Researchers in Mexico have discovered a large, lost Mayan city. 

墨西哥的研究人员发现了一座失落的大型玛雅城市。 

The major urban settlement, named Valeriana, is hidden deep in the southern forest of Campeche. 

主要城市定居点瓦莱里亚纳 (Valeriana) 隐藏在坎佩切南部森林深处。 

The discovery adds to existing knowledge about ancient Mayan settlements. 

这一发现丰富了有关古代玛雅定居点的现有知识。 

Valeriana was discovered by chance thanks to Lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging. It is a technology that uses lasers to map the Earth’s surface. 

缬草是通过激光雷达（即光探测和测距）偶然发现的。这是一项使用激光绘制地球表面地图的技术。 

The data used for the study came from around 122 square kilometers of high-quality Lidar data collected in 2013. 

该研究使用的数据来自 2013 年收集的约 122 平方公里的高质量激光雷达数据。 

The work, led by the Nature Conservancy in Mexico, was part of a forest monitoring project called Alianza. The project aimed to reduce emissions from tree cutting, or deforestation, and land damage. 

这项工作由墨西哥大自然保护协会领导，是名为 Alianza 的森林监测项目的一部分。该项目旨在减少砍伐树木、森林砍伐和土地破坏造成的排放。 

Researchers wrote in the study, published by Cambridge University Press, that "The discovery of Valeriana highlights the fact that there are still major gaps in our knowledge of the existence or absence of large sites within as-yet unmapped areas of the Maya Lowlands.” 

研究人员在剑桥大学出版社发表的研究报告中写道，“缬草的发现凸显了一个事实，即我们对玛雅低地尚未绘制地图的地区是否存在大型遗址的了解仍然存在重大差距。” 

Lidar technology revealed a major settlement, filled with buildings and agricultural infrastructure. 

激光雷达技术揭示了一个主要定居点，充满了建筑物和农业基础设施。 

The classical-era Maya civilization dates back to around 1800 to 1100 years ago. At the time, the Maya civilization grew its control over present-day southern Mexico and what are now Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. 

古典时期的玛雅文明可以追溯到大约1800至1100年前。当时，玛雅文明扩大了对现今墨西哥南部以及现在的伯利兹、萨尔瓦多、危地马拉和洪都拉斯的控制。 

In the study, the researchers identified a total of 6,764 structures, suggesting a populous ancient city. 

在这项研究中，研究人员总共发现了 6,764 座建筑，表明这是一座人口稠密的古城。 

The researchers will carry out further detailed study of the dataset – both remotely and in the field. The discovery serves as a way to better understand ancient Mayan urbanization and settlements. 

研究人员将对数据集进行进一步详细的研究——远程和现场研究。这一发现为更好地了解古代玛雅城市化和定居点提供了一种方式。 

British health officials say they have identified four cases of the new, highly infectious version of mpox that first appeared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

英国卫生官员表示，他们已经发现了四例新型高传染性MPOX病例，该病例首次出现在刚果民主共和国。 

The announcement marks the first time the variant has caused a group of illnesses outside of Africa. Scientists said the risk to the public remains low. 

这一公告标志着该变种首次在非洲以外地区引发一系列疾病。科学家表示，公众面临的风险仍然很低。

Officials announced the first case of the new form of mpox in Britain last week. Officials said the person who was being treated at a London hospital had recently travelled to countries in Africa with ongoing outbreaks. 

官员上周宣布英国出现首例新型MPOX病例。官员们表示，在伦敦一家医院接受治疗的患者最近曾前往疫情持续爆发的非洲国家。 

This week, the British Health Security Agency said it had now identified three additional cases. All of them lived in the same household as the first patient. The new cases are also being treated at a hospital in London. 

本周，英国卫生安全局表示，现已发现另外三例病例。他们都与第一位患者住在同一户人家。这些新病例也在伦敦的一家医院接受治疗。 

Susan Hopkins is chief medical advisor of the British Health Security Agency. She said, “Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household." 

苏珊·霍普金斯是英国健康安全局的首席医疗顾问。她说：“痘痘在密切接触的家庭中具有很强的传染性，因此在同一家庭中出现更多病例也就不足为奇了。” 

The new variant of mpox was first reported earlier this year in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the DRC. Scientists believe it causes milder symptoms that are harder to notice. As a result, it might be easier to spread because people may not know they are infected. Its spread in the DRC and in other parts of Africa caused the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in August. 

