英音听力｜BBC & 经济学人等 - 节目列表

How advertisers make us spend money Pippa Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Pippa. Phil And I'm Phil. What's the last thing you bought and why did you buy it? Pippa I bought a new pair of headphones recently because my old ones broke, and I did lots of research to try and find a good pair. How about you? Phil I bought a soft drink on the way to work this morning. It might be because I saw someone I like promoting it in an advert. We call this a celebrity endorsement. But why do they work? Let's start by hearing from Ben Jones, a behavioural research expert, speaking to BBC World Service programme Business Daily. Ben Jones When we're unsure, we don't know what to do, it's kind of easy to follow the lead of those who we think are credible or knowledgeable. It's a mental shortcut. It's something that helps us navigate uncertain times or make quick choices. We start doing that from an early age. Our parents… for some people, it's about our teachers – you know, these people who help us learn and make sense of the world. And some businesses can draw on this through things like endorsements – you know, dentists recommending toothpaste, athletes endorsing sportswear. Pippa Ben says that endorsements work as a mental shortcut. This is something that helps us make a decision quickly. If we trust the endorsement, then we don't need to think about it that much. Phil In this episode, we're going to look at the way that people can be convinced to do things. But first I have a question for you, Pippa. Today we're talking about behavioural science. What's the name of the theory that says people respond to small prompts? Is it: a) push theory, b) pull theory, or c) nudge theory? Pippa Oh, I'm not sure. I'm going to say b) pull theory. Phil OK. Well, we'll find out the answer at the end of the programme. In recent years, many fast-food chains have installed touchscreen machines for people to order their food. They've reported taking more money as a result. Could behavioural science tell us why this happens? Here's product designer Dean Ward speaking to BBC World Service's Business Daily. Dean Ward Firstly, the psychology of speaking to someone and feeling judged – we think is a key factor. So, would you like extra fries? Would you like to go large? Not all people, but I think there's definitely a large proportion of people who may feel judged in those instances and may say no. There's the fact that you've got more time to look. You can see the product, you can see what's in it, you can see all the products linked to it as well. And also around upsell as well. Would you like to add this? Would you like to do that? Because you've got more time and you're not being judged, you're very much more inclined to actually say yes to these things. And that's typically what we're seeing – an increased basket spend of typically 25–30%. Pippa If people feel judged, then it means that they worry what other people will think of them. If we have to ask a human for extra fries, we might worry what they think of us, but no one feels judged by a computer screen. Phil If you upsell something, then you get someone to spend more. For example, waiters often try to get people to buy larger portions, more drinks, or dessert. Pippa Dean says that upselling can increase people's basket spend. A basket spend is the total amount that someone spends in one transaction, on everything that's in their basket. Now, this is an example of a business using behavioural science to nudge people to do things. But it's not just businesses that use behavioural science in this way. In Tunisia, the United Nations World Food Programme wanted to encourage people to eat food together more often. They made a TV show set in a restaurant. Let's hear from Takwa Khelifi from the World Food Programme, talking to BBC World Service's Business Daily. Takwa Khelifi So, we needed something really creative and really different to think outside of the box, or to let people see themselves in those stories, because people are learning and changing by imitating and modelling and, like, observing others' behaviours and others' actions and emotional reactions to things. So, this is why we tried this project or this... tried this product or this TV series – in order that you impact people. Phil Takwa says that they needed to think outside the box. This means to try and think in a different way, to come up with something creative. Pippa The TV programme leads to people modelling behaviour. If you model behaviour, then you behave in a way that other people can copy. Now Phil, I think it's time to hear the answer to your question. Phil Yes, it is. I asked what theory says that people respond to small prompts to change their behaviour. Pippa I thought it was pull theory... Phil ...which I'm afraid was the wrong answer. Nudge theory says that people's behaviour can be changed by small prompts or nudges. Pippa OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with mental shortcut, which is something that helps us make a decision quickly, usually because we don't need to think about it. Phil If someone feels judged, then they're worried about what other people think about them. Pippa Upsell refers to persuading someone to buy something extra, like a dessert at a restaurant. Phil Basket spend is what you spend in one transaction on the things in your shopping basket. Pippa If you think outside the box, then you think about something in a different way to come up with a creative solution. Phil And finally, modelling is behaving in a way that others can copy. Once again, our six minutes are up. See you again soon! Pippa Bye! 