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JustinSchmidt_InsectStings_2020E-_世界最毒虫虫_-
Welcome to It Hurts! 欢迎来到《好痛哦！》
One of these creatures is thought to possess the world’s most painful insect sting . 在这三种昆虫里, 有一种虫有全世界最毒的刺。
If you were to guess, would it be: the ant that forages in rainforest canopies ? 如果你想先猜猜看, 你觉得究竟会是 在雨林树冠里觅食的蚂蚁,
The bee that protects a hive of delectable honey? 是保护存有美味蜂蜜巢穴的蜜蜂,
Or the wasp that paralyzes tarantulas ? 还是能够麻痹狼蛛的黄蜂？ ［还活着］
creatures:n.生物;动物;(具有某种特征的)人(creature的复数) possess:vt.控制;持有;迷住;具备; painful:adj.痛苦的;疼痛的;令人不快的; sting:v.刺;蜇;叮;(使)感觉刺痛;n.刺;刺伤;蜇伤;刺毛; forages:n.饲料;草料;搜索;vi.搜寻粮草;搜寻; rainforest:n.(热带)雨林; canopies:天篷(canopy的复数);[航]座舱盖(canopy的复数);雨棚(canopy的复数); hive:vi.群居; n.蜂房,蜂巢; vt.入蜂箱; delectable:adj.美味的;令人愉快的; wasp:n.黄蜂;[昆]胡蜂;易怒的人;vi.黄蜂似的直扑; paralyzes:vt.使麻痹;使瘫痪; tarantulas:n.狼蛛(tarantula的复数);毒蛛;
Ant, bee, and wasp venoms contain a variable cocktail of compounds designed to incite unsavory sensations and even compromise bodily functions. 蚂蚁、蜜蜂跟黄蜂的毒液, 都含有数种化合物, 能引发不适反应, 甚至损害身体机能。
Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt’s sting pain index describes and ranks the pain of around 100 kinds of insect stings . 昆虫学家贾斯汀?施密特制定的 「施密特螫痛指数」, 描述被近百种虫的毒刺螫到后的疼痛, ［技术问题,请稍待］
One of our three competitors claims the nastiest one. 而冠军就是我们的其中一个参赛者。
venoms:n.[毒物]毒液;恶意(venom的复数); variable:n.变量;可变因素;可变情况;adj.多变的;易变的;变化无常的;可更改的; cocktail:n.鸡尾酒;开味食品;n.混合物;adj.鸡尾酒的; compounds:n.混合物,化合物;大院(compound的复数形式); incite:vt.煽动;激励;刺激; unsavory:adj.难吃的;没有香味的;令人讨厌的; sensations:n.感觉;轰动;感动; compromise:n.妥协;折中;互让;和解;v.妥协;违背(原则);达不到(标准);使陷入危险; bodily:adv.整体地;亲自地;以肉体形式;adj.身体的;肉体的; Entomologist:n.昆虫学者; index:n.指标;指数;索引;指针;v.做索引;指出;编入索引中; describes:v.描述;形容;把…称为;画出…图形;(describe的第三人称单数) stings:n.恒星惯性制导系统; claims:v.宣称; n.声明; (claim的第三人称单数和复数) nastiest:下流的;肮脏的;险恶的(nasty的最高级);
First, let’s consider the Western honeybee’s sting, 先让我们来看看蜜蜂的刺吧。 ［0.5～0.625吋］
Schmidt says it’s like “a flaming match head has landed on your arm and is quenched first with lye and then sulfuric acid .” 施密特形容被牠螫到就像是 「燃烧的火柴棒掉在你的手臂上, 先用碱液,再用硫酸扑灭火势。」 ［模拟情境］
This discomfort is accomplished with venom that’s packed with a pain-causing peptide called “melittin” and flesh-softening enzymes that disperse the venom. 引起如此剧痛的毒液, ［非模拟情境,真的很痛］ 含有大量引发疼痛的胜肽「蜂毒肽」, 以及能柔软肌肤、扩散毒液的酵素。
