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GiladBino_Platypuses_2021E-_集毒刺、鸭嘴、有刺的鸡鸡于一身：鸭嘴兽生命中的一年_
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| Waddling along the parched Australian earth, this female platypus is searching for fresh water. |
在澳洲干涸的大地上, 这只蹒跚而行的雌鸭嘴兽 正在寻觅水源。 |
| Over the past year, a severe drought turned rivers and streams to mere trickles . |
过去一年以来,严重干旱 令无数浩浩溪河变成涓涓细流。 |
| She barely survived and was unable to reproduce . |
她勉强活了下来,但繁殖不了后代。 |
| Could the next year bring a change in luck? |
明年她的运气会不会好点呢？ |
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Waddling:v.鸭步;摇摆蹒跚(waddle的现在分词); parched:adj.焦的;炎热的;炒过的;干透的;v.烘干;使极渴(parch的过去分词); female:adj.女性的;雌性的;柔弱的,柔和的;n.女人;[动]雌性动物; platypus:n.[脊椎]鸭嘴兽; severe:adj.极为恶劣的;十分严重的;严厉的;苛刻的; drought:n.干旱;缺乏; mere:adj.仅仅的;只不过的;n.小湖;池塘; trickles:v.(使)滴,淌,小股流淌; n.细流; (trickle的第三人称单数和复数) barely:adv.仅仅,勉强;几乎不;公开地;贫乏地; reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育;
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| It's autumn and fat raindrops finally come spilling from the sky. |
秋天到了,终于有大雨倾盆而下。 |
| Within days, the platypus finds a river and begins to hunt. |
几天之内,鸭嘴兽找到一条河, 并开始去打猎。 |
| Her webbed feet propel her along and her waterproof coat traps heat close to her body. |
她的蹼足让她能在水中畅游, 她的防水毛皮便为身体储热。 |
| Underwater , she senses her surroundings with her duck-like bill, which is fitted with about 40,000 electroreceptors . |
在水下,她像鸭子一样的长嘴 让她感知周遭环境, 因为上面长了约四万个电感受器。 |
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raindrops:n.[气象]雨滴;雨点(raindrop的复数); finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地; spilling:v.(使)洒出,泼出,溢出;涌出;(spill的现在分词) propel:v.推进;驱使;激励;驱策; waterproof:adj.防水的,不透水的;v.使防水;n.防水材料; traps:n.陷阱,捕捉器; v.使落入险境; (trap的第三人称单数和复数) Underwater:adj.在水中的;水面下的;adv.在水下;n.水下; surroundings:n.周围的环境;环境;(surrounding的复数) electroreceptors:n.电感受器;(electroreceptor的复数)
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| This allows her to detect the minuscule electrical signals coming from a glass shrimp’s nerves and muscles . |
而这些电感受器让她能够探测到 来自透明虾神经和肌肉的微弱电信号。 |
| She makes it a quick meal. |
她很快地解决了一餐。 |
| And once she clambers back on land to construct a burrow , she waddles in a lizard-like posture , her limbs moving horizontally to her spine . |
而当她爬回陆地上, 要去挖她栖身的洞穴时, 她就会像蜥蜴般摇摇摆摆地前进, 四肢和脊椎平行移动。 |
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detect:vt.察觉;发现;探测; minuscule:n.小写字;草写小字;adj.极小的;用草写小字写的; electrical:adj.有关电的;电气科学的; nerves:n.神经;神经紧张;勇气;v.鼓足勇气;振作精神;(nerve的第三人称单数和复数) muscles:n.肌肉(muscle的复数); clambers:n.攀登;v.爬;(clambers是clamber的第三人称单数); construct:v.建造;创建;建筑;修建;n.概念;构筑物;结构体;建造物; burrow:n.地洞,洞穴v.挖掘;穴居;潜伏; waddles:n.蹒跚;摇摆的步子;vi.摇摇摆摆地走;蹒跚而行; posture:n.姿势;态度;看法;立场;处理方式;v.故作姿态;装样子 limbs:n.[解剖]四肢(limb的复数); horizontally:adv.水平地;地平地; spine:n.脊柱,脊椎;刺;书脊;
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| The platypus has many quirks . |
鸭嘴兽身上有很多奇怪的地方。 |
| As a monotreme, she's part of the most ancient lineage of mammals alive today. |
鸭嘴兽是单孔目动物, 同时也是现存最古老的哺乳动物。 |
| Consequently , she has a curious mix of mammalian , avian , and reptilian features, which is reflected in her genome . |
因此她身上有一堆 哺乳动物、鸟类和爬行动物的特征。 这些特征也深藏在她的基因里; |
