阅读原文

In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association(NBA) listed at over seven feet. If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42. The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically over the years, and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames.

The trend in sports, though, may be obscuring an unrecognized reality: Americans have generally stopped growing. Though typically about two inches taller now than 140 year ago, today’s people-especially those born to families who have lived in the U.S. for many generations-apparently reached their limit in the early 1960s. And they aren’t likely to get any taller.  “In the general population today, at this genetic, environmental level, we’ve pretty much gone as far as we can go,” says anthropologist William Chumlea of Wright State University. In the case of NBA players, their increase in height appears to result from the increasingly common practice of recruiting players from all over the world.

Growth, which rarely continues beyond the age of 20, demands calories and nutrients-notably, protein-to feed expanding tissues. At the start of the 20th century, under-nutrition and childhood infections got in the way. But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern know as the secular trend in height. Yet according to the center for Disease Control and Prevention, average height-5’9’’ for men, 5’4’’ for women-hasn’t really changed since 1960.

Genetically speaking, there are advantages to avoiding substantial height. During childbirth, larger babies have more difficulty passing through the birth canal. Moreover, even though humans have been upright for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with bipedal posture and cannot easily withstand repeated strain imposed by oversize limbs. “There are some real constraints that are set by the genetic architecture of the individual organism,” says anthropologist William Leonard of Northwestern University.

Genetic maximums can change, but don’t except this to happen soon. Claire C. Gordon, senior anthropologist at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass., ensures that 90 percent of the uniforms and workstations fit recruits without alteration. She says that, unlike for those for basketball, the length of military uniforms has not changed for some time. And if you need to predice human height in the near future to design a piece of equipment, Gordon says that by and large, “you could use today’s date and feel fairly confident.”

 

 

题目

31. Wilt Chamberlain is cited as an example to

[A] illustrate the change of height of NBA players.

[B] show the popularity of NBA players in the U.S..

[C] compare different generations of NBA players.

[D] assess the achievements of famous NBA players.

 

32. Which of the following plays a key role in body growth according to the text?

[A] Genetic modification.

[B] Natural environment.

[C] Living standards.

[D] Daily exercise.

 

33. On which of the following statements would the author most probably agree?

[A] Non-American add to the average height of the nation.

[B] Human height is conditioned by the upright posture.

[C] American are the tallest in the world.

[D] Larger babies tend to become taller in adulthood.

 

34. We learn from the last paragraph that in the near future

[A] the garment industry will reconsider the uniform size.

[B] the design of military uniforms will remain unchanged.

[C] genetic testing will be employed in selecting sportsmen.

[D] the existing data of human height will still be applicable.

 

35. The text intends to tell us that

[A] the change of human height follows a cyclic pattern.

[B] human height is becoming even more predictable.

[C] Americans have reached their genetic growth limit.

[D] the genetic pattern of Americans has altered.

 

 

全文翻译

在20世纪60年代威尔特·张伯伦是国际篮球组织中身高超过7英尺中的仅有的3个中的其中一个。然而，如果他上个赛季还在的话，他将是42个里面中的一个。多年以来，在主要的职业运动中，运动员的身体发生了引人注目地变化，管理层的人士调整队伍的制服去适应变得更大的躯体。

然而，在体育上的这种趋势可能掩藏了一个没有被意识到的事实：美国人已经停止了生长。虽然，现在人们普遍比140年前高了两英寸，但是今天的人们，尤其是出生在美国生活了好多代的家庭，他们明显达到了20世纪70年代初期的身高限制。并且他们不可能任意的高。莱特州立大学的人类学家William Chumlea说：“对于今天的普通人，以现在的基因，环境水平，我们已经做了我们所能做的”NBA球员的案例，他们的个子的升高似乎是通过从全世界添加高个子的做法的结果

在超过20岁以后长个子基本不可能持续了，它需要卡里路和营养（尤其是蛋白质）去满足（喂养）不断扩大的身体组织。在20世纪初期，营养不良和儿童传染病阻碍着人们长高。但是，随着饮食和健康的提高，孩子们和青少年平均每20年身高增加两英寸，这种模式被称为身高的长期趋势。但是，根据疾控防御中心，自从1960年到现在男性五英尺九英寸，女性五英尺四英寸的平均身高没有真正变化过。

