(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
British scientists say they have developed a material that could help protect older adults from breaking bones when they fall. The new substance is called Armourgel. Scientists say it is soft enough to be put in normal everyday clothing.
As people get older, many of them develop the disease osteoporosis. It makes their bones so weak that even a minor fall can cause a bone to break. In some cases, older adults can die from breaking bones or from problems resulting from them. The Reuters news service Reports that Britain's National Osteoporosis Society says more than 1,000 people die every month in Britain from hip fractures.
Armourgel is a combination of two new man-made materials. These materials quickly take in or absorb energy when they hit something, this protects whatever is behind the material.
Researcher Daniel Plant works at Imperial College in London. He launched a company called Armourgel Limited. He says one of the materials in Armourgel moves with the clothing, but becomes hard when it strikes something.
"It's soft and flowable so it moves with the musculature of the body but when you impact it it momentarily goes rigid," said Plant.
Researchers have joined the material with a substance whose cells collapse when they are hit.
"When you impact it in this direction it actually folds in on itself," said Plant.
Daniel Plant says, it is the combination of these materials that makes Armourgel special. The new product is said to be much thinner than other protective materials currently being sold.
In a video on the company's website, an unprotected ball hit by a hard object is shown breaking into many pieces. But a ball protected by Armourgel does not break. That is because the Armourgel pad hardens and absorbs the energy of the object when it is hit. Soon after the material hardens, it becomes soft again.
Steven Gambert is a geriatric trauma specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He helps older men and women who have suffered injuries. He told VOA on Skype that having the ability to turn soft quickly means Armourgel can be put into clothing. But Doctor Gambert says, bone protectors, no matter how good, are not the best solution.
"The key is to prevent the bones from losing their mineral content, staying healthy. And then even if you fall, you won't break your bone," said Gambert.
Daniel Plant says, stores could begin selling clothing with Armourgel as soon as 2016.
From VOA learning English, I'm Jonathan Evans.
文本来自51voa，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.osteoporosis n. [外科] 骨质疏松症
They were taking part in research on the bone-thinning disease, osteoporosis.
这些妇女参加了骨质疏松症的研究。
2.hip n. 臀部；蔷薇果；忧郁
Tracey put her hands on her hips and sighed.
特蕾西把手放在自己的臀部上叹了口气。
3.flowable adj. 可流动的，易流动的
Vegetable oil flowable concentrale is an environmental protection formulation.
植物油悬浮剂是一种环保型农药剂型。
4.geriatric adj. 老人的；老年医学的 n. 老年病人；衰老老人
There is a question mark over the future of geriatric care.
老年保健医学的未来是一个问号。
内容解析
1.In a video on the company's website, an unprotected ball hit by a hard object is shown breaking into many pieces.
break into 闯入；破门而入；分解成
There was no one nearby who might see him trying to break into the house.
当时附近没有人可能看见他试图闯进那所房子。
She finally broke into films after an acclaimed stage career.
她在备受赞赏的舞台生涯后终于成功打入了电影界。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。
英国科学家称开发出一种材料，能保护老年人在摔倒时免于骨折。这种新材料名叫Armourgel，科学家称这种材料很柔软，可以放入任何日常服装里。
随着人老去，很多老年人会患上骨质疏松症，他们的骨骼很脆弱，甚至是轻微的摔倒也会导致骨折。有时候老年人会死于骨折或骨折引发的问题。路透社报道英国国家骨质疏松社会称英国每月有1000人死于髋部骨折。
Armourgel是由两种新型人造材料制成的复合材料，能在受到碰撞时迅速吸收能量，这样就能保护材料后面的东西。
研究员丹尼尔·普兰特就职于伦敦皇家学院，他创立了Armourgel有限公司。他说本公司的一种材料能随着衣服移动，但在受到撞击后会变硬。
“这种材料很柔软且具有流动性，能随着人体肌肉移动，但受到撞击后会立即变硬。”
研究者将一种物质加入这种材料，这种物质的细胞能在受到撞击后解体。
“如果从这个方面撞击，它就会收缩起来。”
丹尼尔·普兰特说，这两种材料的结合使得Armourgel具有特殊性，据说这种新产品比目前市面上的任何其他保护性材料都要薄。
在该公司网站的视频上，一个未加保护的球在被硬物体撞击时碎称很多小片。但被Armourgel保护的球没有破碎。这是因为Armourgel保护垫在撞击时吸收了能量并变硬，在变硬后能很快变软。
史蒂芬·盖博特是马里兰大学医学中心的老年创伤专家，他帮助受伤的老年人。他在Skype上告诉美国之音，能很快变软意味着Armourgel可以用在衣服上，但盖博特博士说，无论材料再好，骨骼保护都不是最好的办法。
“最关键的是保护骨骼的矿物质免于流失，保持健康，这样即使摔倒，也不会骨折。”
丹尼尔·普兰特说Armourgel最早能在2016年在市面上销售。
这里是美国之音慢速英语，我是乔纳森·伊万斯。