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quirks:怪癖;急转;借口(quirk的复数); lineage:n.血统;家系,[遗]世系; mammals:n.哺乳动物;(mammal的复数) Consequently:adv.因此;结果;所以; curious:adj.好奇的,有求知欲的;古怪的;爱挑剔的; mammalian:adj.哺乳类动物的;n.哺乳类; avian:adj.鸟的;鸟类的;n.鸟; reptilian:adj.爬虫类的;卑鄙的;n.爬虫类动物; reflected:adj.反射的;得自他人的;v.反射;思考;(reflect的过去式和过去分词) genome:n.基因组;染色体组;
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| For instance , mammals usually have one pair of chromosomes that determine sex. |
例如,哺乳动物通常 有一对染色体决定性别, |
| But the platypus has five, which more closely resemble a bird’s. |
但是鸭嘴兽有五对,更像鸟类。 |
| Let's hope she gets to put them to use. |
希望这对她有用。 |
| She regains her strength and, as winter turns to spring, |
吃完大餐恢复体力,然后冬去春来, |
| However, she can’t raise her young here. |
不过呢,她不能在这里抚养她的孩子。[01:51] |
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instance:n.实例;情况;建议;v.举...为例; chromosomes:n.[遗][细胞][染料]染色体(chromosome的复数形式); determine:v.决定;确定;测定;查明;形成;影响;裁决;安排; resemble:v.看起来像;显得像;像; regains:vt.恢复;重新获得;收回;vi.上涨;n.收复;取回;
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| The surrounding land has begun to be deforested , causing the riverbank to erode . |
现在四处的树林越来越少了, 导致河岸被冲刷到河水里。 |
| Instead, she journeys upstream and settles in a clear, deep pool sheltered by a river red gum tree. |
所以她逆流而上, 定居在有赤桉树遮蔽的清澈深水池中。 |
| Suddenly, a rustle flushes birds from the undergrowth and a fox appears. |
突然之间,灌木丛中沙沙作响, 鸟儿都被吓飞了。 |
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deforested:vt.采伐森林(deforest过去式); riverbank:n.河堤; erode:vt.腐蚀,侵蚀;vi.侵蚀;受腐蚀; upstream:adv.逆流地;向上游;adj.向上游的;逆流而上的;n.上游部门; settles:v.结束;解决;决定,确定;定居;n.高背长椅;(settle的第三人称单数和复数) gum:n.牙龈;树胶;齿龈;树脂;v.在…上涂胶;用黏胶粘; rustle:vi.发出沙沙声;vt.使…沙沙作响;n.沙沙声;急忙;飒飒声; flushes:冲洗; undergrowth:n.发育不全;生长在大树下的灌木;动物身上长在长毛下面的浓密绒毛;
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| These predators have threatened platypuses ever since they were introduced to Australia by white settlers in 1855. |
1855 年,白人殖民者 把他们带到澳洲来, 从此这群掠食者便一直威胁着鸭嘴兽。 |
| The fox doesn’t see her this time, but the platypus will need to stay alert . |
这次狐狸看不见她, 但鸭嘴兽也该保持警惕了。 |
| Two males also occupy this area and, soon enough, they begin competing for her affections . |
同时,附近有两只雄性鸭嘴兽 盘据在这个地方, 为了得到她的爱, 他们很快开始竞争。 |
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predators:n.捕食性动物;实行弱肉强食的人(或机构);掠夺者;(predator的复数) platypuses:n.[脊椎]鸭嘴兽; settlers:n.移民;殖民者;(settler的复数) alert:n.警报; adj.警觉的; v.向…报警; occupy:v.占据,占领;居住;使忙碌; competing:adj.相互冲突的;相互矛盾的;v.竞争;对抗;参加比赛;(compete的现在分词) affections:n.喜爱;钟爱;爱情;(affection的复数)
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| Each has spurs on its hind legs containing a potent snake-like venom . |
他们后腿上长着的刺, 含有一种能媲美蛇毒的剧毒。 |
| One male fights the other off and courts the female over several weeks, swimming alongside her, and occasionally biting her tail. |
最终取胜一方会在 接下来的几周向雌性示爱, 其间他会和她一起游泳, 还偶尔咬她的尾巴。 |
| Eventually , she reciprocates , and they swim around in circles before doing the deed . |
她终于回应爱意了。 在行鱼水之欢前, 他们会绕圈圈游泳。 |
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spurs:n.马刺(spur的复数); hind:adj.后部的;n.雌鹿; potent:adj.有效的;强有力的,有权势的;有说服力的; snake-like:蛇形的; venom:n.毒液;恶意;vt.使有毒;放毒; occasionally:adv.偶尔;有时候;偶然; Eventually:adv.最后,终于; reciprocates:vt.报答;互换;互给;vi.往复运动;互换;酬答;互给; deed:n.行动;功绩;证书;[法]契据;vt.立契转让;
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| The male platypus has a penis with eccentric features like two heads and spines that aid and fertilization . |
雄性鸭嘴兽的阴茎看起来很特别, 它有两个头,还长有针刺, 好让雌性更易受孕。 |