一般说来，避免过大的躯体是有优势的。在分娩时，婴儿太大在通过产道时会有更多的困难。另外，虽然人类已经直立行走了几百万年，但是我们的脚和我们的后背持续的和两足动物的姿态相斗争并且不能容易的抵抗由于过大的四肢强加的重复的拉力。西北大学的人类学家William Leonard说：“对身高的真正限制是个体的遗传结构。”

基因最大化可以改变，但是不要期待这个很快发生。在马塞诸塞州内蒂克的军队研究中心的高级人类学家Claire C. Gordon确信百分之九十的制服和工作室不需要更改适合新兵。她说，不想那些篮球运动员，军装的长度一段时间内不需要改变。如果你需要预言在在最近的未来人们的高度去设计一套装备，Gordon说：“大体上，你可以相当有信心的使用今天的数据。”

 

逐句翻译

第一段

In the early 1960s Wilt Chamberlain was one of only three players in the National Basketball Association(NBA) listed at over seven feet.

在20世纪60年代威尔特·张伯伦是国际篮球组织中身高超过7英尺中的仅有的3个中的其中一个。

 

 

If he had played last season, however, he would have been one of 42.

然而，如果他上个赛季还在的话，他将是42个里面中的一个。

 

 

The bodies playing major professional sports have changed dramatically(戏剧地；引人注目地；显著地，剧烈地) over the years(多年以来), and managers have been more than willing to adjust team uniforms to fit the growing numbers of bigger, longer frames (框架).

多年以来，在主要的职业运动中，运动员的身体发生了引人注目地变化，管理层的人士调整队伍的制服去适应变得更大的躯体。

 

 

第二段

The trend in sports, though, may be obscuring (模糊；使…含糊；隐藏) an unrecognized reality: Americans have generally stopped growing.

然而，在体育上的这种趋势可能掩藏了一个没有被意识到的事实：美国人已经停止了生长。

 

 

Though typically about two inches taller now than 140 year ago, today’s people-especially those born to families who have lived in the U.S. for many generations-apparently (显然的；似乎，表面上)reached their limit in the early 1960s.

虽然，现在人们普遍比140年前高了两英寸，但是今天的人们，尤其是出生在美国生活了好多代的家庭，他们明显达到了20世纪70年代初期的身高限制。

 

 

And they aren’t likely to get any taller.

并且他们不可能任意的高。

 

 

“In the general population (总人口；普通人群) today, at this genetic, environmental level, we’ve pretty much gone as far as we can go,” says anthropologist (人类学家；人类学者) William Chumlea of Wright State University.

莱特州立大学的人类学家William Chumlea说：“对于今天的普通人，以现在的基因，环境水平，我们已经做了我们所能做的”

 

 

In the case of NBA players, their increase in height appears to (似乎；好像) result from the increasingly common practice (惯例；习惯做法（注意practice的翻译）) of recruiting players from all over the world.

NBA球员的案例，他们的个子的升高似乎是通过从全世界添加高个子的做法的结果

 

 

第三段

Growth, which rarely continues beyond the age of 20, demands calories and nutrients-notably, protein-to feed expanding(扩大的；扩展的；扩大；扩展) tissues(组织；面巾纸).

在超过20岁以后长个子基本不可能持续了，它需要卡里路和营养（尤其是蛋白质）去满足（喂养）不断扩大的身体组织。

 

 

At the start of the 20th century, under-nutrition and childhood infections (传染病；口腔病害) got in the way (妨碍；阻碍).

在20世纪初期，营养不良和儿童传染病阻碍着人们长高。

 

 

But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents (青少年) have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern know as the secular (世俗的；长期的；不朽的；俗人) trend in height.

但是，随着饮食和健康的提高，孩子们和青少年平均每20年身高增加两英寸，这种模式被称为身高的长期趋势。

 

 

Yet according to the center for Disease Control and Prevention, average height-5’9’’ for men, 5’4’’ for women-hasn’t really changed since 1960.

但是，根据疾控防御中心，自从1960年到现在男性五英尺九英寸，女性五英尺四英寸的平均身高没有真正变化过。

 

 

第四段

Genetically speaking, there are advantages to avoiding substantial(大量的；实质的；内容充实的；本质；重要材料) height.

一般说来，避免过大的躯体是有优势的。

 

 

During childbirth (分娩), larger babies have more difficulty passing through the birth canal.