词汇表 mental shortcut [ˈʃɔːtkʌt] 思维捷径，心理捷径（指大脑用来快速做出判断或决策的简化策略） feel judged 感到被评判，觉得被人审视 upsell [ˈʌpsel] v. 追加销售，向上销售（说服顾客购买更贵或更多的产品） basket spend [ˈbɑːskɪt] 购物篮消费额（单次交易的商品总金额） think outside of the box 跳出思维定势，打破常规思维 model [ˈmɒdl] vt. 模仿，效仿（行为或方式） soft drink （不含酒精的）软饮料，汽水 celebrity endorsement [səˈlebrəti ɪnˈdɔːsmənt] 名人代言，明星代言 follow the lead of 效仿，跟随…的步伐 credible [ˈkredəbl] adj. 可信的，可靠的 knowledgeable [ˈnɒlɪdʒəbl] adj. 有见识的，博学的 draw on 利用，借助，依赖（资源、经验等） toothpaste [ˈtuːθpeɪst] n. 牙膏 endorse [ɪnˈdɔːs] vt. 代言，宣传（产品）；（公开）支持，认可 sportswear [ˈspɔːtsweə(r)] n. 运动服，运动装 prompt [prɒmpt] n. 提示，提醒 nudge [nʌdʒ] n./vt. 轻推，助推（行为经济学中指用微小提示引导人们做出特定选择） touchscreen [ˈtʌtʃskriːn] n. 触摸屏 transaction [trænˈzækʃn] n. 交易，买卖，业务 📝 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

What is the psychology behind the bystander effect? At some point in your life, you've probably walked past a stranger spread-eagled on the ground outside. They may have fainted, tripped and injured themselves, or even been attacked. Now, the chances are that if you saw several people were already offering assistance, you carried on walking by. And that's due to what's known as the bystander effect. It's a psychosocial phenomenon which typically crops up in emergency situations. It shows that the more other people are already intervening to help, the less likely we are to do so ourselves. On the other hand, the likelihood of stepping in increases when you're the only person present. Why is that, then? One major factor behind the bystander effect is that the presence of multiple onlookers creates a diffusion of responsibility between them. Think of it like this. You divide the total responsibility by the number of witnesses. If I'm the only person nearby, I alone have the victim's fate in my hands. I simply can't walk away. But if there are already 5 people there by the time I arrive, I can walk on guilt free as the victim is already being taken care of. Bear in mind that even when you do intervene on your own, there's still a danger you could make an error of judgement. Emergency situations are often chaotic and we're less likely to intervene when a situation is ambiguous. Do you have any examples? The most widely cited example of the bystander effect is the murder of Italian-American woman Kitty Genovese in New York in 1964. In the early hours of the 13th of March, she was stabbed and then raped when arriving home after finishing a shift at the bar where she worked. By the time an ambulance arrived to provide emergency care, it was too late. And Genovese died while being transported to hospital. The case actually stirred a real debate, which led to the first wave of psychosocial research on the bystander effect. Two weeks after the murder, the New York Times published an article under the headline, 37 who saw murder didn't call the police, suggesting Genovese's neighbors were partly to blame for her death. Were there really 37 people who knowingly ignored such a violent crime? It turned out that the New York Times article was highly sensationalized, and included a number of factual errors. Nevertheless, at least two witnesses of Genovese's murder were aware of exactly what was happening, and their inaction ruled out any hope of her being saved. Joseph Fink clearly saw the stabbing, and told investigators that he had considered getting his baseball bat, only to take a nap instead in the end. And another witness called Carl Ross wasted time calling other neighbors for advice first before eventually calling the police. There you have it. 词汇表 spread-eagled [ˈspred ˈiːɡld] adj. 四肢摊开的，呈大字形的 faint [feɪnt] vi. 晕倒，昏厥 trip [trɪp] vi. 绊倒，摔倒 bystander effect [ˈbaɪstændə(r)] 旁观者效应（指在紧急情况下，个体因为有多人在场而更不可能提供帮助的现象） psychosocial [ˌsaɪkəʊˈsəʊʃl] adj. 社会心理的，心理社会的 crop up [krɒp] 突然出现，意外发生 intervene [ˌɪntəˈviːn] vi. 介入，干预，插手 step in 介入，干预，插手 onlooker [ˈɒnlʊkə(r)] n. 旁观者，围观者，观众 diffusion [dɪˈfjuːʒn] n. 分散，扩散，散布 witness [ˈwɪtnəs] n. 目击者，证人 guilt free [ɡɪlt friː] adj. 无愧疚感的，问心无愧的，心安理得的 chaotic [keɪˈɒtɪk] adj. 混乱的，混沌的，无序的 ambiguous [æmˈbɪɡjuəs] adj. 模棱两可的，含糊的，不明确的 stab [stæb] vt. （用刀等利器）刺，戳，捅 rape [reɪp] vt. 强奸 shift [ʃɪft] n. 轮班，班次，轮班时间 stir [stɜː(r)] vt. 激起，引发（讨论等） knowingly [ˈnəʊɪŋli] adv. 明知地，故意地 sensationalized [senˈseɪʃənəlaɪzd] adj. 耸人听闻的，渲染夸张的 factual errors [ˈfæktʃuəl ˈerəz] 事实错误 inaction [ɪnˈækʃn] n. 不作为，无行动 rule out 排除，断送，不考虑，使…不可能 baseball bat 棒球棒 take a nap 小睡，打盹 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Instant AI answers can trivialise human intelligence Coming up with new ideas and questioning and challenging the ideas of others is how we make sense of the world around us and learn more about it, Paddy Rodgers says. The man in charge of the 350-year-old Royal Observatory in Greenwich warns that human curiosity is too vital to be satisfied by the quick answers delivered by AI. He's concerned that over-reliance on the tech could leave people more vulnerable to misinformation and society less able to engage with science. AI bosses say they believe the technology will soon be able to function at the same level as humans. 词汇表 trivialise [ˈtrɪviəlaɪz] vt. 使显得不重要，使平凡，贬低 human intelligence 人类智能，人类智力 make sense of 理解，弄懂，解读 in charge of 负责，主管，执掌 Royal Observatory in Greenwich [ˈrɔɪəl əbˈzɜːvətəri][ˈɡrenɪtʃ] 格林尼治皇家天文台（位于伦敦，是世界时间和经度的起点） too vital to be satisfied by 过于重要而无法被…所满足 over-reliance [ˌəʊvərɪˈlaɪəns] n. 过度依赖，过分信赖 be vulnerable to [ˈvʌlnərəbl] 易受…的伤害，易受…的影响 misinformation [ˌmɪsɪnfəˈmeɪʃən] n. 错误信息，虚假消息 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