今年早些时候，刚果民主共和国东部地区首次报道了mpox的新变种。科学家认为，它会导致较轻微的症状，较难注意到。因此，它可能更容易传播，因为人们可能不知道自己被感染了。它在刚果民主共和国和非洲其他地区的蔓延导致世界卫生组织于八月份宣布此次疫情为国际关注的突发公共卫生事件。

Britain recorded more than 3,000 cases of another version of mpox during a 2022 outbreak that affected more than 100 countries. 

2022 年，英国记录了 3,000 多例另一种 MPOX 病例，疫情影响了 100 多个国家。 

The new variant of mpox has also caused outbreaks in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Single cases in travelers have also been reported in Sweden, India, Germany and Thailand. 

新变种mpox也在布隆迪、肯尼亚、卢旺达和乌干达引发疫情。瑞典、印度、德国和泰国也报告了旅行者中的单例病例。 

To date, there have been about 43,000 suspect cases of mpox in Africa, including more than 1,000 deaths, mostly in the DRC. 

迄今为止，非洲已有约 43,000 例疑似 MPOX 病例，其中 1,000 多人死亡，其中大部分发生在刚果民主共和国。 

On Wednesday, the WHO said it had given about 900,000 vaccine doses to nine African countries struggling with mpox epidemics. 

周三，世界卫生组织表示，已向 9 个受 MPOX 疫情困扰的非洲国家提供了约 90 万剂疫苗。

The clear-winged, yellow-bellied moths made an improbable journey from the jungle of Guyana to Pontardawe in South Wales before being discovered. One was spotted on a windowsill at home by ecologist Daisy Cadet, whose mother had visited South America on a photography trip three months earlier. The pair later found the remains of two cocoons in the bag she'd used to carry her boots on the journey. 

这些翅膀透明、腹部呈黄色的飞蛾在被发现之前完成了一段不可思议的旅程：从圭亚那的雨林来到了南威尔士庞特道埃。生态学家黛西·卡德特在家中的窗台上发现了其中一只飞蛾，而她的母亲在三个月前曾前往南美洲旅行和摄影。此后，这对母女在母亲旅行中用来装靴子的袋子里找到了两个蛹的遗骸。 

With the help of the Natural History Museum, DNA analysis confirmed the moths were a previously unrecorded species – something Daisy struggled to comprehend. 

在自然历史博物馆的帮助下，遗传物质分析确认了这些飞蛾属于一种从未被记录过的物种，这让黛西感到费解。

Experts say clearwing moths are notoriously difficult to find, even by professionals. The fact that they survived a cold, Welsh winter after landing so far from home is even more remarkable. 

专家表示，众所周知，即便是专业人士也很难找到透翅蛾。而这些飞蛾在来到远离家园的地方后，在威尔士寒冷的冬季存活了下来这个事实更加引人注目。 

词汇表

clear-winged 翅膀透明的
yellow-bellied 腹部呈黄色的
spotted 发现了
windowsill 窗台，窗沿
remains 遗骸，残骸
cocoons 蛹
notoriously 众所周知的
remarkable 不寻常的，引人注意的

So, you've reached an intermediate level of English – congrats! You can understand most things about familiar topics and can express yourself in most situations. But maybe you've been here a while, and now you're stuck in what we call the 'intermediate plateau'. Often when we begin learning something, progress is fast and noticeable, but perhaps now it's difficult to see your improvements. Let's see if some new ideas can propel your learning forward. 

所以，您已经达到了中级英语水平 - 恭喜！您可以理解大多数熟悉主题的内容，并可以在大多数情况下表达自己。但也许你已经在这里有一段时间了，现在你陷入了我们所说的“中间高原”。通常当我们开始学习某些东西时，进步是快速且明显的，但也许现在很难看到你的进步。让我们看看一些新想法是否可以推动您的学习进步。 

If your study routine mostly consists of flash cards and grammar exercises, it's time to switch it up. In an article called 'The four strands' by Paul Nation, he suggests that while such exercises are important for building a strong foundation, we should also make time for more meaning-focused learning. That means lots of reading and listening, with a focus on gaining knowledge and enjoyment from the topic itself and learning new vocabulary through context clues. That way, you immerse yourself in the language and get a feel for how it's used in the real world. 

