重点词汇

1. boost /buːst/ to increase or improve something and make it more successful 促进

The new resort area has boosted tourism.

2. verbal /ˈvɜːbəl/ relating to words or using words 文字的；词语的

A verbal report will usually be enough.

3. preliminary /prɪˈlɪmənəri/ happening before something that is more important, often in order to prepare for it 初步的；预备的

The architect's plans are still in the preliminary stages.

4. reptile /ˈreptaɪl/ a type of animal, such as a snake or lizard, whose body temperature changes according to the temperature around it, and that usually lays eggs to have babies 爬行动物

Eventually, they were eclipsed by the reptiles and much reduced in numbers.

5. prevalent /ˈprevələnt/ common at a particular time, in a particular place, or among a particular group of people 盛行的；普遍存在的

Solvent abuse is especially prevalent among younger teenagers.

延伸阅读

Owning household pets for five years or more produced the most benefit, delaying cognitive decline by 1.2 points over the six-year period of the study compared with the rate of decline in people without pets, said clinical neuroimmunologist Dr. Tiffany Braley, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, via email.

临床神经免疫学家蒂凡尼·布雷利是密歇根大学神经病学副教授，在一封电子邮件中，他表示，家庭宠物养五年或更长时间产生的益处最大，在进行研究的六年时间里，与没有养宠物人的认知能力下降速度相比，养宠物人的认知能力下降延迟了 1.2 个百分点。

"These findings provide early evidence to suggest that long-term pet ownership could be protective against cognitive decline," said Braley, senior author of the study to be presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology's 74th Annual Meeting.

该研究的资深作者布雷利表示，“这些发现提供了早期证据，表明长期养宠物可以防止认知能力下降，”这项研究将于 4 月在美国神经病学学会第 74 届年会上发表。