The calming effects of rain You might have mixed feelings about rain. For those experiencing long periods of drought, rain can bring joy. But for those wanting to enjoy the outdoors, a large downpour can ruin the experience. Getting drenched by the weather can make you feel cold and weaken your immune system, but there are some surprising benefits to going out in the rain, provided you've got your brolly and raincoat! Have you ever noticed a difference in the smell in the air after it's rained? That smell has a name – petrichor. This earthy scent, a pleasant one to many, happens when raindrops release particles from the ground. Humans are incredibly sensitive to the smell, which some scientists think is because it tells us there is new, fresh water. It probably made our ancestors feel safe and calm. And then there's the relaxing sound of raindrops splattering on a hard surface. A 2018 study published in PubMed Central by Thoma and colleagues found that the sound of rain can reduce the stress hormone cortisol and bring a sense of calm. When raindrops hit a hard surface, something called 'negative ions' are released into the air, which, when in high levels, are known to boost serotonin in the brain, again making us feel more relaxed. However, there isn't a scientific consensus about exactly how this is happening. These negative ions also make the air cleaner. Pam Dalton, a cognitive scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Pennsylvania, says there is reasonably good evidence that "the negative ions can clear dust, bacteria, allergens, and other particles from air, which for many can have a positive effect on respiratory health." The heavier the rain, the greater effect it has on cleaning the air. You could feel some of these benefits from the comfort of your own home, just by opening the window and taking a whiff of the petrichor scent or listening to the pitter-patter sound on your roof. Or, after making sure you're dressed in the right attire, step outside in the rain to fully experience the mood-boosting effects of those mysterious negative ions in the air. Just remember to come straight back inside if you see lightning, as this could be dangerous. 词汇表 mixed feelings [ˌmɪkst] 复杂的感情，矛盾的心情，喜忧参半 drought [draʊt] n. 干旱，旱灾 downpour [ˈdaʊnpɔː(r)] n. 倾盆大雨，暴雨 drench [drentʃ] vt. 使湿透，使淋湿 brolly [ˈbrɒli] n. 雨伞（英式口语） petrichor [ˈpetrɪkɔː(r)] n. 潮土油（雨后泥土的芬芳） earthy scent [ˈɜːθi sent] 泥土般的气息，泥土的芬芳 splatter [ˈsplætə(r)] v. （使）溅落，飞溅 cortisol [ˈkɔːtɪsɒl] n. 皮质醇（压力荷尔蒙） negative ions [ˈneɡətɪv ˈaɪənz] 负离子 serotonin [ˌserəˈtəʊnɪn] n. 血清素（与情绪调节相关的神经递质） consensus [kənˈsensəs] n. 共识，一致意见 allergen [ˈælədʒən] n. 过敏原 respiratory [rəˈspaɪrətri] adj. 呼吸的，呼吸系统的 take a whiff (of) [wɪf] 吸一口，闻一闻 pitter-patter [ˈpɪtə pætə(r)] n. （雨声、脚步声等）淅淅沥沥声，噼噼啪啪声 attire [əˈtaɪə(r)] n. 服装，衣着 mood-boosting [muːd ˈbuːstɪŋ] adj. 提升情绪的，改善心情的 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Why do we struggle to be alone? Being alone is horrible. We want a partner. We don't want to spend every weekend by ourselves. We're sick of the long holidays when no one else is around. But to soften our grief, we can take comfort from a small, seemingly incidental detail. Being alone is not always equally awful. Some nights it's excruciating, others entirely bearable, even quite nice. The sheer physical act of being at home for extended hours without anyone else around doesn't carry any single interpretation. Through some lenses, it's innocent. Through others, punitive and humiliating. What then explains the difference? It comes down at heart to the meaning that we ascribe to being alone. Sometimes being alone means some of the following: we're good people, we have plenty of options, we've been busy, and we need to recover. Our solitude is willed. It's a marker of distinction, of noble choosiness. Our aloneness says nothing at all damning about us. It's a dignified state, such as enjoyed by some of the highest spirits. Beethoven spent a long time alone, as did Darwin, Agnes Martin, and Emily Dickinson. We are in good company here on our own in bed at three in the afternoon. But at other moments, being alone means something hugely less salutary. As we walk around the kitchen, as we sit on the sofa and look at the gray sky and the pigeon in the courtyard, a grim lens descends over our state. You're like this because everyone has rejected you. You're marked out as deficient. You are, politely put, a loser. There's something wrong with you. Normal people never get into such a condition. They're all outside right now in jolly, boisterous, supportive groups. Everyone else has somewhere to go, somewhere very nourishing and very lovely. You've been like this since the start. You struggled at school, and