西瓜有多健康？

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. According to the article, which of the following is true about older people and hydration?

A. They are less likely to suffer from dehydration due to their lower fluid needs.

B. They prefer watermelon over other fruits because of its low sugar content.

C. They may benefit from watermelon as a source of fluids due to reduced thirst sensation.

D. They should avoid watermelon because it increases the risk of heat-related illness.

无注释原文：

How Healthy Is Watermelon?

From: The New York Times

It's hydrating.

“Watermelon” is a fitting name, because it's more than 91 percent water. When you eat an average-size wedge (10 ounces or so), you're effectively drinking a full cup of water.

Hydration keeps the body functioning as it should, from promoting blood flow to bowel regularity. The water in watermelon helps keep you hydrated, which can be extra beneficial in hot weather, when you lose more fluids through sweat.

“Our bodies recognize and utilize water molecules regardless of the source,” said Dr. Tamara Hew-Butler, a sports medicine scientist at Wayne State University. “Moist foods like fruit, vegetables and soups are considered water sources.”

Older people, in particular, may find it easier and more enjoyable to get some of their fluids through fruit, said Amy Ellis, a dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at the University of Alabama. They tend to feel less thirsty and therefore drink less — one of the reasons they're at a higher risk for dehydration and heat-related illness during a heat wave.

It's not as sugary as you might think.

Because watermelon is mostly water, it's also low in calories — a one-cup serving has just 46.

“Some people think it's sky-high in sugar because it tastes so sweet, but really it's very moderate,” Dr. Ellis said. One cup of diced watermelon contains about 9.5 grams of sugar, which is less than the 13 grams in a cup of chopped apples or the nearly 15 grams in a cup of blueberries.

That's little enough that the fruit likely won't cause spikes in blood sugar, added Joanne Slavin, a dietitian and professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

Calories are energy, though, so watermelon alone won't sufficiently fuel your body, said Samantha Dieras, a dietitian and the director of ambulatory nutrition services at Mount Sinai Hospital. But when you eat watermelon as part of a balanced diet, the water content and sweet flavor could help you feel satiated.

It's heart healthy, to some degree.

Watermelon is fat- and sodium-free, which is good for your heart. But the jury is still out as to whether watermelon plays an active role in lowering heart disease risk, Dr. Slavin said.

Dr. Slavin, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Dieras all suggested that the amino acid L-citrulline and the micronutrient lycopene — both abundant in watermelon — could improve heart health. There's a rationale for these ideas, Dr. Slavin said.

Scientists know that the kidneys convert L-citrulline into nitric oxide, which can relax your artery walls and lower blood pressure. And lycopene, a chemical found in certain plants, can reduce inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. People tend to associate lycopene with tomatoes, but watermelon has more.

Still, independently funded human studies directly examining watermelon's effect on heart health have not shown measurable improvements. “Watermelon is not a magic bullet,” said Dr. Ellis, who led one of the studies. “It's not going to displace blood pressure medication or anything like that. But if it's incorporated into a diet with nutrient-dense foods, it may be a good thing for vascular health.”

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为纽约时报官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

How Healthy Is Watermelon?

From: The New York Times

It's hydrating.

它能补水。

hydrate /haɪˈdreɪt/ 作动词，表示“（身体）补充水分”，英文解释为“to make your body absorb water or other liquid”如：oils that help hydrate your skin 帮助你的皮肤补水的油。

“Watermelon” is a fitting name, because it's more than 91 percent water. When you eat an average-size wedge (10 ounces or so), you're effectively drinking a full cup of water.

西瓜的英文名称watermelon（直译为“水瓜”——译注）是一个恰如其名的称呼，因为它的含水量超过91%。吃一块中等大小的西瓜（280克左右）实际上等于喝下了一整杯水。

wedge /wedʒ/ 表示“楔形物，三角形物（尤指食物）”，英文解释为“a piece of something, especially food, in the shape of a triangle”举个🌰：Auntie Ann put a huge wedge of cake on my plate. 安姨妈把一大块三角形的蛋糕放在我盘子里。

作动词，表示“挤入，插入，塞入；卡住”，英文解释为“to put something into a very small or narrow space, so that it cannot move easily”举个🌰：Her shoe came off and got wedged between the bars. 她的鞋掉了下来，卡在栏杆中间。

Hydration keeps the body functioning as it should, from promoting blood flow to bowel regularity. The water in watermelon helps keep you hydrated, which can be extra beneficial in hot weather, when you lose more fluids through sweat.