quenched:adj.淬火的;猝熄的(quench过去式); sulfuric acid:n.硫酸; discomfort:n.不适,不安;不便之处;vt.使…不舒服;使…不安; accomplished:adj.完成的;有技巧的;有学问的;v.完成;(accomplish的过去分词和过去式) peptide:n.[生化]缩氨酸; enzymes:n.[生化]酶(enzyme的复数);酶类,酵素; disperse:v.分散;驱散;疏散;散布;adj.分散的;弥散的
These enzymes may also cause allergic reactions and even lead to fluid buildup in the lungs. 这些酵素也可能会引发过敏反应, ［模拟情境］ 甚至可能导致肺积水。
Because worker honeybees have barbed stingers that burrow into certain victims, they usually can't sting without leaving part of their bodies behind, which ultimately kills them. 因为工蜂刺入目标的毒针有倒钩, 在螫人时,身体的一部分也会脱落, ［螫这里］ 最终导致牠们的死亡。
allergic:adj.对…过敏的;对…极讨厌的; reactions:n.反应;回应;抗拒;生理反应;副作用(reaction的复数) fluid:adj.流动的;流畅的;不固定的;n.流体;液体; buildup:n.增强;发展;形成;组合;树立名誉; honeybees:[蜂]蜜蜂; barbed:adj.有倒钩的;挖苦的;伤人的;带刺的; stingers:n.讽刺者;好讽刺人的人;有刺的动物;鸡尾酒; burrow:n.地洞,洞穴v.挖掘;穴居;潜伏; ultimately:adv.最终;最后;归根结底;终究;
Since only the queen bee has the ability to reproduce , a worker bee’s self-sacrifice helps ensure that the colony— and their genes— will prevail . 因为只有女王蜂有生育能力, 一只工蜂的自我牺牲,能确保蜂群跟基因都能延续。
But before they go, they release an alarm pheromone that activates a mass attack and often targets some of the most vulnerable sites on their victim’s body. 但在死亡之前, ［又一个牺牲者］ 牠们会释放一种警戒费洛蒙, 动员蜂群一起攻击目标, 还常针对目标身体最脆弱的几个部位。
queen bee:蜂王;社交界女王; reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育; self-sacrifice:n.自我牺牲;献身; ensure:vt.保证,确保;使安全; prevail:v.流行;盛行;战胜;压倒; release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与; pheromone:n.信息素(用于生化领域);费洛蒙(昆虫分泌以刺激同种昆虫之化合物质); activates:v.[电子][物]激活;活化(activate的三单形式); mass:n.块,团; adj.群众的,民众的; v.聚集起来,聚集; vulnerable:adj.易受攻击的,易受…的攻击;易受伤害的;有弱点的; sites:n.网站(site的复数);遗址,举办地点;v.使...位于(site的单三形式);
The tarantula hawk wasp sting is, as Schmidt says, “blinding, fierce , shockingly electric ... A bolt out of the heavens. 根据施密特的描述,被沙漠蛛蜂螫到会 ［沙漠蛛蜂,两吋］ 「头晕目眩,剧痛,有强烈触电感…… 就像是从天而降的雷霆,
Lie down and scream.” 你只能躺着放声尖叫。」 ［模拟情境］
The sensation might last just 5 agonizing minutes for humans, but it leaves tarantulas— the wasp’s preferred target— permanently paralyzed . 对人类来说, ［非模拟情境,真的很痛］ 但牠们最喜欢的猎物,狼蛛,
