（雅思精讀）Whypeoplefallformisinformation

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In 1901, David Hnig published a paper that forever changed our understanding of taste. His research led to what we know today as the taste map: an illustration that divides the tongue into four separate areas. According to this map, receptors at the tip of our tongues capturesweetness, bitterness is detected at the tongues base, and along the sides, receptors capture salty and sour sensations. Since its invention, the taste map has been published in textbooks and newspapers. The only problem with this map, is that its wrong. In fact, its not even an accurate representation of what Hnig originally discovered. The tongue map is a common misconception -- something widely believed but largely incorrect. So where do misconceptions like this come from, and what makes a fake fact so easy to believe?

1901 年，大衛(wèi)哈尼格 （David Hnig）發(fā)表的一篇論文永遠地改變了我們對味覺的理解。從他的研究中誕生了我們現(xiàn)在所謂的味覺圖：一張把舌頭劃分為 四個獨立區(qū)域的示意圖。根據(jù)這張示意圖，舌尖的受體捕捉甜味，舌根檢測苦味，舌頭兩側的受體捕捉咸味和酸味。自發(fā)明以來，味覺圖被陸續(xù)刊登在了各類教科書和報紙上 這張圖唯一的問題是它是錯誤的。事實上，它甚至沒有準確地代表哈尼格原本的發(fā)現(xiàn)。味覺圖是個常見的錯誤觀念雖然廣為人信，卻又在很大程度上不準確。像這樣的錯誤觀念是從哪來的？虛假信息又為什么能讓人如此輕易地信以為真？

paper: 論文

illustration [.?l?stre??(?)n] n. (書、雜志等中的) 插圖；圖示

divide ... into ... 把分成

receptor [r?sept?r] n. 感受器；受體

capture v. 捕捉

detect v. 檢測

common adj. 常見的

misconception n. 錯誤觀念

widely believed: 廣為人信

largely incorrect: 在很大程度上不準確

fake fact: 偽事實

Its true that the tongue maps journey begins with David Hnig. As part of his dissertation at Leipzig University, Hnig analyzed taste sensitivities across the tongue for the four basic flavors. Using sucrose for sweet, quinine sulfatefor bitter, hydrochloric acid for sour, and salt for salty, Hnig applied thesestimuli to compare differences in taste thresholds across a subjects tongue. He hoped to better understand the physiological mechanisms that affected these four flavors, and his data suggested that sensitivity for each taste did in fact vary across the tongue. The maximum sensation for sweet was located at the tongues tip; bitter flavors were strongest at the back; salt was strongest in this area and sour at the middle of the tongues sides. But Hnig was careful to note that every sensation could also be tasted across the tongue, and that the areas he identified offered very small variations inintensity.

味覺圖的旅程的確是從大衛(wèi)哈尼格開始的。他在萊比錫大學的學位論文中分析了舌頭各部位對四種基本味道的敏感度。他用蔗糖測甜味，用硫酸奎寧測苦味，用鹽酸測酸味，用鹽測咸味。哈尼格用這些刺激來比較被試者舌頭各處味覺閾值的差異。他希望能更好地理解影響這四種味覺的生理機制，而他的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，舌頭各部位對每種味道的敏感度確實存在差異。對甜味最敏感的是舌尖；對苦味最敏感的是舌根；咸味在這個區(qū)域最強，而酸味則在舌頭兩側的中間。但是哈尼格謹慎地指出舌頭的各個部位都能嘗出所有的味道，而且他劃分出的區(qū)域之間敏感度差異非常小。

dissertation [.d?s?rte??(?)n] n. 專題論文；學位論文

sensitives n. 敏感度

flavor n. 味道

sucrose [su.kro?s] n. 蔗糖

quinine [kwa?na?n] sulfate [s?l.fe?t] 硫酸奎寧

hydrochloric acid [?ha?dr??kl?r?k s?d] 鹽酸

apply [?pla?] v. 使用

stimuli (stimulus的復數(shù)) [?st?mj??la?] n. 刺激

taste threshold 味覺閾值

physiological [.f?zi?lɑd??k(?)l] adj. 生理的

mechanism [mek?.n?z?m] n. 機制

was located at: 位于

note v. 指出

identify v. 劃分；區(qū)分

variation n. 變化；差異

intensity n. 強度

Like so many misconceptions, the tongue map represents a distortion of its original source, however, the nature of that distortion can vary. Some misconceptions are comprised of disinformationfalse informationintentionally designed to mislead people. But many misconceptions, including the tongue map, center on misinformation false or misleading information that results from unintentional inaccuracy.

跟其它很多錯誤觀念一樣，味覺圖是對最初來源的一種曲解，然而這種曲解的性質可能存在差異。有些錯誤觀念是由謠言組成的刻意設計出來以誤導人們的虛假信息。但包括味覺圖在內的很多錯誤觀念圍繞的是錯誤信息因無意的失實導致的錯誤或誤導性信息。

distortion [d?st?r?(?)n] n. 曲解

nature n.性質

vary v. 發(fā)生變化；產(chǎn)生差距

disinformation n. 虛假信息；謠言

intentionally adv. 有意；故意

mislead v. 誤導

unintentional adj. 無意的

inaccuracy n. 誤差；不準確的信息

Misinformation is most often shaped by mistakes and human error, but the specific mistakes that lead to a misconception can be surprisingly varied. In the case of the tongue map, Hnigs dissertation was written in German, meaning the paper could only be understood by readers fluent in German and well versed in Hanigs small corner of academia. This kicked off a game of telephone that re-shaped Hings research every time it was shared with outside parties. Less than a decade after his dissertation, newspapers were falsely insisting that experiments could prove sweetness was imperceptible on the back of the tongue.

