外刊精读 | 考研英语素材:脂肪不是赘肉,是一个会发信号的器官
- 2026-11-05 02:49:10
一、背景速览
脂肪被妖魔化了很多年。饮食文化教人把它烧掉，食品公司推销低脂产品，健身论坛交流怎么把体脂压到最低，社交媒体上到处是「练出拉丝」的教程。BBC Future 的 Melissa Hogenboom 采访了多位专家，提醒这股以瘦为美的风潮正在回潮，减肥药的流行又添了一把火。脂肪不是一块惰性的赘肉，它是活跃的器官：脂肪细胞分泌瘦素，告诉大脑能量够不够；白色脂肪保温，棕色和米色脂肪产热；它还替祖先熬过饥荒。脂肪太低，身体进入「饥荒模式」，免疫功能下调，肌肉被拆去供能，骨骼停止重建，男性睾酮下降，女性月经紊乱。正常范围大致是男性 10—20%、女性 20—29%，但个体差异很大。文章的落点很平：要的是合适的量，不是尽可能少。
二、英文节选
This year, experts are concerned that the trend to be super skinny is once again resurfacing, in some cases fuelled by the popularity of weight-loss drugs. Yet while too much fat poses health concerns and can lead to obesity, too little is not good for us either. The goal of ridding ourselves of fat can be damaging biologically as well as socially, numerous experts have told me.
Another important role is communication. Fat cells produce hormones that tell the rest of the body how much energy we have and how full we are. The best studied of these is leptin, explains Oral. "Leptin tells the brain there is sufficient energy storage, and then the brain can almost relax," she says, which leaves the body able to focus on important biological processes such as reproduction and fighting infection. Without leptin, the brain starts to worry about the amount of energy available, meaning essential functions start to be deprioritised.
When the body has too little fat it responds by trying to save energy, essentially putting itself into starvation mode. Systems start to shut down, including our immune function. With no reserves left, the body starts to break down muscle instead. Bones are no longer built and repaired.
三、中文译文
今年，专家们担心，追求极瘦的风潮又在回潮，有些情况下还被减肥药的流行推了一把。可是，脂肪过多会带来健康隐患、可能导致肥胖，脂肪过少同样不好。多位专家告诉我，把脂肪从身体里彻底赶出去这个目标，在生理和社会层面都可能造成伤害。
另一个重要作用是通信。脂肪细胞分泌激素，告诉身体其余部分我们有多少能量、有多饱。其中研究得最透的是瘦素。奥拉尔说：「瘦素告诉大脑，能量储备是充足的，大脑于是几乎可以松一口气。」这样一来，身体才有余力去做繁殖、抵抗感染这些更要紧的生理过程。没有瘦素，大脑就开始为能量够不够发愁，一些基本功能也随之被排到后面。
脂肪太少时，身体会想办法省能量，基本上是把自己调进饥饿模式。一些系统开始关闭，免疫也在其中。储备耗尽，身体转而去分解肌肉。骨骼不再重建和修复。
四、高频词短语
【resurface】 /ˌriːˈsɜːfɪs/ v. 重新浮现
例句：The trend to be super skinny is resurfacing.
译：追求极瘦的风潮又在回潮。
【fuel】 /ˈfjuːəl/ v. 助长，加剧
例句：The trend is fuelled by the popularity of weight-loss drugs.
译：这股风潮被减肥药的流行推了一把。
【leptin】 /ˈleptɪn/ n. 瘦素
例句：Leptin tells the brain that energy storage is sufficient.
译：瘦素告诉大脑，能量储备是充足的。
【deprioritise】 /ˌdiːpraɪˈɒrətaɪz/ v. 降低优先级
例句：Essential functions start to be deprioritised.
译：一些基本功能开始被排到后面。
【reserve】 /rɪˈzɜːv/ n. 储备
例句：With no reserves left, the body breaks down muscle.
译：储备耗尽，身体就转而分解肌肉。
五、长难句速拆
原句："Leptin tells the brain there is sufficient energy storage, and then the brain can almost relax," she says, which leaves the body able to focus on important biological processes such as reproduction and fighting infection.
引号里是两个并列分句，tells 后面接的是省略 that 的宾语从句；she says 插在中间，把引语和后半句隔开。逗号后的 which 既不是修饰 brain，也不是修饰 relax，而是指代前面整件事——瘦素报信、大脑放松。所以中文得另起一句「这样一来……」，硬译成「这留下了身体」就崩了。almost 也别丢，是「几乎可以松口气」，不是彻底放松。
六、考场应用
考研阅读·让步句里的真正立场：Yet while too much fat poses health concerns and can lead to obesity, too little is not good for us either. while 先让一步，主句才是落点。问主旨，选「脂肪过少同样有害」，不选「肥胖的危害更大」。
考研翻译·which 指代整句：which leaves the body able to focus on... 这种 which 指前文一整件事，中文用「这样一来」另起分句最稳；译成「这留下了身体」是典型的从句硬搬。
雅思写作·Task 2：健康类题目常问政府该不该管制「以瘦为美」的广告。可用「单一指标导向」的论证：把体脂当成唯一目标，免疫、骨骼和激素先付代价。文中 10—20%、20—29% 那组数字可当支撑，但要写明是「大致范围」。
考研阅读·数字是谁说的：受试运动员自认为体脂只有 1—2%，Dexa 扫描测到的最低值是男性 10%、女性 16%。细节题问「研究测得的最低体脂」，答 10% 和 16%；1—2% 是受试者的自我估计，不是测量结果。
试译：The goal of ridding ourselves of fat can be damaging biologically as well as socially, numerous experts have told me.
这句你打算怎么翻？提示：rid ourselves of 是「摆脱」，不是「清除」；as well as 在此重心在前。
七、来源
来源：BBC Future（Melissa Hogenboom）｜ 2026 年 9 月 25 日
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