hawk:v.兜售,沿街叫卖;捕捉;咳出;n.鹰;鹰派成员;掠夺他人的人; fierce:adj.凶猛的;猛烈的;暴躁的; shockingly:adv.怕人地,非常地;不正当地; electric:n.供电;adj.电的;用电的;电动的;发电的; bolt:n.螺栓; v.狼吞虎咽; v.突然; agonizing:adj.痛苦的;令人焦虑不安的;v.苦苦思索;焦虑不已;(agonize的现在分词) preferred:v.较喜欢;喜欢…多于…;(prefer的过去式和过去分词) permanently:adv.永久地,长期不变地; paralyzed:adj.瘫痪的;麻痹的;v.使麻痹;使无力;使失去勇气(paralyze的过去分词);
After the wasp stings a tarantula, aiming for a crucial bundle of nerves , it lays an egg on the immobilized spider . 在蛛蜂螫刺狼蛛体内特定的神经束后, ［螫这里］ 牠会将卵产在动弹不得的狼蛛体内。
Once hatched , the wasp’s larva spends its formative days in the bountiful environment of the tarantula’s body— devouring it alive. 幼虫孵化后,在整个幼虫时期, 牠都会待在营养充足的狼蛛体内, 啃食还活着的宿主。
Aside from paralyzing the tarantula, the wasp’s sting doesn’t seem to do further harm. 除了瘫痪, 蛛蜂的刺并不会对狼蛛造成其他伤害。 ［还活着］
crucial:adj.重要的;决定性的;定局的;决断的; bundle:n.包; v.匆匆送走; (成群地)匆忙赶往; 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) immobilized:v.使不动;使不能正常运作;(immobilize的过去分词和过去式) spider:n.蜘蛛; hatched:v.孵出;出壳;孵化;破壳;(hatch的过去分词和过去式) larva:n.[水产]幼体,[昆]幼虫; formative:adj.形成的;造型的;格式化的;n.构词要素; bountiful:adj.丰富的;慷慨的;宽大的; devouring:v.狼吞虎咽地吃光;津津有味地看;吞没;毁灭;(devour的现在分词) paralyzing:v.使瘫痪或麻痹;使惊愕;(paralyze的现在分词)
This functions to preserve the spider as fresh meat for the wasp’s offspring . 这是为了确保在蛛蜂幼虫孵化后, 还能吃到狼蛛的新鲜美味。
The rainforest-dwelling bullet ant’s sting yields “pure, intense , brilliant pain. 施密特说,被住在雨林的子弹蚁螫到, ［子弹蚁,1.5 吋］ 会带来「纯粹、狂暴、 无法忍受的剧痛,
Like walking over a flaming bed of charcoal with a 3-inch nail embedded in your heel ,” according to Schmidt. 就像是走在烧红的木炭上, ［模拟情境］ 脚后跟还插着三寸长的钉子。」
preserve:vt.保存;保护;维持;腌;禁猎;n.保护区;禁猎地;加工成的食品; offspring:n.后代,子孙;产物; bullet:n.子弹;只选某党全部候选人的投票;豆子;vi.射出;迅速行进; yields:n.生产量,投资效益(yield的复数形式); v.[经]生产; intense:adj.强烈的;紧张的;非常的;热情的; charcoal:n.木炭; vt.用木炭画(过去式charcoaled,过去分词charcoaled,现在分词charcoaling,第三人称单数charcoals); embedded:adj.嵌入式的;植入的;内含的;v.嵌入(embed的过去式和过去分词形式); heel:n.脚后跟;足跟;卑鄙的家伙;v.给(鞋等)修理后跟;倾侧;倾斜 according to:根据,据说;
And this torture often lasts more than 12 hours. 而且这份折磨经常超过十二小时。 ［模拟情境］
A neurotoxic peptide called poneratoxin that our bodies struggle to degrade is what makes the pain last so long. 疼痛之所以会持续这么久, 是因为人体试着代谢 这种叫做「针蚁毒素」 的神经毒性胜肽。
In addition to agony , poneratoxin can induce trembling , cold sweats, nausea , vomiting , and even an abnormal heartbeat . 除了痛苦,它也会导致颤抖、冷汗、 ［模拟情境］ 恶心、呕吐,甚至是心律不整。 ［非模拟情境,真的很痛］