如果您的学习日程主要由闪存卡和语法练习组成，那么是时候改变它了。在 Paul Nation 撰写的一篇名为“四股线”的文章中，他建议虽然此类练习对于打下坚实的基础很重要，但我们也应该腾出时间进行更注重意义的学习。这意味着大量的阅读和听力，重点是从主题本身中获取知识和乐趣，并通过上下文线索学习新词汇。这样，您就可以沉浸在该语言中并了解它在现实世界中的使用方式。 

But don't stop there! Next, you've got to actually produce the language in a purposeful way. According to Merrill Swain's 'Output Hypothesis', speaking helps us to notice holes in our knowledge that we can then work on. Speaking also gives us the chance to experiment with language and, following feedback, either correct or maintain it. What about fluency? Fluency is using what you already know smoothly and quickly, without focusing on learning new words. Set a timer and talk to yourself about a topic, then repeat, setting a shorter timer each time. 

但不要就此止步！接下来，您必须以有目的地的方式实际生成该语言。根据梅里尔·斯温（Merrill Swain）的“输出假说”，说话可以帮助我们发现知识中的漏洞，然后我们可以进行弥补。口语还让我们有机会尝试语言，并根据反馈纠正或维持语言。流畅度怎么样？流利度是指流畅、快速地使用你已经知道的东西，而不是专注于学习新单词。设置一个计时器并与自己谈论一个主题，然后重复，每次设置一个较短的计时器。 

Breaking through the intermediate plateau is tricky. But, the key is not to rely on just one type of activity. Experiment with a well-balanced approach, varied materials, and above all, enjoy yourself, and you'll start seeing incremental improvements that'll send you on your way to master English at a higher level. 

突破中间平台是很棘手的。但是，关键是不要仅依赖一种类型的活动。尝试平衡的方法、不同的材料，最重要的是，享受自己，你会开始看到渐进的进步，这将让你走上更高水平掌握英语的道路。

词汇表

stuck 难住了，卡住了
intermediate plateau 中级瓶颈期，长期处于学习的中级阶段
propel 推进，推动
flash card （有单词或图片的）教学卡片
switch it up 改变做法从而获得提升
strong foundation 坚实的基础
context clue 语境提示
immerse oneself in 将自己沉浸在…中
get a feel for (something) 通过体验感受（某事）
output 输出
fluency 流利程度
break through 突破
tricky 困难的
incremental 逐步增加的
master 熟练掌握

Fruit flies can walk, hover and the males can even sing love songs to woo females. All this, and these flies have a brain that's tinier than a pinhead. Researchers have taken a closer look and found that it's a tangle of more than 130,000 separate wires called neurons – all packed together, making more than 50 million separate connections to each other. 

果蝇能行走和盘旋，雄性果蝇甚至能够通过唱 “情歌” 来追求雌性的芳心。果蝇虽然具备这些能力，它们的大脑却比针头还小。研究人员通过更进一步的观察发现，果蝇的大脑是一团缠结在一起的 13 万个独立 “导线”，即神经元。这些神经元之间形成了超过 5000 万个独立的连接。 

It's taken them ten years, using advanced artificial intelligence systems, to identify its detailed structure, composition and connections. In essence, a wiring diagram, scientifically called the fly connectome. 

科学家们花了十年的时间，使用先进的人工智能系统辨认出了果蝇大脑的详细结构、组成部分和连接方式。从本质上说，科学家们建立了一个接线图，科学上称之为苍蝇脑连接组。 

Even though human brains are a million times larger than a fly's, Dr Gregory Jefferis of the Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge says that the new connectome is the first step in truly understanding, not just how fly brains work, but ours, too. That's because there are likely to be similarities in the way they're both wired. 

虽然人类大脑比苍蝇大脑大 100 多万倍，但位于剑桥的医学研究委员会分子生物学实验室的格雷戈里·杰弗里斯博士表示，这次研究建立的苍蝇脑连接组是真正理解大脑运作机制的第一步，不论是对于苍蝇大脑还是人类大脑来说。这是因为这两种大脑的神经连接方式很可能有相似之处。 

It will take decades to have a complete map of the human brain. But this analysis of fruit flies is the start of a new, deeper understanding of our own minds. 

