| unconscious |
Not fully aware |
无意识的 |
“When we sleep, we aren’t actually unconscious, but in a reduced state of awareness.” |
| in a state |
Being in a particular condition |
处于某种状态 |
“Animals in the wild are in a state of reduced awareness while sleeping.” |
| reduced awareness |
Decreased sensitivity to surroundings |
意识减弱 |
“Sleep involves a reduced awareness of our surroundings.” |
| surroundings |
The environment around someone |
周围环境 |
“Sleeping animals have a reduced awareness of their surroundings.” |
| in the wild |
In natural, uncontrolled environments |
在野外 |
“Animals in the wild are vulnerable to predators when sleeping.” |
| monitor |
To watch and check |
监视 |
“Unable to monitor their environment, sleeping animals are vulnerable.” |
| vulnerable |
Open to attack or damage |
易受伤的 |
“Sleep makes animals vulnerable to predators.” |
| predator |
An animal that hunts others |
捕食者 |
“Animals are vulnerable to predators during sleep.” |
| risky |
Involving the possibility of danger |
有风险的 |
“Sleep is considered a risky behavior in the wild.” |
| evolve |
Develop gradually |
进化 |
“Risky behaviors like sleep evolve for significant benefits.” |
| outweighs |
Be heavier or more significant than |
重于 |
“The benefits of sleep outweigh its risks.” |
| emphasize |
Give special importance to |
强调 |
“The professor emphasized the difference between sleep and rest.” |
| forms |
Types or kinds |
形式 |
“There are different forms of inactivity, such as rest and sleep.” |
| regular |
Normal or usual |
常规的 |
“Insects engage in regular rest but do not sleep.” |
| for instance |
For example |
例如 |
“For instance, insects rest but don’t sleep.” |
| specific |
Clearly defined or identified |
特有的 |
“What’s specific to sleep is that the brain alters many of its usual activities, including its connection to sensory and motor organs, it shuts those connections down.” |
| alters |
Changes |
改变 |
“Sleep alters the brain’s connection to sensory and motor organs.” |
| connection |
A link or relationship |
连接 |
“During sleep, the connection to sensory and motor organs is shut down.” |
| sensory |
Relating to sensation |
感觉的 |
“Sleep involves shutting down sensory connections.” |
| motor organ |
Parts of the body that produce movement |
运动器官 |
“Sleep inhibits the brain’s connection to motor organs.” |
| sense |
To detect or perceive |
感觉 |
“A sleeping animal cannot sense its environment.” |
| marine |
Relating to the sea |
海洋的 |
“Marine mammals have unique sleep patterns.” |
| completely |
Totally, entirely |
完全地 |
“Marine mammals can’t shut off all movement completely during sleep.” |
| sensation |
Physical feeling |
感觉 |
“Dolphins maintain some sensation while sleeping to breathe.” |
| get around |
Overcome a problem |
解决 |
“Dolphins get around the problem of sleeping by resting one brain hemisphere at a time.” |
| hemisphere |
Half of the brain |
半球 |
“Dolphins sleep one hemisphere at a time.” |
| occasionally |
Now and then |
偶尔 |
“Sleeping dolphins occasionally swim up for air.” |
| measured |
Assessed or quantified |
测量 |
“We measured their brain activity to tell if dolphins were sleeping.” |
| active |
Engaged in action |
活跃的 |
“One hemisphere remains active while the other sleeps.” |
| some adaptation |
A specific change to better fit the environment |
某种适应 |
“Sleeping with one hemisphere is an adaptation in dolphins.” |
| tempted |
Inclined or having the urge to |
忍不住 |
“One might be tempted to say sleep is just for rest.” |
| mechanism |
A process or technique |
机制 |
“Sleep is a complex mechanism different from mere rest.” |
| physical activity |
Bodily movement requiring energy |
身体活动 |
“Sleep is not merely for recovery from physical activity.” |
| tone |
The normal tension in muscles |
结实度 |
“During sleep, muscles lose their tone.” |
| focus |
To concentrate attention on something |
集中 |
“The focus of sleep’s function is on the brain, not muscles.” |
| tell |
To discern or distinguish |
辨别 |
“We can tell a dolphin is sleeping by its brain activity.” |