补水能保持身体机能正常运转，从促进血液流动到维持正常的排便习惯。西瓜中的水分有助于保持身体水分，这在炎热的天气里可能格外有益，因为此时你通过排汗流失了更多的体液。

bowel /ˈbaʊ.əl/ 表示“肠”，英文解释为“the long tube that carries solid waste from the stomach out of the body”举个🌰：He has trouble with his bowels. 他的肠胃有问题。

fluid /ˈfluː.ɪd/ 表示“液体；流质”，英文解释为“a substance that flows and is not solid”举个🌰：If you have a fever you should drink plenty of fluids. 如果发烧，应多喝流质。

作形容词，表示“流畅的”，英文解释为“smooth and continuous”如：fluid movements 流畅的动作。

“Our bodies recognize and utilize water molecules regardless of the source,” said Dr. Tamara Hew-Butler, a sports medicine scientist at Wayne State University. “Moist foods like fruit, vegetables and soups are considered water sources.”

“无论来源如何，我们的身体都能识别并利用水分子，”韦恩州立大学的运动医学科学家塔玛拉·休-巴特勒博士说。“像水果、蔬菜和汤这样的含水食物都被视作水源。”

molecule /ˈmɒl.ɪ.kjuːl/ 表示“分子”，英文解释为“the smallest unit, consisting of a group of atoms, into which a substance can be divided without a change in its chemical nature”举个🌰：A molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. 水分子由两个氢原子和一个氧原子构成。

形容词性：

📍molecular /məʊˈlɛkjʊlə/ 表示“分子的”，英文解释为“Molecular means relating to or involving molecules.”如：the molecular structure of fuel 燃料的分子结构。

moist /mɔɪst/ 表示“潮湿的；湿润的”，英文解释为“slightly wet, especially in a good way”举个🌰：Keep the soil in the pot moist, but not too wet. 让花盆中的土保持湿润，但不要太湿。

Older people, in particular, may find it easier and more enjoyable to get some of their fluids through fruit, said Amy Ellis, a dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at the University of Alabama. They tend to feel less thirsty and therefore drink less — one of the reasons they're at a higher risk for dehydration and heat-related illness during a heat wave.

阿拉巴马大学营养学副教授兼注册营养师艾米·埃利斯表示，老年人尤其可能觉得通过水果摄入部分体液更容易、也更令人愉悦。他们往往不容易感到口渴，因此喝水较少——这也是他们在高温天气出现脱水和热相关疾病的风险更高的原因之一。

dietitian /ˌdaɪ.əˈtɪʃ.ən/ 表示“饮食保健专家，营养学家，营养师”，英文解释为“a person who scientifically studies and gives advice about food and eating”

dehydration /ˌdiː.haɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/ 表示“脱水，极度干渴”，英文解释为“a drop below normal levels of water in the body”举个🌰：Diarrhoea and vomiting lead to dehydration unless fluids are taken to replace the loss. 如果不及时补充失去的液体，腹泻和呕吐会导致脱水。

It's not as sugary as you might think.

它的含糖量没有你想象的那么高。

Because watermelon is mostly water, it's also low in calories — a one-cup serving has just 46.

因为西瓜大部分是水，所以热量也很低——一份一杯分量的西瓜只有46卡路里。

serving /ˈsɜː.vɪŋ/ 作名词，表示“（供一人食用的）一份；一客”，英文解释为“an amount of one type of food that is given to one person”举个🌰：The quantities given in the recipe should be enough for four servings. 食谱上给出的量足够4个人吃。

作形容词，表示“目前任职的；（尤指）现役的”，英文解释为“employed at the present time in a particular organization, especially the armed forces”如：serving and retired military officers 现役和退役的军官。

“Some people think it's sky-high in sugar because it tastes so sweet, but really it's very moderate,” Dr. Ellis said. One cup of diced watermelon contains about 9.5 grams of sugar, which is less than the 13 grams in a cup of chopped apples or the nearly 15 grams in a cup of blueberries.