绘制人类大脑的完整图谱还需要几十年的时间。但对果蝇大脑的分析是一个起点：我们对自身的大脑也将有一个更新、更深刻的认识。 

词汇表

hover 盘旋
woo 追求
pinhead 针头
tangle 缠结的一团
neurons 神经元
in essence 本质上
molecular biology 分子生物学

What do these three things have in common: a grumpy baby, Harry Potter puppets singing, and a challenge where you pour a bucket of icy water over your head? The answer – they have all 'gone viral'. 

这三件事有什么共同点：脾气暴躁的婴儿、哈利·波特木偶的歌声以及将一桶冰水倒在头上的挑战？答案是——它们都“病毒式传播”了。 

The world is becoming more and more digital, and we can't stop it. While growing up, instead of wanting to be a doctor or a teacher, some now aspire to be an influencer or content creator, maybe in the hope of suddenly capturing widespread attention. It's generally agreed that if your content reaches over 1 million views in a week or less, you have 'gone viral'. So, how does virality happen? 

世界变得越来越数字化，我们无法阻止。在成长过程中，有些人现在不再想成为一名医生或教师，而是渴望成为一名有影响力的人或内容创造者，也许是希望突然引起广泛的关注。人们普遍认为，如果您的内容在一周或更短的时间内浏览量超过 100 万次，那么您就已经“病毒式传播”。那么，病毒式传播是如何发生的呢？ 

The marketing tech company Unruly analysed over 400 billion videos and found that emotional connections, like humour and shock value, resonate the most strongly. These emotional elements drive us to share that content with others, and the more shares we have, the more seen that content will be. We should also think about why people want to share content in the first place. Dr Jonah Berger, a Marketing Professor at the Wharton School, says "Sharing allows us to feel connected to others. We share emotions, which allow us to deepen the bonds we have with our peers and with our friends". So, while we may be behind a screen, we're still online because we want to connect and communicate with others, and going viral is driven by organic sharing, just like word of mouth but in a digital sense. 

营销科技公司 Unruly 分析了超过 4000 亿个视频，发现幽默和震撼价值等情感联系最能引起强烈共鸣。这些情感元素促使我们与他人分享该内容，我们分享的内容越多，该内容被看到的次数就越多。我们还应该首先考虑为什么人们想要分享内容。沃顿商学院营销学教授 Jonah Berger 博士表示：“分享让我们感受到与他人的联系。我们分享情感，这让我们加深与同事和朋友的联系。” 因此，虽然我们可能在屏幕后面，但我们仍然在线，因为我们想与他人联系和沟通，而病毒式传播是由有机共享驱动的，就像数字意义上的口碑传播一样。 

Though there are other things to consider. Datadab, a marketing agency, says that our brains are wired to enjoy and recognise patterns, which they say is why internet memes often go viral. If we are already familiar with a theme, like a recognisable image on a meme, then it doesn't take long for us to understand the context of a new caption, which our brain enjoys and makes us more likely to share it. 

尽管还有其他事情需要考虑。营销机构 Datadab 表示，我们的大脑天生喜欢享受和识别模式，他们说这就是互联网迷因经常流行的原因。如果我们已经熟悉一个主题，比如模因上的可识别图像，那么我们不需要很长时间就能理解新标题的上下文，我们的大脑喜欢它，并使我们更有可能分享它。 

Timeliness and relevance are also crucial. Content that is relatable, or that aligns with current trends, captures more interest and encourages more sharing. So, combine all of these factors and you could have content that goes viral. 

及时性和相关性也至关重要。相关的内容或符合当前趋势的内容会吸引更多兴趣并鼓励更多分享。因此，将所有这些因素结合起来，您就可以获得病毒式传播的内容。 

In the Japanese village of Kamimomi, a small group of farmers began gathering their rice in extreme heat, two weeks earlier than usual. 

在日本的上莫米村，一小群农民开始在酷暑中收割稻谷，比平时提前了两周。 

Kamimomi is in Japan’s western Okayama prefecture. The area is called "the Land of Sunshine" because of its good weather. But farmers working in the mountainside rice fields say climate change is hurting the harvest of rice. 

上莫米位于日本西部的冈山县。该地区气候宜人，被称为“阳光之国”。但在山腰稻田劳作的农民表示，气候变化正在损害水稻的收成。 

Joji Terasaka farms in Okayama. He said last year a hot period dried up the rice. He added, "I am worried about that this year because it will be just as hot." 

