡物
receptor / ri5septE / n. 接受器 , 感受器, 受体
[例] receptor of radiation 辐射探测器
expose / iks5pEuz / vt. 使暴露, 受到, 使曝光 v. 揭露
[例] The crime of the corrupt officials must be exposed without any reserve.
对贪官污吏的罪行一定要毫无保留地予以揭发。
[同义] disclose, display ,open ,reveal ,show, uncover ,unmask
[反义] conceal / kEn5si:l / vt. 隐藏, 隐蔽, 隐瞒 v. 隐蔽
[派生] exposal / iks5pEuzEl / n. 曝光, 显露
[固定搭配] expose...to 使...受到, 使...朝向 ...；使 ...接触 ...
trigger / 5tri^E / vt. 引发, 引起, 触发 n. 板机
[例] The odor of food may be a trigger for man's appetite.
食物的香味能引起人的食欲。
[同义] begin, fire ,kindle, start ,touch off
emergency / i5mE:dVnsi / n. 紧急情况 , 突然事件, 非常时刻, 紧急事件
[例] In an emergency, telephone the police.
出现紧急情况时，请给警察打电话。
[同义] crisis , crucial , period, pinch
[派生] emergent / i5mE:dVEnt / adj. 紧急的, 浮现的, 突然出现 的, 自然发生的