torture:v.折磨;拷问;歪曲;n.折磨;拷问;歪曲; neurotoxic:adj.毒害神经的; degrade:v.降低…身份;使受屈辱;(使)退化,降解;分解;降低; In addition to:除…之外; agony:n.苦恼;极大的痛苦;临死的挣扎; induce:v.导致;引起;诱使;劝说; trembling:v.颤抖;极担心;焦虑;恐惧;(tremble的现在分词) nausea:n.恶心,晕船;极端的憎恶; vomiting:v.呕吐(vomit的现在分词); abnormal:adj.反常的,不规则的;变态的; heartbeat:n.心跳;情感;
The bullet ant is, in fact, crowned with the most painful insect sting. 事实上,子弹蚁是世界上 螫人最痛的昆虫。
It's thought that they may have evolved such an excruciating defense because they forage in rainforest canopies loaded with predators looking for proteinaceous snacks . 一般认为,这是因为 在牠们觅食的雨林树冠丛中, 住着许多喜爱蛋白质小点心的掠食者, 才让牠们进化出这种 令人痛不欲生的防御手段。
crowned:adj.王室的;戴王冠的;v.加冕,使成王(crown的过去式和过去分词形式); evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式) excruciating:adj.折磨人的;极痛苦的;极坏的;v.折磨;使受酷刑;(excruciate的现在分词) 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) proteinaceous:adj.朊的; snacks:n.点心; v.吃点心(或快餐、小吃); (snack的第三人称单数和复数)
They can’t simply jump or fly away, so perhaps they’re better off with this reliable , rather off-putting weapon. 因为它们既不会跳也不能飞, 所以这可靠且让人退避三舍的武器 让它们占据优势。
The tarantula hawk wasp’s formidable sting clocks in as the second most painful on the scale . 沙漠蛛蜂的强大毒刺, 在「施密特螫痛指数」中勇夺第二。
And it’s likely the reason this wasp has no known predators. 这很可能是牠没有掠食者的理由。
Honeybee stings are in the middle of the pain scale. 蜜蜂的刺在「施密特螫痛指数」中
reliable:adj.可信赖的;可依靠的;真实可信的;可靠的; off-putting:adj.令人不愉快的;老是推托的; formidable:adj.强大的;可怕的;令人敬畏的;艰难的; scale:n.规模;比例;鳞;刻度;天平;数值范围;v.衡量;攀登;剥落;生水垢;
But when many sting simultaneously , what might’ve felt manageable at first becomes all the more dangerous. 但如果同时被许多蜜蜂螫, 一开始的也许尚能忍受, 但终会对身体造成严重伤害。
In fact, insect stings helped enable the evolution of complex colonies that would otherwise represent an easy feast to predators. 实际上,昆虫的毒刺有助于群体演化。 若非如此,牠们就只会是掠食者 能轻鬆享用的大餐。
Some stinging insects are, of course, more aggressive than others, but most of the time, they only sting us when we provoke them. 有些会螫人的昆虫的确更具攻击性, 但大多时候,它们之所以攻击我们, 是因为我们挑衅在先。
simultaneously:adv.同时地; manageable:adj.易管理的;易控制的;易办的; all the more:更加;越发; enable:v.使能够;使有机会;使成为可能;使可行; evolution:n.演变;进化;发展;渐进; complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施; represent:v.代表;表现;描绘;回忆;再赠送; feast:n.盛宴;宴会;(宗教的)节日;v.尽情享用(美味佳肴); stinging:v.刺;蜇;叮;(使)感觉刺痛;激怒;使不安;(sting的现在分词) aggressive:adj.侵略性的;好斗的;有进取心的;有闯劲的; provoke:vt.驱使;激怒;煽动;惹起;
The truth hurts. 事实也会螫痛人的。