you struggle still now. You're one of life's wretches. You're alone because you're hateful. You're alone because you're an idiot. Such sentences aren't generally consciously articulated, which is precisely why it's good to bring them out of the shadows and then to fight them with logic. Our problem isn't, and never was, being alone. It's the cancer of self-hatred which coats loneliness with contempt. It's our inability to be friends with ourselves. It is, let's hazard a guess, the legacy of a childhood in which no one came when we cried, and no one much cared how we felt, and where we were never able to internalize a kindly, benign voice that could make our sorrows feel less stringent. Let this message be a friend, a friend who does the most important thing any friend could do, reassure us of our decency and our right to dignity. There are no rational grounds to let an entirely unfair self-loathing spoil yet another peaceful, wholly normal, very quiet Sunday by ourselves. 词汇表 incidental [ˌɪnsɪˈdentl] adj. 次要的，附带的，伴随的 excruciating [ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ] adj. 极痛苦的，折磨人的 lens [lenz] n. 透镜，镜头；（看待事物的）视角，角度 innocent [ˈɪnəsnt] adj. 无辜的，清白的，无害的 punitive [ˈpjuːnətɪv] adj. 惩罚性的，处罚的 ascribe to [əˈskraɪb] 把…归因于，认为…具有（某种特质） willed [wɪld] adj. 有意志的，自愿的 distinction [dɪˈstɪŋkʃn] n. 卓越，优秀，杰出 choosiness [ˈtʃuːzinəs] n. 挑剔，讲究 dignified [ˈdɪɡnɪfaɪd] adj. 有尊严的，高贵的 salutary [ˈsæljʊt(ə)ri] adj. 有益的，有利的（往往不愉快） pigeon [ˈpɪdʒɪn] n. 鸽子 grim [ɡrɪm] adj. 阴沉的，严肃的，忧愁的 descend over [dɪˈsend] 降临，笼罩 be marked out as 被标为，被认定为，被贴上…的标签 deficient [dɪˈfɪʃnt] adj. 有缺陷的，不足的，缺乏的 jolly [ˈdʒɒli] adj. 欢乐的，快乐的，愉快的 boisterous [ˈbɔɪstərəs] adj. 喧闹的，欢闹的 nourishing [ˈnʌrɪʃɪŋ] adj. 滋养的，有营养的 wretch [retʃ] n. 可怜的人，不幸的人 articulate [ɑːˈtɪkjuleɪt] vt. 明确表达，清楚说明 self-hatred [ˌselfˈheɪtrɪd] n. 自我憎恨，自我厌恶 contempt [kənˈtempt] n. 轻蔑，鄙视，蔑视 hazard a guess [ˈhæzəd] 大胆猜测，冒险猜测 legacy [ˈleɡəsi] n. 遗产，遗留问题，后遗症 internalize [ɪnˈtɜːnəlaɪz] vt. 使内在化，使内化 benign [bɪˈnaɪn] adj. 和蔼的，温和的；良性的 stringent [ˈstrɪndʒənt] adj. 严格的，严苛的，沉重的 decency [ˈdiːsnsi] n. 正派，体面，得体 rational grounds [ˈræʃənl ɡraʊndz] 理性依据，合理理由 self-loathing [ˌselfˈləʊðɪŋ] n. 自我厌恶，自我憎恨 spoil [spɔɪl] vt. 破坏，毁掉；溺爱，宠坏 🏫翻译，视频和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

What does a salt tooth mean for your health? You've probably heard of a sweet tooth, the term for people who love sugary foods and desserts, but you might be less familiar with a salt tooth. In other words, a preference for salty foods such as crisps, olives, cheese and other salty things. What causes a salt tooth and is it bad for your health? According to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions meeting in 2016, there is a genetic basis for your salt cravings. Some people carry a variation of a gene that may give them more of a taste for salt. This gene also affects how people perceive bitterness, which may explain why people with a salt tooth tend to avoid foods such as broccoli and dark leafy greens. But having a salt tooth doesn't mean you can indulge in salty snacks without consequences. The World Health Organization recommends limiting your sodium intake to five grams per day, which is the equivalent to about one teaspoon of salt. Consuming too much sodium can raise your blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney problems. In fact, the British Heart Foundation estimated that if everyone reduced their sodium intake to the recommended level by 2030, there'd be up to 1.4 million fewer new cases of high blood pressure, 135,000 fewer new cases of coronary heart disease and 49,000 fewer new cases of stroke. So how can you satisfy your salt tooth without harming your health? The WHO estimates that 80% of the salt we consume has been added during the manufacturing process. So one of the easiest ways to reduce your salt is to start making your own food. And, once you're in the kitchen, use herbs and spices to flavour your food like garlic, onion, lemon, vinegar, pepper, cumin or paprika to add some zest to your dishes instead of salt. Read nutrition labels and avoid processed food that is high in sodium, such as canned soups, sauces, dressings, snacks and ready meals. Look for low-sodium or no-salt-added options when possible. Drink plenty of water to help flush out excess sodium from your body and keep yourself hydrated. Finally, here's some advice from Dr Stuart Grice, a geneticist and the Chief Scientific Officer at the Fitness Genes from the Guardian newspaper: When a salt craving hits, avoid going straight for salty snack foods such as crisps and instead ensure you're well hydrated. Seek out whole foods such as olives and leafy greens, which are rich in polyphenols, magnesium and calcium. These foods will help alleviate salt cravings, which may often be due to a desire for nutrient-rich food. There you have it. 词汇表 sweet tooth 嗜甜，爱吃甜食 salt tooth 嗜咸，爱吃咸食 crisp [krɪsp] n. （英式）炸薯片 olive [ˈɒlɪv] n. 橄榄 genetic basis [dʒəˈnetɪk] 遗传基础 craving [ˈkreɪvɪŋ] n. 渴望，强烈的欲望 variation [ˌveəriˈeɪʃn] n. 变异，变化，变种 gene [dʒiːn] n. 基因 bitterness [ˈbɪtənəs] n. 苦味 broccoli [ˈbrɒkəli] n. 西兰花，花椰菜 leafy greens [ˈliːfi ɡriːnz] 绿叶蔬菜 indulge in [ɪnˈdʌldʒ] 沉溺于，放纵于 sodium intake [ˈsəʊdiəm ˈɪnteɪk] 钠摄入量 teaspoon [ˈtiːspuːn] n. 茶匙，一茶匙的量 stroke [strəʊk] n. 中风 kidney problems [ˈkɪdni ˈprɒbləmz] 肾脏病，肾脏问题 high blood pressure 高血压 coronary heart disease [ˈkɒrənəri] 冠心病 herb [hɜːb] n. 香草，药草 spice [spaɪs] n. 香料，调味品 flavour [ˈfleɪvə(r)] vt. 给……调味 garlic [ˈɡɑːlɪk] n. 大蒜 cumin [ˈkʌmɪn] n. 孜然，小茴香 paprika [pəˈpriːkə] n. 红辣椒粉 zest [zest] n. 风味，趣味；兴致，热情 canned soups [kænd suːps] 罐装汤，罐头汤 dressing [ˈdresɪŋ] n. 沙拉酱，调味汁 ready meals [ˈredi miːlz] 即食餐，预制餐 flush out [flʌʃ] 冲洗，清除，排出 keep yourself hydrated [haɪdreɪtɪd] 保持身体水分充足，多补水 geneticist [dʒəˈnetɪsɪst] n. 遗传学家 polyphenol [ˌpɒliˈfiːnɒl] n. 多酚 magnesium [mæɡˈniːziəm] n. 镁 calcium [ˈkælsiəm] n. 钙 alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] vt. 减轻，缓解 nutrient-rich [ˈnjuːtriənt rɪtʃ] adj. 营养丰富的，富含营养的 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