“有些人认为西瓜含糖量高得惊人，因为尝起来太甜了，但实际上非常适中，”埃利斯说。一杯切丁的西瓜含有大约9.5克的糖，这少于一杯切碎的苹果中所含的13克糖，或一杯蓝莓所含的近15克糖。

dice /daɪs/ 作动词，表示“将…切成小方块，把…切成丁”，英文解释为“to cut food into small squares”如：diced carrots 胡萝卜丁，举个🌰：Peel and dice the potatoes. 把土豆去皮并切成丁。

dice，作名词，美式/旧式用法 die，表示“骰子”，英文解释为“a small cube (= object with six equal square sides) with a different number of spots on each side, used in games involving chance”，复数也是dice.

📍roll a die 表示“摇骰子”，英文解释为“Rolling a die means throwing the shape into the air to obtain a certain number to move forward in any game.”

📍God does not play dice with the universe. “上帝不会掷骰子”是物理学家爱因斯坦的一句名言。人们把这句名言当做他断然否定量子力学的证据，因为量子力学把随机性看作是物理世界的内禀性质，但人们其实误解了他。

chop /tʃɒp/ 表示“劈；砍；剁碎，切碎”，英文解释为“to cut something into pieces with an axe, knife, or other sharp instrument”举个🌰：He was chopping wood in the yard. 他在院子里劈木头。

That's little enough that the fruit likely won't cause spikes in blood sugar, added Joanne Slavin, a dietitian and professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

明尼苏达大学食品科学与营养学教授兼注册营养师乔安·斯拉温补充说，这是很低的含糖量，因此这种水果很可能不会引起血糖飙升。

spike /spaɪk/ 在年度词汇盘点文章中基本都会出现这个词，1）作名词，可以理解为“峰值”或者“激增；猛增；急升”，英文解释为“a sharp increase in the magnitude or concentration of something”如：a spike in oil prices 油价的急剧上涨。

2）也可以作动词，同样表示“激增”，英文解释为“if the number or rate of something spikes, it increases quickly and by a large amount ”举个🌰：New orders have spiked in the last two years. 新订单在过去两年里激增。

3）作名词，表示“尖头，尖刺；（尤指金属的）尖状物”，英文解释为“a narrow, thin shape with a sharp point at one end, or something, especially a piece of metal, with this shape”

4）spikes表示“（某些运动鞋上的）防滑鞋钉；钉鞋”，英文解释为“a set of short, pointed pieces of metal or plastic, attached to the bottom of shoes worn for particular sports, that stop the person wearing the shoes from sliding on the ground, or shoes with these pointed pieces”

作动词，spike /spaɪk/ 表示“（排球运动中）扣（球）”，英文解释为“in the sport of volleyball, to hit the ball so that it goes almost straight down on the other side of the net”

Calories are energy, though, so watermelon alone won't sufficiently fuel your body, said Samantha Dieras, a dietitian and the director of ambulatory nutrition services at Mount Sinai Hospital. But when you eat watermelon as part of a balanced diet, the water content and sweet flavor could help you feel satiated.

西奈山医院门诊营养服务主任兼注册营养师萨曼莎·迪拉斯表示，不过热量即是能量，因此单靠西瓜无法为你的身体提供足够的动力。但当你把西瓜作为平衡饮食的一部分来食用时，其水分含量和甜味可以帮助你获得饱腹感。

ambulatory /ˌæm.bjəˈleɪ.tər.i/ 表示“（病人）不需卧床的，能走动的，晚上不需留院的”，英文解释为“relating to or describing people being treated for an injury or illness who are able to walk, and who, when treated in a hospital, are usually not staying for the night”如：an ambulatory surgery 日间诊所。

satiate /ˈseɪ.ʃi.eɪt/ 表示“（尤指饮食或享乐）使饱足，使厌腻”，英文解释为“to completely satisfy yourself or a need, especially with food or pleasure, so that you could not have any more”举个🌰：He drank greedily until his thirst was satiated. 他大口大口地喝了个饱。

It's heart healthy, to some degree.