在分娩时，婴儿太大在通过产道时会有更多的困难。

 

 

Moreover, even though humans have been upright (正直的；垂直的；树立；垂直) for millions of years, our feet and back continue to struggle with(与…斗争) bipedal (两足动物的；儿足的；两足动物) posture and cannot easily withstand(抵挡；禁得起；反抗) repeated(再三的，反复的；重复) strain (张力；拉紧；滥用；滤去；尽力) imposed (强加的；应用的) by oversize (特大号；太大了；超大型的) limbs(四肢).

另外，虽然人类已经直立行走了几百万年，但是我们的脚和我们的后背持续的和两足动物的姿态相斗争并且不能容易的抵抗由于过大的四肢强加的重复的拉力。

 

 

“There are some realconstraints (约束；限制；约束条件) that are set by the genetic architecture (建筑学；建筑风格；架构) of the individual organism (有机体；生物体；微生物),” says anthropologist William Leonard of Northwestern University.

西北大学的人类学家William Leonard说：“对身高的真正限制是个体的遗传结构。”

 

 

第五段

Genetic maximums can change, but don’t except this to happen soon.

基因最大化可以改变，但是不要期待这个很快发生。

 

 

Claire C. Gordon, senior anthropologist at the Army Research Center in Natick, Mass., ensures that 90 percent of the uniforms and workstations fit recruits without alteration (修改；变更).

在马塞诸塞州内蒂克的军队研究中心的高级人类学家Claire C. Gordon确信百分之九十的制服和工作室不需要更改适合新兵。

 

 

She says that, unlike for those for basketball, the length of military (军事的；军人的；适于战争的；军队；军人) uniforms has not changed for some time.

她说，不想那些篮球运动员，军装的长度一段时间内不需要改变。

 

 

And if you need to predice human height in the near future to design a piece of equipment, Gordon says thatby and large (大体上) , “you could use today’s date and feel fairly confident.”

如果你需要预言在在最近的未来人们的高度去设计一套装备，Gordon说：“大体上，你可以相当有信心的使用今天的数据。”

 

 

题目翻译

31. Wilt Chamberlain is cited as an example to

[A] illustrate (阐述，举例说明；图解；举例) the change of height of NBA players.

[B] show the popularity of NBA players in the U.S..

[C] compare different generations of NBA players.

[D] assess (评价；估价；对…征税) the achievements of famous NBA players.

 

31. 威尔特·张伯伦被作为例子引用是为了

[A] 说明NBA球员的身高的变化。

[B] 介绍NBA在美国的流行。

[C] 比较你不同代的NBA球员。

[D] 评价著名NBA球员的成就。

 

32. Which of the following plays a key role in body growth according to the text?

[A] Genetic modification.

[B] Natural environment.

[C] Living standards.

[D] Daily exercise.

 

32.根据文章下面哪一个在身体成长扮演着重要的作用？

[A] 基因模式

[B] 自然条件

[C] 生活标准

[D] 日常锻炼

 

33. On which of the following statements would the author most probably agree?

[A] Non-American add to the average height of the nation.

[B] Human height is conditioned by the upright posture.

[C] American are the tallest in the world.

[D] Larger babies tend to become taller in adulthood.

 

33.下面哪一个句子将是作者最有可能同意的？

[A] 非美国人提高了国际平均身高。

[B] 人类的身高被直立行走的姿势限制。

[C] 美国人是世界上最高的。

[D] 大的婴儿往往在成年时会更高些。

 

34. We learn from the last paragraph that in the near future

[A] the garment (衣服；外观；给…穿衣服) industry will reconsider the uniform size.

[B] the design of military uniforms will remain unchanged.

[C] genetic testing will be employed in selecting sportsmen.

[D] the existing data of human height will still beapplicable (可适用的；可应用的；合适的).

 

34. 我们从最后一段可以学习到在不久的将来

[A] 制衣业将重新考虑支付的型号。

[B] 军队制服的设计将保持不变。

[C] 基因测试将被应用到选择运动员上。

[D] 现存的人类身高数据将仍然可被应用。

 

35. The text intends to tell us that

[A] the change of human height follows a cyclic pattern.

[B] human height is becoming even more predictable.

[C] Americans have reached their genetic growth limit.

[D] the genetic pattern of Americans has altered (改变；改变了的；蚀变的).

 

35. 文章打算告诉我们

[A] 人类的身高符合一个循环模式。

[B] 人类的身高变得更加可预测。

[C] 美国人已经达到了他们基因的身高极限。

[D] 美国人的基因模式已经发生了改变。