冈山寺坂丈二农场。他说去年炎热的天气使稻米干涸。他补充道：“我很担心今年，因为今年也会一样热。” 

This year Japan had its hottest July on record. The Japan weather agency said temperatures were 2.16 degrees Celsius higher than average. Worldwide, there has been a 1.2-degree Celsius rise in average temperature since 1850. 

今年日本经历了有记录以来最热的七月。日本气象厅表示，气温比平均水平高出 2.16 摄氏度。自 1850 年以来，全球平均气温上升了 1.2 摄氏度。 

Scientists agreed that warming needs to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius to prevent the worst effects of climate change. 

科学家们一致认为，升温需要限制在 1.5 摄氏度以内，以防止气候变化造成最严重的影响。

Last year, Japan had a poor rice harvest nationwide because of unusually hot weather. 

去年，由于天气异常炎热，日本全国稻谷歉收。 

Officials say the drop in harvest in Japan was partly responsible for a shortage of rice this summer. The low supply of rice in markets forced sellers to limit each buyer to one rice bag. 

官员们表示，日本收成下降是今年夏季大米短缺的部分原因。市场上大米供应不足，迫使卖家限制每个买家只能购买一袋大米。

Yuji Masutomi is a researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, north of Tokyo. He said, "Perhaps people think that an increase of one degree Celsius in average temperature isn't much. But it's quite a big change for plants and crops." 

Yuji Masutomi 是东京北部筑波国立环境研究所的研究员。他说：“也许人们认为平均气温升高一摄氏度并不算多，但对于植物和农作物来说却是一个很大的变化。” 

Masutomi said the rising temperatures also hurt the quality of the grain. Last year, the farming ministry noted that at least one-fifth of rice farms have reported a drop in quality from rising temperatures. "Not only is the appearance not good; people say the taste drops too," Masutomi said. 

Masutomi说，气温上升也损害了谷物的质量。去年，农业部指出，至少五分之一的稻田报告称，由于气温升高，稻米品质下降。“不仅外观不好，人们都说味道也下降了，”增富说。 

Another problem the farmers in Kamimomi face is working under high heat. The average age of agricultural workers in Japan is nearly 69, among the oldest in the world. Older people are especially likely to suffer from the heat. For half of the year, farmers work in the heat to produce rice. 

上莫米农民面临的另一个问题是在高温下工作。日本农业工人的平均年龄接近69岁，是世界上最长寿的国家之一。老年人尤其容易受到高温的影响。半年的时间里，农民们冒着酷暑辛苦生产水稻。 

To deal with climate change, the government is urging the use of heat-resistant varieties of rice. One strain, developed by a research center near Tokyo, is called Sai no Kizuna. 

为了应对气候变化，政府正在敦促使用耐热稻米品种。其中一种菌株是由东京附近的一个研究中心开发的，称为“Sai no Kizuna”。 

Naoto Ohoka manages rice breeding at Saitama's Agricultural Technology Research Center. Ohoka said, "Last year and this year have been extremely hot, but even in those conditions, Sai no Kizuna maintained a certain level of quality.” 

大霍直人 (Naoto Ohoka) 在埼玉县农业技术研究中心负责水稻育种工作。大霍卡说：“去年和今年都非常炎热，但即使在这样的条件下，彩之绊也保持了一定的质量水平。

”Sai no Kizuna was developed in 2012 to better survive high heat, wind and certain pests and diseases. Masutomi recommends that similar varieties of rice should be introduced across Japan by the 2040s. 

Sai no Kizuna 于 2012 年开发，旨在更好地抵抗高温、大风和某些病虫害。Masutomi 建议到 2040 年代在日本各地引入类似的稻米品种。 

But it can take up to 10 years to develop a new strain. After it is approved for the market, farmers must then decide to grow it. 

但开发新菌株可能需要长达 10 年的时间。在批准上市后，农民必须决定种植它。 

The most widely grown strain of rice is Koshihikari, which does not do well in high heat. Even so, older farmers have not always been willing to change to other varieties. Farming ministry data show that heat-resistant varieties grow in only around 15 percent of Japanese rice fields. 

种植最广泛的水稻品种是越光水稻，它在高温下生长不佳。即便如此，老年农民并不总是愿意改种其他品种。农林水产省的数据显示，日本仅有 15% 左右的稻田种植耐热品种。 

Researchers say a large fish that was thought to have disappeared from Asia’s Mekong River has been seen in the waterway in recent years. 

