EZCNN 易英网

Nature’s Intimate Relations 大自然的亲密关系

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

In nature, different species of plants and insects often form relationships that can rival those of human beings in complexity. Everyone knows about the connection between bees and flowers, where the bee gets the nectar and the flowers get pollinated. But other more complex partnerships exist as well.

大自然中，各种植物与昆虫间的关系其复杂程度并不亚于人类关系。大家都知道蜜蜂与花朵之间的关系。当蜜蜂取得花蜜时，花朵也同时得以授粉。然而自然界还有比这更为复杂的关系。

One seemingly odd partnership is between ants and aphids. The ants act like shepherds, herding the aphids together into prime feeding areas on a plant. As the aphids eat, they produce honeydew, which the ants love. And, just like human shepherds, the ants protect aphids from enemies, such as ladybugs.

蚂蚁和蚜虫间即存在着相当奇特的共生关系，就像是牧羊人一样，蚂蚁会将蚜虫驱赶至植物主要可食用的部位，让牠集中觅食。当蚜虫进食时，也会同时分泌蚂蚁最喜欢的蜜露。就像是牧羊人一样，蚂蚁也会保护蚜虫，防止他们受到天敌瓢虫的侵害。

Ants in the Peruvian rainforest act less like shepherds and more like gardeners, creating what are known as “Devil Gardens.” In these gardens, only one type of tree grows. The tree provides swellings for the ants to live in. They provide safety from predators where the ants’ eggs and larvae are kept. Inside the swellings, the ants also keep a form of livestock: white scale insects that produce honeydew just like aphids.

在秘鲁雨林中的蚂蚁则比较像是园丁而非牧羊人，牠们会建造所谓的「魔鬼花园」。这些花园里，只有一种树种可以生长，树木本身隆起的部分提供蚂蚁住所，保护蚁卵及幼蚁的安全。住所内蚂蚁也会圈养一种和蚜虫一样会分泌蜜汁的白介壳虫。

The ants, in turn, protect the tree from insects that want to feed on it. Just as gardeners will pull weeds, the ants won’t allow other invading plant species to grow nearby. They will attack the plants, chewing their stems and injecting acid into them. Within days, the invaders wither and die.

相对的，蚂蚁也会保护树木，使其不受其他昆虫的侵害。牠们也像园丁一样，会除草，不让具有侵略性的植物在附近增生。牠们会攻击其他植物，啃食它们的茎部并注射酸液于其中，数天内侵略者便会枯萎而死。

Vocabulary

单词发音

intimate [ˋɪntəmɪt] adj. 亲密的

species [ˋspiʃiz] n. 种类

rival [ˋraɪv!] v. 与……匹敌；比得上

partnership [ˋpɑrtnɚ͵ʃɪp] n. 合伙（或合作）关系

herd [hɝd] v. 放牧

prime [praɪm] adj. 最好的

predator [ˋprɛdətɚ] n. 掠食者

livestock [`laɪvˏstɑk] n. 家畜

in turn 反过来

inject [ɪnˋdʒɛkt] v. 注射

wither [ˋwɪðɚ] v. 枯萎，干枯；凋谢

More Information

单词发音

relationship [rɪˋleʃənˋʃɪp] n. 关系

nectar [ˋnɛktɚ] n. 花蜜

pollinate [ˋpɑlə͵net] n. 传授花粉

aphid [ˋefɪd] n. 蚜虫

honeydew [ˋhʌnɪ͵dju] n. 蜜露

ladybug [ˋledɪ͵bʌg] n. 瓢虫

Peruvian [pəˋruvɪən] adj. 秘鲁的

gardener [ˋgɑrdənɚ] n. 园丁

swelling [ˋswɛlɪŋ] n. 隆起物

larva [ˋlɑrvə] n. 幼虫；幼体 (larvae, pl)

weed [wid] n. 杂草；野草

invade [ɪnˋved] v. 侵入

课文讲解

In some of the more sinister partnerships found in nature, exploitation plays a big role. One such relationship begins when a gall wasp injects her egg into a fertilized flower on an oak tree. The injection causes a genetic change to take place. Rather than producing an acorn, the tree develops an oddly-shaped growth called a gall. Inside is the wasp’s egg. Once the egg becomes a wasp larva, it feeds on the gall’s insides. The tree provides a safe home which protects the larva until it becomes a wasp. Sadly, the tree doesn’t benefit from the relationship at all.