The power of poetry Neil Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. Pippa And I'm Pippa. In this episode we're discussing poetry. For some, poetry is what you study at school, then forget, while for others it becomes an important part of their life. Have you ever read or written any poetry, Neil? Neil Well, I haven't written any poetry since I was at school. I would love to read more poetry, but I just don't get it, really. I find it difficult to understand. Pippa A good place to hear poetry is an open mic night, a live event where anyone is allowed to stand up on stage to sing or recite poems. Here, BBC reporter Maria recites her open mic poem about a friend who suffered a stroke, for BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World. Maria This first poem, I wrote it about a friend who I love dearly. It's called Stroke. You're awake And trying to grasp who it is. I pull my mask past my lips and you study my face, Eyes wide. I've enough stuff to tell you, I say, Sinking into a chair. I stare. Sometimes if you go to an open mic night, people can really touch your soul with what they're saying. And even if you're having a bad day, life can feel so much better after going to an open mic night. Neil For Maria, poetry has the power to heal emotions and touch your soul, meaning to affect you deeply on an emotional or spiritual level. Pippa In this episode, we'll hear more about the positive power of poetry. Neil But first, I have a question for you, Pippa. Just now, you used the phrase the positive power of poetry, repeating the same initial 'p' sound across a string of words. Doing this is a common feature of poetry, but what's it called? Is it: a) assonance, b) alliteration, or c) simile? Pippa Hmm. Finally, my English degree might come in handy! And I'm going to say b) alliteration. Neil Well, we'll find out at the end, and I hope you don't get embarrassed, Pippa! Now, poetry helped Maria overcome sadness, but could its power to heal work in other areas too? Hot Poets is a group helping people understand the science behind global issues like climate change. They go to meetings like the UN Climate Conference and listen to scientific papers being presented. Then they write a poem about it all and perform that back to the audience. Here's Hot Poet Liv Torc, reciting her poem to BBC World Service's People Fixing the World. Liv Torc It starts with an adventure at sea, A big blue murder mystery, where the killer is not the whale But an epic humanity fail Of overfishing and polluting at unimaginable scale. Pippa Liv's poem is based on a study into biodiversity. It's a complex research project that many find hard to understand. Here, Liv discusses this with Myra Anubi for BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World: Myra Anubi And Liv, I mean, so what you've identified is that there is an issue around the communication of science. Liv Torc Yes, a lot of this jargon is really hard to understand, or a lot of the science is quite impenetrable to normal people, so it's instantly a turn-off. Neil Science uses lots of jargon – specialist or technical vocabulary which is quite different from everyday language. For example, a scientist might use the word precipitation, while in everyday English we would say rain. Pippa Jargon can make scientific papers impenetrable, an adjective meaning impossible to understand. And worse, it makes science a turn-off – something that people dislike or find uninteresting. Neil Hot Poets try to change all of that by making complex environmental ideas easy to understand through poetry. And it works, says Kat Bruce, the environmental scientist whose study Liv based her poem on, talking here with Myra Anubi for BBC World Service's People Fixing the World. Myra Anubi What did it mean for you, Kat, hearing the poem, having actually experienced everything she's saying? Kat Bruce It still gives me goosebumps when I hear it now. I think it's everything that I wish I could say and put into words myself. I feel like Liv just, you know, has done that. Pippa Liv's poem gave Kat goosebumps, meaning she was so emotionally affected that the hairs on her skin stood up, making tiny bumps. Maybe poetry can't fix everything, but for Kat, it's making an impact for good. Now, what was the answer to your question, Neil? Neil Well, you seemed very clear, Pippa, that when you use a string of words beginning with the same sound, it's called alliteration... and you're absolutely right. Pippa Phew! Neil OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with open mic night, a live event where anyone is allowed to perform poems or music on stage. Pippa If something touches your soul, it affects you deeply on an emotional or spiritual level. Neil Jargon means special words and phrases that are used in a particular profession or subject. Pippa The adjective impenetrable means impossible to understand. Neil A turn-off is something that people dislike or find uninteresting. Pippa And finally, if you get goosebumps, the hairs on your skin stand up because you're cold, emotionally affected, or afraid. Once again, our six minutes are up. See you again soon. But for now, it's goodbye. Neil Goodbye! 