BBC英语教学科学家们研发出了一种新药，该药物不仅能模拟太阳光晒黑皮肤的过程，还可以让使用者免受紫外线辐射的影响。通过一系列对皮肤样本及实验鼠的测试，科学家们发现该药令皮肤产生了一种呈棕色形态的黑色素。证据显示，就连在阳光下也晒不黑的红发人士们也能尝试这种药物。这支来自麻省总医院（Massachusetts General Hospital）的科研团队希望他们的发现可帮助人们预防皮肤癌，甚至减缓皮肤衰老的过程。请听报道。
The secret to sun-kissed skin is melanin. When the Sun’s blistering rays hit your skin, they cause damage that can lead to cancer. So the skin throws up a protective barrier of brown melanin. It’s the body’s own sunblock and absorbs dangerous UV radiation.
The new drug, developed at Massachusetts General Hospital, is rubbed into the skin. It stimulates the same tanning effect just without the damage. The researchers’ goal is to give people a natural tan that protects against UV and cuts skin cancer rates.
The drug could allow those with the palest of skins to get a safe tan. But whether you’re ginger, blonde, or brunette, you’re in for a wait. The researchers want to perform more safety tests before bottles of real tan reach the shops.
词汇表
sun-kissed 被阳光晒得黝黑的
melanin 黑色素
blistering 极热的，酷热的
protective barrier 保护隔离层
sunblock 防晒霜
UV 紫外线的，ultraviolet 的缩写形式
rubbed into 揉搓（药物）使渗入
stimulates 促进、促使（身体某部位的）功能
tanning effect 皮肤被晒成棕褐色的效果
palest （肤色）极为苍白的
ginger 姜黄色头发的
blonde 金发的
brunette 深棕发色的
perform 进行…做…
safety tests 安全检测，安全测试
测验
请听报道并回答下列问题。
1. What does your skin do when the Sun’s blistering rays hit it?
2. What is the aim of the researchers who developed the new drug?
3. True or false? If your skin is extremely pale, the new drug won’t work on you.
4. Which word in the text means ‘to take in or soak up something gradually’?
答案
1. What does the skin do when the Sun’s blistering rays hit it?
The skin throws up a protective barrier of brown melanin. It’s the body’s own sunblock and absorbs dangerous UV radiation.
2. What is the aim of the researchers who developed the new drug?
The researchers’ aim is to give people a natural tan that protects against UV and cuts skin cancer rates.
3. True or false? If your skin is extremely pale, the new drug won’t work on you.
False. The drug could allow those with the palest of skins to get a safe tan, according to the text.
4. Which word in the text means ‘to take in or soak up something gradually’?
Absorb.