自然界另一种畸型共生关系，则是利用对方。当雌瘿蜂产卵于橡树已受精的花朵中时便展开这样的关系。这种产卵的动作会引发基因突变，导致橡树不结橡实，而会长出一种奇形怪状的树瘿，而瘿蜂的卵就在其中。当卵孵化成为幼虫时，便仰赖树瘿维生，橡树则提供了安全的庇护所直到幼虫变成成蜂。可悲的是，橡树在此过程中完全没有得到好处。

Deception sometimes comes into play in insect relationships. An example is the Alcon blue butterfly, one of the prettiest sights seen fluttering in European meadows in summer. After mating, an Alcon blue butterfly lays its eggs on a gentian plant. When the caterpillars develop, they’ll feed on the plant for a few weeks. Then they fall to the ground. The caterpillars smell exactly like ant larvae, so when the foraging ants find them, they haul them into their underground nests. The ants feed and clean the caterpillars just as they do their own young, because that’s what the ants think the caterpillars are! With the ants fully deceived, the caterpillars have a safe home where they can develop into the next generation of butterflies.

昆虫之间有时也会有欺骗的现象产生，灰蓝蝶即是一例。舞动着翅膀的蓝灰蝶是欧洲夏季草原上最美丽的景致之一。在交配后，蓝灰蝶会在龙胆树上产卵。当卵孵化成为毛毛虫后，接下来的几个星期都会以龙胆树为食物。之后牠们会掉落在地上，这时的毛毛虫闻起来就像是蚂蚁的幼虫一样，所以当外出觅食的蚂蚁发现牠们时，便会将其拖入地底的巢穴中。蚂蚁会像照顾幼蚁一样地喂食并清洁这些毛毛虫，因为牠们误以为这些毛毛虫就是牠们的幼虫！就在蚂蚁毫不知情的情况下，毛毛虫得以有一个安全的家，直到它们长大成为下一代的蝴蝶为止。

All of these relationships are the natural instincts of the insects. The cycle of life continues in nature, and so do these relationships in all of their fascinating complexity.

上述的关系都是昆虫本能反应的结果，大自然的生命循环不息，而这些匪夷所思的复杂关系也同样会延续下去。

−by Joseph Schier

Vocabulary

单词发音

sinister [ˋsɪnɪstɚ] adj. 邪恶的

exploitation [͵ɛksplɔɪˋteʃən] n. 利用; 剥削

feed on 靠...为食 be sustained by

benefit from 得益于

deception [dɪˋsɛpʃən] n. 欺骗

come into play (开始)起作用 to become an important factor in something

flutter [ˋflʌtɚ] v.（鸟）振翼，拍翅

haul [hɔl] v. 搬运

More Information

单词发音

gall wasp 瘿蜂

fertilized [ˋfɝt!͵aɪzd] adj. 受精的

acorn [ˋekɔrn] n. 橡子

gall [gɔl] n. 虫瘿

wasp [wɑsp] n. 黄蜂，蚂蜂

meadow [ˋmɛdo] n. 草地，牧草地

gentian [ˋdʒɛnʃən] n. 龙胆属的植物

caterpillar [ˋkætɚ͵pɪlɚ] n. 毛虫

foraging [ˋfɔrɪdʒɪŋ] adj. 觅食的

forage [ˋfɔrɪdʒ] v. 搜索糧秣；搜尋[Q][（+for/about/in）]

deceived [dɪˋsivd] adj. 被欺骗的

Reading Questions

1.  What task do ants perform for aphids?

A.  They move them to the best feeding areas.

B.  They help protect and teach their young.

C.  They keep away invading plants and animals.

D.  They produce food for most of the aphids.

2.  According to the article, which insect uses deceit as a tactic?

A.  Gall wasps.

B.  Caterpillars.

C.  Peruvian rainforest ants.

D.  Ladybugs.

3.  Which of the following is an example of a mutually beneficial relationship?

A.  Gall wasps and the fertilized flower on an oak tree.

B.  Alcon blue butterflies and Peruvian ants.

C.  Ants and trees in the “Devil’s Gardens.”

D.  Wasp larvae and caterpillars.

4.  What can be inferred from the article?

A.  All insects rely on one specific kind of plant for protection.

B.  Relationships between plants and insects can be complicated.

C.  All plants take advantage of insects in unfair relationships.

D.  Insects and plants have no problems existing in separate environments.

Crazy Ant Farmers

Oak tree and wasp eggs

The Alcon Blue Butterfly

 Answer