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BBC.Life.2009-生命

Our planet may be home to 30 million different kinds of animals and plants. 我们的星球 大约是3千多万种动植物的家
Each individual locked in its own life-long fight for survival . 每个物种都会为生存而奋斗一生
individual:n.个人;有个性的人;adj.单独的;个别的; survival:n.幸存,残存;幸存者,残存物;
Everywhere you look, on land or in the ocean, there are extraordinary examples of the lengths living things go to to stay alive. 无论你将目光投向何方,陆地还是海洋 总会看到为生存而战的壮观事例
extraordinary:adj.非凡的;特别的;离奇的;临时的;特派的;
This is the coast of Florida. 这里是弗罗里达海岸
Here, strange scars on the sea bed hint at one animal's remarkable strategy . 海床上奇怪的图案 暗示着某种动物独特的战术
hint:n.提示;暗示;迹象;窍门;v.暗示;透露;示意; remarkable:adj.卓越的;非凡的;值得注意的; strategy:n.策略;行动计划;部署;战略;
These are bottlenose dolphins, one of the most intelligent animals on Earth. 它们是宽吻海豚 地球上最聪明的动物之一
bottlenose:n.宽吻海豚; intelligent:adj.有才智的;悟性强的;聪明的;有智力的
Their prey is very elusive , fast-swimming fish. 它们的猎物是迅速、灵巧的鱼
prey:n.猎物;受害者;受骗者;v.折磨;掠夺;捕食(on,upon);损害(on,upon); elusive:adj.难懂的;易忘的;逃避的;难捉摸的;
But the dolphins have invented a completely new way of hunting. 但是海豚们进化出了一种全新的捕猎技巧
By beating its tail down hard, this dolphin stirs up the shallow silt . 通过用力向下拍尾巴,将淤泥搅动起来
dolphin:n.海豚; stirs:n.搅拌;轰动;vt.搅拌;激起;惹起;vi.搅动;传播;走动; silt:n.淤泥,泥沙;煤粉;残渣;vi.淤塞,充塞;为淤泥堵塞;vt.使淤塞;充塞;
And by swimming in a tight circle it creates a ring of mushrooming mud around a shoal of fish. 再通过绕圈游动 用浑浊的泥水将一大群鱼包围起来
shoal:n.浅滩;鱼群;潜在危险;vi.变浅;vt.使变浅;驶入;adj.浅的;
The contracting ring traps the fish just like a net. 再像收网一样缩小包围圈
contracting:adj.缔约的;承包的;收缩的; traps:n.陷阱,捕捉器; v.使落入险境; (trap的第三人称单数和复数)
Panicked , the fish jump to escape. 由于恐慌,小鱼们四下乱跳
Panicked:v.(使)惊慌,惊慌失措;(panic的过去分词和过去式)
Right into the open mouths of the waiting dolphins. 海豚们张嘴以待,很多鱼落入口中
Again and again , the lead dolphin creates a circle, before they all line up with perfect timing. 通过默契的组织、协作 海豚们造出一个接一个的包围圈
Again and again:adv.再三地,反复地;
These dolphins are the only ones known to have developed this hunting behaviour and it gives them an edge. 这群海豚,用这种目前已知的独一无二的捕猎方式奠定一种优势
This sort of advantage may mean the difference between life and death in the survival of the fittest. 这种优势在这个适者生存的世界里 也许就决定着生或死
advantage:n.有利条件:优势:优点:
This series reveals the most spectacular and extraordinary strategies that animals and plants have developed to stay alive. 这些事例能显示出动植物 一些奇特而又壮观的生存策略
series:n.系列,连续;[电]串联;级数;丛书; reveals:v.揭示;显示;透露;展示;(reveal的第三人称单数) spectacular:adj.壮观的;壮丽的;令人惊叹的;n.壮观的场面;精彩的表演; strategies:n.策略;行动计划;部署;战略;(strategy的复数)
For every creature , every day is full of challenges, all of which must be overcome , somehow , in order to survive. 对任何物种来说,每一天都充满挑战 必须克服,然后生存下来
creature:n.生物;动物;(具有某种特征的)人; overcome:vt.克服;胜过;vi.克服;得胜; somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地;
Kenya, famous for its big cats. 肯尼亚, 以大型猫科动物闻名于世
The supreme hunters. 顶级猎手
supreme:adj.最高的;至高的;最重要的;n.至高;霸权;
Cheetahs specialise in hunting at speed. 猎豹专靠速度捕猎
specialise:v.专门研究(或从事);专攻;
Though fast, they are fragile creatures , built to sprint after small prey. 尽管很快,但因为自身力量不足 它们天生只能捕捉小型猎物
fragile:adj.脆的;易碎的; creatures:n.生物;动物;(具有某种特征的)人(creature的复数) sprint:vi.冲刺,全速跑;n.冲刺;短跑;vt.全速奔跑;
They don't have the strength or weight of a lion to bring down larger animals. 它们不具备像狮子那样的力量和体重 来扑倒大型猎物
bring down:降低;打倒,打死;击落;
This male is different. 这只公豹是不同的
He doesn't hunt alone. He's learnt that there is strength in numbers. 并不单独捕猎,它明白“豹多力量大”的道理
But here there are not just two, but three cheetahs. 而且不只两头,而是三头
A band of brothers. 兄弟连
band:n.带;波段;频带;箍;v.加彩条(或嵌条等);(将价格、收入等)划分档次;
They have changed their tactics and, by doing so, have taken their prey by surprise. 它们改变战术 对猎物发动偷袭
tactics:n.战术:策略:手段:兵法(tactic的复数)
They have learnt that working together they can bring down large prey. 它们学会了只要团结合作 就能捕捉大的猎物
An ostrich . 鸵鸟
ostrich:n.鸵鸟;鸵鸟般的人;
A bird that towers over a cheetah and is more than twice as heavy. 一种远比猎豹高大而且几乎比它们重两倍的鸟
It can't fly to escape danger, but it can lash out with a deadly kick. 虽然逃跑时不能飞,但拥有致命的“弹腿一踢”
lash:v.鞭打;冲击;摆动;扎捆;煽动;讽刺;n.鞭打;睫毛;鞭子;责骂;讽刺; deadly:adj.致命的;非常的;死一般的;adv.非常;如死一般地;
A female , unaware as yet , of any danger. 一只雌鸵鸟没有留意到任何危险
female:adj.女性的;雌性的;柔弱的,柔和的;n.女人;[动]雌性动物; unaware:adj.不知道的,无意的;未察觉到的;adv.意外地;不知不觉地; as yet:至今仍;
Even with three of them this is still highly risky. 即便三头豹子,也要冒较高的风险
highly:adv.高度地;非常;非常赞许地;
If one gets injured the other two couldn't hope to tackle such large prey. 如果有一头受伤,另两头是搞不定这么大的猎物的
injured:adj.受伤的:委屈的: v.伤害,使受伤: n.伤员; tackle:v.处理; n.用具;
On the other hand , if they get it right, the rewards are huge. 反之,如果这笔买卖成了 回报是相当丰厚的
On the other hand:另一方面; rewards:n.[劳经]奖励; v.[劳经]奖赏;
The male has spotted one of the brothers, but only one. 雄鸵鸟已经发现了一头豹子,只是一头
spotted:adj.有花点的;有斑点的;v.看见;看出;发现;让步;(spot的过去分词和过去式)
It's not too worried. 它并没有怎么担心
Then suddenly there are three! 忽然变成三头!
The female is slower to realise the danger and the cheetahs switch targets. 雌鸵鸟意识到危险时,已经有点晚了 猎豹也改变了目标