SSS 2010-02-04_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

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Some people of Italian ancestry¹, like me, might have a surprise in the family tree—a man of east Asian descent, who was living and working 2,000 years ago in the boondocks near the heel of the Italian boot. The discovery is the first good evidence of an Asian living in Italy during Roman times.

Researchers found his body on an imperial Roman estate and took dental samples. Why examine teeth? Well, the water you drink at birth leaves a distinct signature in your teeth. That water signature is in the form of oxygen isotopes², atoms of oxygen with different numbers of neutrons³. Isotopes say something about the latitude⁴ and elevation⁵ of your birthplace—which in the case of our mystery man definitely wasn’t southern Italy.

Then the researchers tested his mitochondrial DNA⁶, which is passed down through your maternal⁷ lineage. And this fellow had east Asian genes⁸. The finding appears in the Journal of Roman Archaeology⁹.

It's impossible to say if the man trekked¹⁰ to Italy himself or one of his ancestors did. But it’s clear that this first known Roman Asian wasn't some aristocratic diplomat¹¹. He was just a poor worker, buried with a single pot.

—Christopher Intagliata

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1 ancestry
n.祖先，家世
参考例句：
Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。 He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

2 isotopes
n.同位素；同位素( isotope的名词复数 )
参考例句：
the many isotopes of carbon 碳的诸多同位素 Tritium is one of the mildest radioactive isotopes. 氚是最和缓的放射性同位素之一。来自《简明英汉词典》

3 neutrons
n.中子( neutron的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The neutrons and protons form the core of the atom. 中子和质子构成了原子核。来自《简明英汉词典》 When an atom of U235 is split,several neutrons are set free. 一个铀235原子分裂时，释放出几个中子。来自《简明英汉词典》

4 latitude
n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区
参考例句：
The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。 The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

5 elevation
n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高
参考例句：
The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。 His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

6 DNA
(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
参考例句：
DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。 Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

7 maternal
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。 The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

8 genes
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句：
You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。来自《简明英汉词典》 Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

9 archaeology
n.考古学
参考例句：
She teaches archaeology at the university.她在大学里教考古学。 He displayed interest in archaeology.他对考古学有兴趣。

10 trekked
v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水
参考例句：
They trekked for three days along the banks of the Zambezi. 他们沿着赞比西河河岸跋涉了三天。来自《简明英汉词典》 Six-man teams trekked through the woods, respectively for 72 to 96 hours. 6人一组的小分队，经过长途跋涉，穿过了森林，分别用72小时到96小时不等。来自互联网

11 diplomat
n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人
参考例句：
The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。 He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。