词汇表 open mic night [maɪk] 开放麦之夜（一种现场活动，任何人都可以上台表演） touch your soul 触动你的心灵 jargon [ˈdʒɑːɡən] n. 术语，行话 impenetrable [ɪmˈpenɪtrəbl] adj. 无法理解的，令人费解的 turn-off [ˈtɜːn ɒf] n. 令人扫兴的事物，让人失去兴趣的东西 get goosebumps [ˈɡuːsbʌmps] （因寒冷、兴奋或恐惧等）起鸡皮疙瘩 recite [rɪˈsaɪt] v. 朗诵，背诵 stroke [strəʊk] n. 中风 sink into a chair 跌坐进椅子里，瘫坐进椅子里 a string of words [strɪŋ] 一串词 assonance [ˈæsənəns] n. 谐音，元韵（元音重复） alliteration [əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃn] n. 头韵（单词开头辅音重复） simile [ˈsɪməli] n. 明喻 epic [ˈepɪk] adj. 史诗般的，宏大的 specialist [ˈspeʃəlɪst] adj. 专业的，专门的 technical [ˈteknɪkl] adj. 技术的，专业的 precipitation [prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn] n. 降水 phew [fjuː] int. 呼，唷（表示松了一口气、疲倦等） 📝 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Most popular race: London marathon 2026 breaks world records When it comes to breaking world records, London Marathon is now in a league of its own. This year's race was the biggest, with nearly 60,000 finishers, and the fastest, with two elite world records, and Sabastian Sawe becoming the first person to break the two-hour barrier in a sanctioned race. Now, more people than ever want to take part in next year's event, with over 1.3 million applications, and near parity between male and female runners. Organisers are considering staging the 2027 edition across two days with two separate mass participation races. Approval is yet to be given, but it could mean there may be more spots up for grabs in what has become the world's most popular running race. 词汇表 marathon [ˈmærəθən] n. 马拉松（长跑比赛，全程约42.195公里） in a league of its own 无人能望其项背，独树一帜 finisher [ˈfɪnɪʃə(r)] n. 完赛者，到达终点者 elite [eɪˈliːt] n. 精英，杰出选手；adj. 精英的，顶尖的 barrier [ˈbæriə(r)] n. 障碍，壁垒，大关 sanctioned [ˈsæŋkʃnd] adj. 经批准的，官方认可的 parity [ˈpærəti] n. 持平，平等，对等 stage [steɪdʒ] vt. 举办，筹划，组织 mass participation races 大众赛事，群众性比赛 spot [spɒt] n. 名额，位置，席位 up for grabs 可供争夺的，待争取的，人人有机会获得的 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

How exercise could boost your exam grades Has exam season got you hitting the books instead of the gym? Study is important, but if you're not keeping up with your exercise, you might be missing out. It turns out that regular physical exercise can boost your memory, focus and reasoning skills. One study even found that Scottish teenagers who got 60 minutes of exercise a day scored a whole grade higher on national exams. Physical exercise has been linked to a number of positive changes inside our brains. Regular aerobic exercise appears to be linked with an enlarged hippocampus. That's the area of the brain linked to learning and memory. Other studies have suggested that exercise four hours after learning allows new information to be better integrated into our memories. Looking inside our brains, it seems that exercise triggers tiny bursts of electrical energy, known as 'brain ripples' which are thought to be connected to the process of storing and organising memories. Exercise could also lead to improved executive function. This is the part of our brain that's responsible for things including working memory and self-control. A recent study showed that students who carried out 10 minutes of moderate exercise showed improved cognitive performance afterwards. As well as the direct physical benefits of exercise on our brains, there are other associated advantages. Exercise leads to the release of endorphins. These chemicals help to alleviate the effects of stress and can improve our mood. Exam preparation can be both a cause of stress and something that's adversely affected by it. Exercise reduces your stress so that you can focus on your revision. Good sleep habits are also important for brain health and function. And this is another area where exercise helps out. Regular exercise has been shown to lead to better sleep and fewer episodes of insomnia. A study from the University of Texas also linked it to longer instances of deep sleep. When you're asleep, your body processes memories, so it's another way that exercise can take you to higher grades. Exercise benefits both our mental and physical health and has clear benefits for academic performance. So, while it's important to spend time studying, don't forget to keep some time back for physical activity. 词汇表 hit the books 用功读书，刻苦学习，埋头苦读 keep up with 跟上，保持，继续做 miss out 遗漏，错过，错失良机 reasoning [ˈriːzənɪŋ] n. 逻辑推理能力 score [skɔː(r)] v. 得分，获得（分数） aerobic exercise [eəˈrəʊbɪk] 有氧运动 enlarged [ɪnˈlɑːdʒd] adj. 增大的，扩大的 hippocampus [ˌhɪpəˈkæmpəs] n. 海马体（大脑中负责学习和记忆的区域） be integrated into [ˈɪntɪɡreɪtɪd] 被整合到…中，融入 brain ripples [ˈrɪpəlz] 脑涟漪（与记忆存储和组织相关的微小电能量爆发） executive function [ɪɡˈzekjətɪv] 执行功能（大脑负责工作记忆和自我控制等的能力） working memory 工作记忆（短期存储和处理信息的能力） associated [əˈsəʊsieɪtɪd] adj. 