一項對比黑猩猩的巢和人類睡過的床的清潔度的研究結果著實讓人感到意外。研究人員們說，這可能表明我們為自己創造清潔環境的努力實際可能使我們周圍的環境變得“不那么理想”。

文字稿

As humans moved indoors many thousands of years ago, we became increasingly separated from the outdoor environment and all the organisms which live there. In fact, nowadays more than a third of bacteria in our beds comes from our own bodies.

幾千年前，當人類搬進室內生活時，我們越來越遠離戶外環境及生活在那里的各類微生物。事實上，現在我們床上超過三分之一的細菌來自我們自己的身體。

To assess the impact of this indoor lifestyle, scientists looked at another mammal which builds structures for sleeping in – the chimpanzee – collecting samples from nests in the Issa Valley in Tanzania.

為了評估室內生活方式的影響，科學家們觀察了另一種會為睡眠搭窩的哺乳動物 — 黑猩猩 — 他們從坦桑尼亞伊薩谷的黑猩猩巢穴中采集了樣本。

The researchers found that they contained fewer faecal, oral or skin bacteria than beds in most human households even though the chimps go to the toilet over the sides of their nests. Part of the reason is they move to a new nest every night.

研究人員發現，這些樣本中所包含的排泄物、口腔和皮膚細菌要少于大多數人類家庭床上的細菌，盡管猩猩是在它們的巢邊上廁所。造成該結果的部分原因是它們每天晚上都會搬到新巢過夜。

Even though the chimps spend more than half the day in bed, the scientists also found hardly any fleas or lice in their nests, whereas our homes have been found to have hundreds of these parasites including some specially adapted to living indoors with humans.

雖然黑猩猩每天有一大半的時間都是在巢中度過的，科學家們幾乎沒有在它們的巢中發現任何跳蚤或虱子，然而卻在我們的家中發現了數百種寄生物，其中包括一些已特別適應了與人類在室內生活的寄生蟲。

1. 詞匯表

organisms 微生物
bacteria 細菌
assess 評定，評估
structures（由多個部分組成的）建筑結構
samples 樣本
faecal 排泄物的
fleas 跳蚤
lice 虱子
parasites 寄生生物，寄生蟲

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題 。

1. What is the name of the place where chimpanzees sleep?

2. True or false? Chimpanzees keep their nests clean by moving to a new one every night.

3. How much time do chimpanzees spend in bed?

4. Who has more parasites in their beds, humans or chimpanzees?

3. 答案

1. What is the name of the place where chimpanzees sleep in?
They sleep in nests.

2. True or false? Chimpanzees keep their nests clean by moving to a new one every night.
True. The report said even though the chimps go to the toilet over the?sides of their nests, they move to a new nest every night.

3. How much time do chimpanzees spend in bed?
They spend more than half the day in bed.

4. Who has more parasites in their beds, humans or chimpanzees?
Humans. The report said hardly any fleas or lice were found in the?chimpanzee's nests, whereas our homes have been found to have?hundreds of these parasites.