研究人员表示，一种被认为从亚洲湄公河消失的大型鱼类近年来在该水道中被发现。 

The fish is called a giant salmon carp. A recent study detailed the most recent sightings of the fish. The lead writer of that study said the fish was seen at least three times between 2020 and 2023. 

这种鱼被称为巨型鲑鱼。最近的一项研究详细介绍了最近看到的这种鱼。该研究的主要作者表示，这种鱼在 2020 年至 2023 年间至少出现过 3 次。 

The predatory fish can grow to more than one meter in length and has an identifiable yellow spot surrounding its large eyes.

这种掠食性鱼类可以长到一米多长，大眼睛周围有一个可识别的黄色斑点。 

The Mekong River is Southeast Asia’s longest river. It passes through China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. About 60 million people depend on the river for food and survival. It is also an important environment for numerous river creatures. 

湄公河是东南亚最长的河流。途经中国、老挝、泰国、缅甸、柬埔寨、越南。大约 6000 万人依赖这条河获取食物和生存。它也是众多河流生物的重要环境。 

The leader of the research was Chheana Chhut. He is with the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “The giant salmon carp is like a symbol of the Mekong region,” Chheana recently told The Associated Press. 

这项研究的领导者是 Chheana Chhut。他在柬埔寨金边的内陆渔业研究与发展研究所工作。“巨型鲑鱼就像湄公河地区的象征，”切阿纳最近告诉美联社。 

He was the co-writer with other researchers of a study announcing the findings in the publication Biological Conservation. Chheana said researchers had believed that the last confirmed sighting of the fish in the Mekong was in 2005. 

他与其他研究人员共同撰写了一项研究，并在《生物保护》杂志上公布了研究结果。Chheana 表示，研究人员认为最后一次确认在湄公河中发现这种鱼是在 2005 年。

But since 2017, biologists following the movements of migratory fish in Cambodia developed relationships with local fishing communities. They asked people in the communities to inform them of any unusual sightings. 

但自 2017 年以来，追踪柬埔寨洄游鱼类活动的生物学家与当地渔业社区建立了关系。他们要求社区里的人们告知他们任何异常的目击事件。 

That process led to the finding that three giant salmon carp were identified in the Mekong River and a neighboring waterway in Cambodia between 2020 and 2023. 

这一过程导致发现 2020 年至 2023 年间在湄公河和柬埔寨邻近水道中发现了 3 条巨型鲑鱼。 

Bunyeth Chan is a researcher at Cambodia’s Svay Rieng University. He helped lead the research. Bunyeth told the AP, “I was really surprised and excited to see the real fish for the first time.”

Bunyeth Chan 是柬埔寨柴桢大学的研究员。他帮助领导了这项研究。班尼斯告诉美联社，“第一次看到真正的鱼，我感到非常惊讶和兴奋。

” Researchers say the sightings give them new hope for the future of the species. Another name used for the species is “ghost fish.” 

研究人员表示，这些目击事件给他们对该物种的未来带来了新的希望。该物种的另一个名称是“幽灵鱼”。 

“This rediscovery is very exciting, positive news,” said Zeb Hogan. He is a fish biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was part of the research team. 

“这一重新发现是非常令人兴奋的积极消息，”泽布·霍根说。他是内华达大学里诺分校的鱼类生物学家，也是该研究小组的成员。

But the problems the fish experienced also demonstrate the dangers facing all migratory species in the Mekong. The huge river faces industrial pollution and overfishing, among other problems. 

但鱼类所经历的问题也表明了湄公河所有迁徙物种所面临的危险。这条大河面临着工业污染和过度捕捞等问题。 

Brian Eyler is director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. He was was not involved in the research. Eyler said one issue is that more than 700 dams are built along the river and neighboring waterways. In addition, there are very few workable “fish passages” that help species avoid obstructions. 

布莱恩·艾勒是华盛顿特区史汀生中心东南亚项目主任。他没有参与这项研究。艾勒说，一个问题是沿河和邻近水道修建了 700 多座水坝。此外，能够帮助物种避开障碍物的可行“鱼道”非常少。 

The Greater Mekong area includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. 

大湄公河地区包括越南、柬埔寨、老挝、泰国和缅甸。 

The researchers said they hope that cooperation with local communities in Thailand and Laos will permit them to confirm whether the fish also still swims in other parts of the Mekong.