| unique |
Distinctive, unlike anything else |
独特的 |
“Sleep has a unique pattern of brain activity.” |
| pattern |
A regular and intelligible form or sequence |
模式 |
“Sleep involves a unique pattern of brain activity.” |
| clue |
A piece of evidence |
线索 |
“Brain activity patterns give a clue to sleep’s function.” |
| specifically |
In a precise and explicit manner |
具体来说 |
“Sleep affects the brain specifically.” |
| general consensus |
Widespread agreement |
普遍共识 |
“There is a general consensus that sleep benefits the brain.” |
| characteristic |
A distinguishing feature |
特征 |
“Sleep is a characteristic of mammals and birds.” |
| complex |
Complicated, not simple |
复杂的 |
“Mammals and birds have complex brains that require sleep.” |
| reptile |
A class of cold-blooded vertebrates |
爬行动物 |
“Reptiles can get by with little or no sleep.” |
| get by with |
Manage to live with |
依靠 |
“Reptiles get by with minimal sleep.” |
| hypothesis |
A proposed explanation |
假设 |
“One hypothesis is that sleep replenishes vital molecules.” |
| synthesize |
To produce or combine |
合成 |
“During sleep, the brain synthesizes necessary molecules.” |
| molecule |
The smallest unit of a chemical compound |
分子 |
“Sleep helps in the synthesis of important molecules.” |
| proper functioning |
Working correctly |
正常功能 |
“Sleep is crucial for the brain’s proper functioning.” |
| get depleted |
To be reduced |
耗尽 |
“Molecules needed by the brain get depleted the longer we stay awake.” |
| replenish |
To fill up again |
补充 |
“Sleep replenishes the brain’s resources.” |
| supposedly |
According to what is generally assumed |
据说 |
“Supposedly, sleep replenishes glycogen and neurotransmitters.” |
| glycogen |
A form of energy storage in animals |
糖原 |
“Glycogen is replenished during sleep.” |
| neuro-transmitter |
Chemicals that transmit signals in the brain |
神经递质 |
“Sleep replenishes neurotransmitters necessary for brain signals.” |
| transmit signals |
Send information or impulses |
传递信号 |
“Neurotransmitters transmit signals between nerve cells.” |
| nerve cells |
Cells that transmit nerve impulses |
神经细胞 |
“Sleep helps replenish the resources needed by nerve cells.” |
| a full supply |
Completely stocked or filled |
充足供应 |
“After sleep, our brain works with a full supply of energy.” |
| alert |
Fully aware and attentive |
警觉的 |
“We feel alert after a good night’s sleep.” |
| mentally refreshed |
Renewed in mental energy |
精神焕发 |
“Sleep makes us feel mentally refreshed.” |
| at their best |
Performing optimally |
处于最佳状态 |
“Not everyone is at their best in the morning.” |
| I’ll grant you that |
I acknowledge that point |
我承认那一点 |
“I’ll grant you that not everyone peaks in the morning.” |
| rule out |
To exclude |
排除 |
“That doesn’t rule out the replenishment hypothesis for sleep.” |
| rhythm |
A regular repeated pattern |
节奏 |
“There’s a rhythm to our mental activity that’s independent of sleep.” |
| independent |
Not influenced by others |
独立的 |
“Our mental activity has an independent cycle from sleep.” |
| cycle |
A series of events that repeat in a regular pattern |
循环 |
“There’s a 24-hour cycle to our mental peaks and troughs.” |
| peak |
The highest point |
高峰 |
“Our mental activity peaks at a certain time each day.” |
| certain |
Specific, definite |
某个 |
“Everyone has a certain hour when their mental activity peaks.” |
| you go without |
To be deprived of something |
当你没有 |
“The longer you go without sleep, the lower your mental peaks.” |
| replenishment |
The action of making full again |
补充 |
“Sleep’s replenishment is needed to maintain high mental peaks.” |
| make sense |
To be logical or understandable |
有道理 |
“The explanation about sleep and mental activity peaks makes sense.” |
| mutually |
In a shared manner |
互相 |
“The two mechanisms of sleep benefits are not mutually exclusive.” |
| exclusive |
Limited to only one thing |
排他的 |
“Sleep’s functions are not exclusive but can complement each other.” |