相关的，伴随的，有关联的 endorphins [enˈdɔːfɪnz] n. 内啡肽（运动时释放的能缓解压力、改善情绪的化学物质） alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] vt. 缓解，减轻 adversely [ˈædvɜːsli] adv. 不利地，有害地，负面地 revision [rɪˈvɪʒən] n. 复习，温习 episode [ˈepɪsəʊd] n. （疾病等的）发作，发病 insomnia [ɪnˈsɒmniə] n. 失眠，失眠症 academic performance 学业表现，学习成绩 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Making cities feel quieter Neil Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. Georgie And I'm Georgie. Neil, I'm going to play you two sound recordings, and I want you to tell me how you feel when you hear them. Neil OK. Georgie First this… And now this. Neil Oh, well, that first clip made me feel really relaxed. But the second one – oh, it's horrible! I felt quite stressed out actually. Georgie Oh no! Well, this little experiment shows how much we are affected by the noise around us. And that's a problem if you're one of the four billion people around the world who live in cities. Neil Yes, whether it's the rattle of train tracks, honking car horns, or the roar of aeroplanes overhead, modern cities are full of noise and this can have serious effects. The World Health Organisation reports that by 2050, around 2.5 billion people will experience hearing loss, and exposure to loud noise has been linked to stress and anxiety. Georgie In this episode, we'll be hearing about ways to make our cities quieter, more relaxing places. Neil But now I have a question for you, Georgie. Sound is measured in units called decibels. But how many decibels would it be if I whispered? A whisper is speaking like this. Is it: a) 3 decibels, b) 13 decibels, or c) 30 decibels? Georgie Oh, that's really hard. I'll go for b) 13 decibels. Neil Well, we'll find out the answer at the end of the programme. Let's start in one of the noisiest cities in the world – Mumbai in India, where daytime noise levels regularly hit 80 decibels, which is over 20 decibels higher than World Health Organisation recommendations. Listen to Mumbai native Chhavi Sachdev share her experiences of living in this noisy city with BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World. Chhavi Sachdev I mean, India in general is just really loud. We are a loud people. We dress loud, we talk loud, we celebrate loud, we watch movies loud. When people ask me what I miss about living abroad, I tell them it's the quiet, because after 12 years of living in the US and Europe, when I got back, I realised I couldn't handle it anymore. I'd gotten used to lower levels of noise. Georgie Chhavi says, "Indians talk loud, celebrate loud and dress loud." To dress loud means to wear clothes with bright colours and large, bold patterns. Neil When Chhavi returned to India after living overseas, she says she couldn't handle the noise. If you can't handle something, you find it difficult to deal or cope with. Georgie So, what can be done to tackle noise in cities like Mumbai? One interesting approach involves using sound itself to make things feel quieter. Soundscaping is the idea of adding certain sounds to busy public spaces so that they sound and feel more relaxing. Neil Sound artist Charles Montambault lives near the Parc des Madelinots, a busy city park in Montreal, Canada. Charles was inspired to recreate the ocean sounds he heard on holiday in the Magdalen Islands in his city park back home. On BBC World Service programme People Fixing the World, he tells reporter Natasha Fernandes that these sounds included ocean waves and some unusual-sounding sand. Charles Montambault The sand on the Magdalen Islands can sing. When you walk into the sand firmly, the sand makes some squeaky sounds, so that's one sound that is kind of funny, kind of special. Natasha Fernandes Inside the small park, surrounded by busy roads, Charles and his team set up an immersive sound art installation in the form of speakers planted in flower beds. Charles Montambault So, the art installation was really to make this park a little quieter by adding some quiet noises. So, it's counterintuitive, but you can make a park less noisy by adding some calmer sounds. Georgie The sand on the Magdalen Islands is squeaky – it makes a high-pitched sound called a squeak when stepped on. Charles played recordings of this sand, ocean waves and other relaxing sounds through speakers hidden in the park. He created an art installation – a work of art designed to give people an interactive experience. Neil By adding more relaxing sounds, Charles' art installation actually made the park feel quieter. It's an example of something that's counterintuitive, meaning it happens differently from how you would expect. Georgie What a great idea! And similar soundscapes are now helping city dwellers relax in other cities too, including Tokyo and Barcelona. Now Neil, you asked me a question about a very quiet sound – a whisper. So, are you going to reveal the correct answer? Neil I asked you how loud a whisper is. Georgie Yes, and I said 13 decibels. Neil Well, 13 is an unlucky number and you are wrong. Georgie Ah! Neil It was actually 30. OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with decibel – the unit for measuring sound. Georgie Someone who dresses loud likes to wear clothes with bright colours and bold designs. Neil If you can't handle something, you find it difficult to deal with. Georgie An art installation is an artwork designed to create an interactive experience in a certain space. Neil The adjective squeaky describes things which make a high-pitched sound like a mouse. Georgie Squeak, squeak! And finally, if you call something counterintuitive, you mean it happens differently from how you would expect. Once again, our six minutes are up. See you again soon. But for now, it's goodbye. Neil Goodbye...! 