Music as a New Way to Fight Mosquito◆ Bites? 趕走惱人蚊子新妙招:電音?! Popular music could protect against mosquito bites—and reduce the spread of dangerous diseases.
流行音樂可以防止蚊子叮咬 —— 也能減少危險疾病的散播。
With their itchy◆ bites and buzzing wings, mosquitoes are a bother to nearly all the warm-blooded creatures they like to feed on. The tiny insects are also very dangerous because of the diseases they carry. In fact, mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal, so preventing mosquito bites is important.
Traditional mosquito control methods include things like netting to prevent bites or chemicals◆ to kill them. But there may be another solution: music. In particular, dubstep◆ music by DJ Skrillex seems to protect against mosquito bites.
A recent study selected Skrillex’s track “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.” The song has a wide range of different sounds that scientists thought might affect insects like mosquitoes. Researchers tested the music on the type of mosquito that carries yellow fever◆. The music “entertained” the female mosquitoes so much that it seemed to make them less likely to bite. They also drank less blood when they did feed. In addition, the male mosquitoes mated with the females less often.
With reduced bites, less blood feeding, and lower mating rates, it seems that music could open up new ways to protect against the dangers of mosquitoes.
1. protect against... 防備/避免……
These pills can protect against some of the effects of that disease.
這些藥丸可以避免那種疾病的某些作用。
2. be responsible for... 造成……;是……的原因
Laziness may be responsible for Adam’s bad grades.
懶惰或許是亞當學業成績不佳的原因。
3. prevent vt. 防止
This study shows that green tea can prevent cancer.
這項研究顯示綠茶可以預防癌症。
4. method n. 方法
Peter introduced a new method of teaching English.
彼得引進了一種新的英語教學法。
5. in particular 特別地,尤其
The whole trip was wonderful, but Yellowstone Park in particular was out of this world.
這整趟旅行都很棒,但黃石公園尤其棒。
* be out of this world 非常棒的
6. select vt. 選擇,挑選
Parents should select safe toys for their children.
家長應該為小孩挑選安全的玩具。
7. affect vt. 影響
Your opinion will not affect my decision.
你的意見不會影響我的決定。
8. entertain vt. 使開心,娛樂
The singer entertained us with many beautiful songs.
這位歌手唱了許多動聽的歌讓我們開心。
◆mosquito n. 蚊子 ◆itchy a. 發癢的 ◆chemical n. 化學製品(可數) ◆dubstep n. 迴響貝斯(一種電子音樂) ◆ yellow fever n. 黃熱病
同範圍比較 vs. 不同範圍比較
1. 某人或某物屬於同一團體或種類,寫作者欲將之與該團體或種類的其他所有份子做比較時,為避免與自己相比較,故 than any 或 than all the 之後要加 other 或 else:
比較級 + than any other + 單數名詞
| than all the other + 複數名詞 |
than anyone / anything else
(在同範圍內)比任何/所有其他……都……
本文的 mosquitoes are...than any other animal 就是這種用法。
例 That country has more natural resources than any other country.
那個國家的自然資源比其它國家多。── 那個國家與全世界其他國家比較,屬同範圍比較 例 Mary works harder than anyone else in her company.
瑪麗比她公司任何員工都努力。── 瑪麗在自己的公司與其他員工比較,屬同範圍比較
2. 將某人或某物與不同的團體或種類的所有份子做比較時,than any 或 than all the 之後則不須加 other 或 else:
比較級 + than any + 單數名詞
| than all the + 複數名詞 |
than anyone / anything
(在不同範圍內)比任何/所有其他……都…… 例 Tokyo is bigger than any city in Taiwan.
= Tokyo is bigger than all the cities in Taiwan.
東京比臺灣任何都市都大。── 東京不屬臺灣,屬不同範圍比較
有著使人發癢的叮咬及嗡嗡作響的翅膀,蚊子對幾乎所有牠們喜歡用來吸血維生的溫血動物都是麻煩。這種小昆蟲也因其所傳播的疾病而十分危險。事實上,蚊子比其他動物造成更多人類的死亡,所以防止蚊子叮咬是很重要的。
傳統剋蚊方法包括如用蚊帳防咬或用化學製品滅蚊。但或許有另一個解決方法:音樂。尤其是 DJ 史奇雷克斯的迴響貝斯電音似乎可以防止蚊子叮咬。
最近一份研究選出了史奇雷克斯的歌《Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites》。這首歌裡面有科學家認為會影響如蚊子等昆蟲的許多不同聲音。研究人員用這首歌在傳播黃熱病的蚊子身上做試驗。這首歌很「取悅」母蚊以至於似乎讓牠們較少會叮人。這首歌也讓牠們實際在吸血時吸的血比較少。此外,它也使公蚊較少和母蚊交配。
能讓蚊子減少叮咬、吸較少的血及較低交配率,音樂似乎可以為防蚊危機另闢新徑。