最常見的錯誤信息是由差錯和人為失誤造成的，但是導致錯誤觀念的具體錯誤多種多樣。在味覺圖的例子里，哈尼格的學位論文是用德語寫的，意味著能真正讀懂這篇文章的只有精通德語、且熟知哈尼格的學術細分領域的人。這就開啟了一場傳話游戲，每次和外行人士分享時，哈尼格的研究都會改頭換面。他的學位論文發(fā)表后不到十年，報紙已經(jīng)在錯誤地堅稱，實驗能夠證明舌根完全感受不到甜味。

shaped by: 造成；受影響

in the case of ...:在的例子中

fluent in: (語言) 流利

well versed in: 深諳；精通

academia [.k?dimi?] n. 學術界

kick off: 開啟；啟動（活動）

a game of telephone 傳話游戲（一傳十十傳百）

imperceptible [.?mp?rsept?b(?)l] adj. 細微的；(小得) 無法察覺的

The second culprit behind the tongue maps spread were the images that Hnigs work inspired. In 1912, a rough version of the map appeared in a newspaper article that cautiously described some of the mysteries behind taste and smell research. Featuring clear labels across the tongue, the articlesillustration simplified Hnigs more-complicated originaldiagrams. Variations of this approachable image became repeatedly cited, often without credit or nuanced consideration for Hnigs work. Eventually this image spread to textbooks and classrooms as a purportedtruth of how we experience taste.

導致味覺圖廣為流傳的第二個罪魁禍首是被哈尼格的研究啟發(fā)的圖像。1912年，一張簡略版的味覺圖出現(xiàn)在了報紙上，報道小心翼翼地描述了味覺和嗅覺研究背后的一些奧秘。這篇報道的插圖在舌頭上標注了明確標簽，簡化了哈尼格更加復雜的原始圖解。這幅平易近人的圖像的變體被反復引用，但往往沒有注明來源，也沒有對哈尼格的研究有些微斟酌。最終，這幅圖像傳到了教科書和教室里，被當成我們如何體驗味覺的真相。

culprit [k?lpr?t] n. 罪魁禍首

rough version 粗陋的版本；簡略版

illustration [.?l?stre??(?)n] n. 插圖

diagram [da??.ɡrm] n. 示意圖；圖解

variation [.verie??(?)n] n. 變體；翻版

approchable [?pro?t??b(?)l] adj. 易理解的

became repeatedly cited: 被反復引用

without credit 沒注明來源

nuanced [nju?ɑ?nst] adj. 細微的

nuanced consideration 細微斟酌

purported [p?rp?rt?d] adj. 據(jù)稱的；傳言的

But perhaps the factor that most contributed to this misconception was itsnarrative simplicity. In many ways, the map complements our desire for clear stories about the world around us -- a quality not always present in the sometimes-messy fields of science. For example, even the number of tastes we have is more complicated than Hnigs work suggests. Umamialso known as savoryis now considered the fifth basic taste, and many still debate the existence of tastes like fatty, alkaline, metallic, and water-like.

但也許對這個錯誤觀念貢獻最大的因素是它敘事的簡單性。在很多方面，味覺圖滿足了我們對用明晰的故事講述身邊世界的渴望然而這一特質在時而繁雜的科學領域中卻時有缺失。舉個例子，就算味覺的種類也比哈尼格所提到的復雜得多。旨味（umami） 又稱鮮味如今被認為是第五種基本味道，還有很多人仍在辯論其他味道是否存在： 比如脂肪味、堿味、 金屬味、水味等。

narrative [ner?t?v] simplicity 敘述的簡單性

complement [kɑmpl?.ment] v. 補充；滿足

field of science 科學領域

umami [u:mɑ:mi] n. (這個詞源自日語) 鮮味

savory [se?v?ri] n. 鮮味

fatty 脂肪的

alkaline [?lk?la?n] adj. 堿性的

metallic [metl?k] 金屬的

Once we hear a good story, it can be difficult to change how we see that information, even in the face of new evidence. So, next time you see a convenient chart or read a surprising anecdote, try to maintain a healthy skepticismbecause misconceptions can leave a bitter taste on every part of your tongue.

一旦我們聽到一個好故事， 想要改變看待它的方式是很難的哪怕有新的證據(jù)擺在面前。所以下次看見一張簡便圖表， 或讀了一個驚人軼事時， [ 狗沒法向上看！] 請試著保持一種健康的懷疑態(tài)度因為錯誤觀念會在你舌頭上的每個角落留下一種苦澀的味道。

anecdote [n?k.do?t] n. 趣聞；軼事

in the face of 面臨；面對；在面前

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