词汇表 decibel [ˈdesɪbel] n. 分贝（声音强度单位） dress loud 穿得鲜艳，穿着抢眼 can't handle something 无法忍受，无法应对，承受不了 art installation [ˌɪnstəˈleɪʃn] 艺术装置（给人们带来互动体验的艺术作品） squeaky [ˈskwiːki] adj. 吱吱响的，发短促尖声的 counterintuitive [ˌkaʊntərɪnˈtjuːɪtɪv] adj. 反直觉的，与预期相反的 sound recordings 录音 clip [klɪp] n. 片段，剪辑 the rattle of train tracks [ˈrætl] 铁轨的咔嗒声 honking car horns [ˈhɒŋkɪŋ][hɔːnz] 汽车喇叭的鸣笛声 the roar of aeroplanes [rɔː(r)][ˈeərəpleɪnz] 飞机的轰鸣声 overhead [ˌəʊvəˈhed] adv./adj. 在头顶上，在空中 hearing loss 听力损失，听力丧失 whisper [ˈwɪspə(r)] n./v. 低语，耳语，小声说话 bold [bəʊld] adj. （颜色、图案）鲜明的，醒目的，大胆的 soundscaping [ˈsaʊndskeɪpɪŋ] n. 声景设计（在公共空间中添加特定声音以营造氛围） recreate [ˌriːkriˈeɪt] vt. 重现，再现 unusual-sounding adj. 听起来不寻常的 immersive [ɪˈmɜːsɪv] adj. 沉浸式的，身临其境的 speaker [ˈspiːkə(r)] n. 扬声器，喇叭 high-pitched [ˌhaɪ ˈpɪtʃt] adj. 高音调的，尖声的 squeak [skwiːk] n. 吱吱声，短促尖声 soundscape [ˈsaʊndskeɪp] n. 声景，声音景观 city dwellers [ˈdweləz] 城市居民，都市人 📝 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Why swearing might mean you're smarter Bloody hell, shit, bugger. There, I said it. You've probably been told that swearing reflects poor vocabulary or bad manners. But that assumption doesn't really hold up. Several studies suggest that people who use more profanity don't just score higher on IQ tests, they also tend to have broader vocabulary overall. So why would swearing be linked to intelligence? In 2015, linguist Kristen and Timothy Jay ran a study comparing people's performance on a verbal fluency test, the COWAT, with their ability to generate swear words. Participants who performed best linguistically were also the ones who could produce the most taboo terms. The takeaway? Knowing and using profanity doesn't signal weak language skills. If anything, it can reflect the opposite. The research also suggested that people comfortable using coarse language often score higher on openness, one of the five major personality traits in psychology. And there's more. Psychologist Emma Serpala at Stanford tracked 600 parents and children over two decades. Her findings indicated that people who express their emotions more freely, including through swearing, also tend to score higher on measures of intelligence. According to her interpretation, that emotional expressiveness can reflect stronger cognitive and emotional abilities. And can being rude actually be good for your health? Some evidence suggests it might. UK researcher Richard Stephens has shown that swearing can have a real therapeutic effect. Profanity provides an emotional release, helping reduce stress and soothe nerves. A British-Swedish study published in 2022 points in the same direction. Participants were asked to submerge their hands in ice water, and those allowed to swear tolerated the discomfort longer. Similar effects appear during physical effort. Repeating a swear word before exertion seemed to boost strength and power. One explanation is that the brain processes taboo words differently, activating emotional and memory-related regions and triggering a small surge of adrenaline. There you have it. 词汇表 bloody hell [ˌblʌdi] （英式粗话）见鬼，该死 bugger [ˈbʌɡə(r)] int. （英式粗话）该死，妈的 swearing [ˈsweərɪŋ] n. 说脏话，咒骂 hold up （论点、理论等）站得住脚，成立 profanity [prəˈfænəti] n. 亵渎语言，脏话，不敬的言语 linguist [ˈlɪŋɡwɪst] n. 语言学家 verbal fluency [ˈvɜːbl ˈfluːənsi] 言语流利度，口语流畅性 linguistically [lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪkli] adv. 在语言学上，语言方面地 taboo terms [təˈbuː tɜːmz] 禁忌词汇，避讳用语 takeaway [ˈteɪkəweɪ] n. 要点，主要结论 coarse [kɔːs] adj. 粗俗的，粗鲁的，无礼的 openness [ˈəʊpənnəs] n. （人格特质）开放性 five major personality traits 五大核心人格特质 expressiveness [ɪkˈspresɪvnəs] n. 表达能力；表现力 therapeutic [ˌθerəˈpjuːtɪk] adj. 治疗的，有疗效的 soothe nerves [suːð nɜːvz] 安抚神经，缓解紧张 submerge [səbˈmɜːdʒ] v. （使） 潜入水中，浸没 exertion [ɪɡˈzɜːʃn] n. 用力，努力，体力消耗 a small surge of adrenaline [əˈdrenəlɪn] 少量肾上腺素的释放，轻微的肾上腺素激增 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Could one sound save thousands of hedgehogs? The researchers discovered that the European hedgehog can hear up to 85kHz, a frequency that's considered ultrasonic, far higher than humans who stop hearing past 20kHz. The team now wants to develop sound repellents to be used in cars or lawnmowers that could emit noise at a frequency to scare off hedgehogs. Thousands of hedgehogs a year are killed in road collisions, and the scientists say the discovery could be a game changer. It could also reveal if the animals communicate to each other using noises that humans can't hear. 词汇表 hedgehog [ˈhedʒhɒɡ] n. 刺猬 kHz (kilohertz) [ˈkɪləhɜːts] n. 千赫（声音的频率单位） ultrasonic [ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk] adj. 超声波的，超声的 repellent [rɪˈpelənt] n. 驱虫剂，驱赶器，驱避剂 lawnmower [ˈlɔːnməʊə(r)] n. 割草机 emit [iˈmɪt] vt. 发出，散发（声音、光、气味等） frequency [ˈfriːkwənsi] n. （声波的）频率 scare off 吓跑，吓退 road collisions [kəˈlɪʒnz] 道路碰撞，交通事故 game changer 打破现状的关键因素，规则改变者，变革者 🗒️翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】