| Over the following week, the female constructs an extensive burrow furnished with a cozy nest. |
在接下来的一周里, 雌性会挖出四通八达的地道, 里面还有个舒适的小巢。 |
| She plugs up the tunnels leading in, making them appear as dead ends to potential predators. |
她会堵住通往小巢的隧道, 掠食者即使找到通道, 也只会看见死胡同。 |
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penis:n.阴茎; eccentric:adj.古怪的,反常的;n.古怪的人; spines:n.[解剖]脊柱;棘状突起;体刺(spine的复数); fertilization:n.[农]施肥;[胚]受精;肥沃; constructs:n.构念(construct的复数);建筑物;构图;v.设计(construct的三单形式);建造; extensive:adj.广泛的;大量的;广阔的; furnished:adj.带家具的; v.布置家具; (furnish的过去分词和过去式) cozy:n.保温罩;v.蒙骗;抚慰;adj.舒适的;安逸的; plugs:n.[电]插头; v.插入,塞住; tunnels:n.[交]隧道; v.凿隧道; potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的;
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| Then, much like a reptile or bird, she lays eggs from her cloaca , a single opening that's used for both reproduction and excretion . |
然后她会像爬虫类或鸟类一样, 从泄殖孔下蛋。 泄殖孔是用来繁殖和排泄的开口。 |
| She incubates her eggs, and as the river red gum tree blooms , her offspring hatch . |
她开始孵蛋了, 然后随着河边的赤桉花开, 她的孩子也就孵化了。 |
| Like other mammals, she feeds them milk. |
像其他哺乳动物一样,她会喂奶; |
| But unlike other mammals, she has no nipples . |
和其他哺乳动物不同的是, 她没有乳头。 |
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reptile:adj.爬虫类的;卑鄙的;n.爬行动物;卑鄙的人; cloaca:n.泄殖腔;阴沟;下水沟; reproduction:n.繁殖,生殖;复制;复制品; excretion:n.排泄,排泄物;分泌,分泌物; incubates:vt.孵化;培养;温育;逐渐发展;vi.孵化;酝酿;n.孵育物; blooms:n.花朵(bloom的复数);[生态]水华;v.开花(bloom的三单形式); offspring:n.后代,子孙;产物; hatch:n.孵化;舱口;v.孵;策划;孵化; nipples:n.乳头;乳头状物品;(机器的)喷嘴;(nipple的复数)
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| Instead, her milk oozes from mammary glands onto her belly , where her babies slurp it up. |
乳腺分泌的乳汁会流到肚子上, 然后她的孩子就可以在那里吃奶。 |
| This pooled milk invites bacteria, but the platypus also produces potent antibacterial proteins , ensuring her newborns are safe. |
虽然细菌会觊觎这滩乳汁, 但鸭嘴兽的乳汁里 含有强力的抗菌蛋白, 确保新生儿的安全。 |
| She continues nursing them for four months— hunting, evading the fox, and repairing her burrow all the while. |
接下来她会照顾他们四个月—— 其间她会去打猎,躲避狐狸, 并修补她的洞穴。 |
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oozes:vt.渗出;泄漏;vi.渗出;泄漏;n.[地质]软泥; mammary:adj.乳腺的;[解剖]乳房的; glands:n.腺体(gland的复数);气封; belly:n.腹部;胃;食欲;v.涨满;鼓起; slurp:vt.出声地吃或喝;vi.出声地吃或喝;n.吃的声音;啜食声; antibacterial:n.抗菌剂;抗菌药;adj.抗菌的; proteins:n.[生化]蛋白质(protein复数); ensuring:v.保证;确保;担保(ensure的现在分词); newborns:新生儿; evading:v.逃脱;躲开;躲避;规避;回避;(evade的现在分词)
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| By the time her young are ready to make their debut , the summer is waning . |
当她的孩子准备好出门时, 夏天也快过去了。 |
| One evening, after the female platypus returns from hunting, she finds that one nestling has already struck off on its own. |
有天晚上,鸭嘴兽妈妈 打猎归来后发现, 有个孩儿已经自己出走了。 |
| A few days later, the other also leaves the borough . |
几天后,又一个孩子离开了巢穴。 |
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debut:n.初次登台;开张;vi.初次登台; waning:n.减弱;月亏;adj.渐亏的;逐渐减弱或变小的; nestling:n.婴儿;未离巢的雏鸟;v.安顿下来;筑巢;把…安置于巢中(nestle的ing形式); borough:n.区;自治的市镇;
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| Soon, her young are living completely independently . |
很快地,她所有孩子 都开始独立生活。 |
| And eventually they’ll leave this part of the river to make homes of their own. |
最终他们会离开这段河流, 开创自己的家园。 |
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independently:adv.独立地;自立地;
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