它对心脏健康有一定助益。

Watermelon is fat- and sodium-free, which is good for your heart. But the jury is still out as to whether watermelon plays an active role in lowering heart disease risk, Dr. Slavin said.

西瓜不含脂肪和钠，这对你的心脏很有好处。但斯拉温说，关于西瓜是否在降低心脏病风险方面发挥积极作用，目前仍无定论。

sodium /ˈsəʊ.di.əm/ 表示“钠”，英文解释为“a soft, silver-white chemical element that is found in salt”

Dr. Slavin, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Dieras all suggested that the amino acid L-citrulline and the micronutrient lycopene — both abundant in watermelon — could improve heart health. There's a rationale for these ideas, Dr. Slavin said.

斯拉温、埃利斯和迪拉斯都表示，L-瓜氨酸和微量营养素番茄红素——这两者在西瓜中都很丰富——可以改善心脏健康。斯拉温说，这些观点是有依据的。

rationale /ˌræʃ.əˈnɑːl/ 表示“根本原因；基本原理”，英文解释为“the reasons or intentions that cause a particular set of beliefs or actions”举个🌰：I don't understand the rationale for these restrictions. 我无法理解这些限制。

Scientists know that the kidneys convert L-citrulline into nitric oxide, which can relax your artery walls and lower blood pressure. And lycopene, a chemical found in certain plants, can reduce inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. People tend to associate lycopene with tomatoes, but watermelon has more.

科学家知道，肾脏会将L-瓜氨酸转化为一氧化氮，从而可以舒张你的动脉壁并降低血压。番茄红素这种在某些植物中发现的化学物质可以减轻炎症，而炎症与心脏病密切相关。人们往往将番茄红素与西红柿联系在一起，但西瓜中的含量更多。

artery /ˈɑːtərɪ/ 1）表示“干线（指主要公路、河流、铁路线等）”，英文解释为“You can refer to an important main route within a complex road, railway, or river system as an artery.”如：Connecticut Ave., one of the main arteries of Washington 康涅狄格大道，华盛顿的主干道之一。

2）表示“动脉”，英文解释为“one of the thick tubes that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body”举个🌰：Hardening of the coronary arteries can lead to a heart attack. 冠状动脉硬化可能导致心脏病发作。

inflammation /ˌɪn.fləˈmeɪ.ʃən/ 表示“炎（症）”，英文解释为“a red, painful, and often swollen area in or on a part of your body”举个🌰：Aspirin reduces pain and inflammation. 阿司匹林可缓解疼痛和炎症。

Still, independently funded human studies directly examining watermelon's effect on heart health have not shown measurable improvements. “Watermelon is not a magic bullet,” said Dr. Ellis, who led one of the studies. “It's not going to displace blood pressure medication or anything like that. But if it's incorporated into a diet with nutrient-dense foods, it may be a good thing for vascular health.”

尽管如此，直接检测西瓜对心脏健康影响的独立资助人体研究并未显示出可测量的改善。“西瓜并不是灵丹妙药，”主导了其中一项研究的埃利斯说。“它不会取代降压药或诸如此类的任何药物。但如果将它纳入富含营养成分食物的饮食中，可能对血管健康是一件好事。”

magic bullet /ˌmædʒ.ɪk ˈbʊl.ɪt/ 表示“魔弹；超强药物，仙丹妙药；妙法”，英文解释为“a very effective solution to a problem”举个🌰：Technology represents no magic bullet for the problems of schooling. 科技并不是解决学校教育问题的灵丹妙药。

vascular /ˈvæs.kjə.lər/ 表示“血管的；（植物）维管的”，英文解释为“relating to the vessels (= tubes) that carry blood or other liquids in a person's or animal's body”如：the vascular system 脉管系统 如：a vascular surgeon 血管外科医师。

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