研究人员表示，他们希望与泰国和老挝当地社区的合作能够让他们确认这种鱼是否仍然在湄公河的其他地区游泳。 

South Korean researchers have developed a drone designed to stay level when transporting goods over many kinds of surfaces. 

韩国研究人员开发了一种无人机，旨在在多种表面上运输货物时保持水平。 

A team at Seoul National University of Science and Technology built a prototype, or test model of the drone. The team recently demonstrated the aircraft for reporters from Reuters. 

首尔国立科技大学的一个团队构建了无人机的原型或测试模型。该团队最近向路透社记者展示了这架飞机。 

The prototype has a transport carrier attached to a drone structure. It is supported by several propellers and rotors that control its height, speed and direction in the air. The aircraft has a handle workers can push to guide it where it needs to go. 

该原型机有一个连接到无人机结构的运输载体。它由多个螺旋桨和旋翼支撑，控制其在空中的高度、速度和方向。飞机有一个手柄，工作人员可以推动以引导飞机前往需要的地方。 

Members of the development team showed how the drone can keep itself level while floating, even when transporting goods up or down stairs. Leaders of the research say the drone is programmed to predict human actions for effective interactions. 

开发团队成员展示了无人机如何在漂浮时保持水平，甚至在上下楼梯运输货物时也是如此。该研究的领导者表示，无人机经过编程可以预测人类的行为，以实现有效的互动。

Lee Seung-jae is a professor of mechanical system design engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He was a leader of the project. The research results appeared in a study in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. The publication is part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, based in New York. 

Lee Seung-jae 是首尔国立科技大学机械系统设计工程教授。他是该项目的领导者。研究结果发表在《IEEE 机器人与自动化快报》的一项研究中。该出版物是纽约电气和电子工程师协会的一部分。 

Lee told Reuters tests of the drone showed it could transport objects up to 3 kilograms. He admitted this weight restriction likely limits the drone’s use cases for many businesses. But he noted that the transporter’s design and operating equipment could be used to create a series of other kinds of drone vehicles. 

Lee 告诉路透社，无人机的测试表明它可以运输重达 3 公斤的物体。他承认这种重量限制可能会限制无人机在许多企业中的使用案例。但他指出，运输机的设计和操作设备可用于制造一系列其他类型的无人机。 

Lee said one example would be to use the transporter to carry sensitive or breakable materials. The technology could also be used to develop “flying taxis” to transport humans, he added. 

李说，一个例子是使用运输车运输敏感或易碎材料。他补充说，该技术还可用于开发“飞行出租车”来运送人类。

When used in a flying taxi, Lee said the drones could be used to change batteries while still flying in the air, instead of having to return to a ground station for recharging. 

李说，当用于飞行出租车时，无人机可以在空中飞行时更换电池，而不必返回地面站充电。 

In general, experts say drones with multiple propellers are easier to control and move in many different settings. But they are also slower and cannot travel as far on a battery charge. 

一般来说，专家表示，具有多个螺旋桨的无人机在许多不同的环境中更容易控制和移动。但它们的速度也较慢，并且无法通过电池充电行驶那么远的距离。 

Drones with multiple rotors have already been used to transport small amounts of goods, food and medical supplies. But experts say it is difficult to widely expand use of such drones for commercial purposes. This is because such activities would require larger batteries a smaller aircraft could not support. 

具有多个旋翼的无人机已被用于运输少量货物、食品和医疗用品。但专家表示，很难广泛扩大此类无人机的商业用途。这是因为此类活动需要更大的电池，而较小的飞机无法支持。 

A new government study suggests U.S. teen smoking rates reached an all-time low this year. 

一项新的政府研究表明，今年美国青少年吸烟率达到历史最低点。 

The study was a survey of American youth carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

该研究是美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）对美国青少年进行的一项调查。 

The survey involved middle school students – which includes grades six through eight – and high school students in grades nine through 12. Nearly 30,000 students from 283 U.S. schools took part in the effort, which was carried out from January to May. 

这项调查涉及中学生（包括 6 至 8 年级）和 9 至 12 年级的高中生。这项调查于 1 月至 5 月进行，共有来自 283 所美国学校的近 3 万名学生参与。 

An estimated 33 percent of youth took part in the voluntary survey. 

据估计，有 33% 的年轻人参加了这项自愿调查。 

The study showed a 20 percent drop in the number of middle and high school students who said they recently used at least one tobacco product. These include cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, nicotine patches and hookahs. 

研究显示，表示最近至少使用过一种烟草产品的初中生和高中生人数下降了 20%。其中包括香烟、电子烟、尼古丁贴片和水烟袋。 

That number decreased from 2.8 million last year to 2.25 million this year. The result suggested the change was the lowest usage rate of those products since the CDC survey began in 1999. 

这一数字从去年的 280 万减少到今年的 225 万。结果表明，这是自 1999 年 CDC 调查开始以来这些产品的最低使用率。 

The Associated Press (AP) reports the drop is largely explained by another recent government survey showing e-cigarette use among U.S. youth in 2024 fell to its lowest level in 10 years. 

美联社 (AP) 报道称，这一下降的主要原因是政府最近的另一项调查显示，到 2024 年，美国青少年的电子烟使用量将降至 10 年来的最低水平。 

The youth e-cigarette rate fell to under six percent this year, a drop of 7.7 percent over last year. That was the lowest rate at any time during the past 10 years. Government records show e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products among teens. The second most common is the nicotine patch. 

今年青少年电子烟使用率降至6%以下，比去年下降7.7%。这是过去十年来最低的比率。政府记录显示，电子烟是青少年最常用的烟草产品。第二个最常见的是尼古丁贴片。 

In 1999, nearly 30 percent of American high school students smoked. In 2024, it was just 1.7 percent. Currently, the share of middle school students who smoke is also at its lowest rate. Recent use of hookahs also dropped, from 1.1 to 0.7 percent. 

1999年，近30%的美国高中生吸烟。2024 年，这一比例仅为 1.7%。目前，中学生吸烟比例也处于最低水平。最近水烟的使用率也下降了，从 1.1% 下降到 0.7%。 

CDC officials said the decreases are linked to several measures. These include product cost increases, public health education campaigns, age restrictions and more aggressive enforcement actions against makers and sellers to children. 

疾病预防控制中心官员表示，数量减少与多项措施有关。其中包括产品成本增加、公共卫生教育活动、年龄限制以及针对儿童制造商和销售商的更严厉的执法行动。 

Among high school students, use of any tobacco product dropped from 13 to 10 percent in 2024 while e-cigarette use fell from 10 to eight percent. The survey showed there was no change reported for middle school students who generally vape or smoke less than older children. 

到 2024 年，高中生中任何烟草产品的使用率将从 13% 下降至 10%，而电子烟的使用率将从 10% 下降至 8%。调查显示，与年龄较大的孩子相比，中学生吸电子烟或吸烟的次数没有变化。 

The study found that tobacco use among girls and Hispanic students fell. But it rose among American Indian and Alaska Native students. The survey also showed the current use of nicotine patches increased among white youth. 

研究发现，女孩和西班牙裔学生的烟草使用量有所下降。但这种现象在美洲印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民学生中有所上升。调查还显示，目前白人青年中尼古丁贴片的使用有所增加。 

The Grand National, regarded by many as the world's most famous horse race, features jockeys and horses negotiating 30 fences over more than four miles, and is watched by an estimated six hundred million people worldwide.

英国国家障碍赛马大赛被许多人认为是世界上最著名的赛马比赛，骑手们需驾驭马匹在超过四英里长的赛程中跨越30道障碍。每年全球约有六亿人观看这项赛事。

However, after the death of five horses over the last decade, including one this year, there have been calls for more safety measures to be introduced.

然而，在过去十年中有五匹赛马死亡，包括今年的一匹，这令一些人们呼吁大赛应引入更多安全保障措施。

These changes will see the maximum number of riders reduced from 40 to 34. There will also be an earlier start time and a shorter run to the first fence to slow horses down early on.

这些措施包括把同场竞技的骑手人数从40人减少到34人。比赛的开始时间将会提前，从比赛起点到第一个障碍间的距离也会缩短，以提早控制马匹的速度。 

The introduction of a standing start and further veterinary checks are amongst other changes.

其它变化包括将赛马起跑方式改为静止站立起跑，以及更完善的兽医检查。

词汇表

jockeys 赛马骑手，职业骑师
negotiating 设法穿过、越过
fences 栏杆，（赛事中设置的）障碍
worldwide 全世界范围地
safety measures 安全措施
riders 骑手
run 奔跑的距离，行程
early on 在早期，尽早地
standing start 站立式起跑（此处指马匹静止站立起跑）
veterinary checks 兽医检查