Super Dads of the Animal World 动物王国的超级奶爸
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2009年3月09日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2012年3月05日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：298
课文朗读
课文讲解
When we think of the nurturing caregivers of the family, it is usually mom that comes to mind, not dad. After all, our mothers are the ones that give birth to us, provide us with food, and care for our every need in our early years. But as the animal kingdom demonstrates, nesting and nurturing isn’t just “women’s work.” In fact, for many animals, the male of the species has an incredible responsibility in the child-rearing process.
通常提到家庭里担起养育责任的，我们都会想到妈妈而不是爸爸。毕竟，母亲生养我们，提供食物，并且满足我们人生最初几年的所有需求。但是正如动物王国里所呈现的，筑巢及育儿的责任并不只是「女人的工作」。事实上，对许多动物来说，雄性在养育后代的过程中，肩负相当重大的责任。
Take painted snipes for instance, where the males are the primary caregivers. They are left with the task of keeping the eggs warm and taking care of the chicks. Meanwhile, the carefree females are off flying around and courting other males!
以彩鹬为例，彩鹬雄鸟便是主要照顾者。他们必须负责孵蛋，并且照顾幼雏。而同一时间，惬意无忧的彩鹬雌鸟则离开鸟巢，四处飞翔，并向其他彩鹬雄鸟求爱。
Many different male species of fish also have active roles in parenting through a practice called mouthbrooding. After fertilizing the female’s eggs, a male mouthbrooder will scoop the eggs into his mouth and carry them around to keep them safe and warm. For weeks, the male fish sacrifices his own meals for the sake of his offspring, as he is unable to feed until the eggs have hatched. After the tiny babies have been born, the male mouthbrooder is often exhausted, and must spend quite a while regaining its energy.
许多不同种的鱼类也都透过口孵方式，在育儿的过程当中扮演积极的角色。在让雌鱼产的卵受精后，雄性口孵鱼将鱼卵盛进嘴巴里，鱼卵不离身，藉此维持鱼卵的温度，并保护鱼卵的安全。雄鱼为了自己的后代，连续好几个星期必须牺牲自己进食的机会，因为牠要一直等到鱼卵孵化才可以进食。通常在幼鱼出生后，雄性口孵鱼都会疲惫不堪，必须花上好一段时间才有办法恢复精力。
Vocabulary
单词发音
demonstrate [ˋdɛmən͵stret] v. 展示; 显示
incredible [ɪnˋkrɛdəb!] adj.【口】难以置信的；惊人的
carefree [ˋkɛr͵fri] adj. 无忧无虑的
for the sake of 为了…,为了…起见
offspring [ˋɔf͵sprɪŋ] n. 子女；子孙；后代
More Information
单词发音
nurture [ˋnɝtʃɚ] v. 养育，教养
caregiver [ˈkɛrgɪvɚ] n.【美】〔小孩或病人的〕看护者
come to mind 出现于某人的脑海中 be remembered
rear [rɪr] v. 抚养
snipe [snaɪp] n.【鸟】沙锥，鹬
take care of 照顾; 留意 to oversee and protect someone or something; to care for someone or something
chick [tʃɪk] n. 小鸟
off [ɔf] adj. 离去的
fly around 飞来飞去; 四处飞翔 to soar or float aloft randomly
court [kort] v. 向……献殷勤；向……求爱
parenting [ˋpɛrəntɪŋ] n. 父母对孩子的养育[照顾]
mouthbrooding [ˋmaʊθ͵brudɪŋ] n. 口孵
fertilize [ˋfɝt!͵aɪz] v. 使受精
scoop [skup] v.【口】搜集；拾起
carry someone around 带在身上 to be the source of transport for someone, usually a child
exhausted [ɪgˋzɔstɪd] adj. 精疲力竭的
课文朗读
课文讲解
With regard to parenting, however, there is one member of the animal kingdom that surely claims the title of Super Dad. Male seahorses can do something that no other male species in the world can do – they can get pregnant!
就育儿而言，动物王国里有一种动物绝对可以称得上超级奶爸。雄海马可以办到其他动物办不到的事──怀孕生子。
How dad ends up carrying the eggs has a lot to do with the unique seahorse courtship ritual. This lasts for several days, during which time the male and female seahorses change colors, swim side by side holding tails, and finally, dance snout to snout while slowly spiraling upward. The female then deposits her eggs into the male’s pouch, where the eggs are fertilized.
为何最后是由雄海马抱卵，这与海马独特的求爱仪式大有关系。这个仪式会持续好几天，在这段期间，雄海马与雌海马会改变颜色，交尾并游，最后会鼻子对鼻子共舞，盘旋而上。接着，雌海马会将卵产在雄海马的育儿袋，卵子就在育儿袋里受精。
Over the next couple of weeks, the male provides the eggs with nutrients and oxygen, and even regulates the temperature in his pouch so that the seahorses-to-be can more easily adjust to seawater. Finally, the male seahorse is ready to give birth. Through a series of muscle contractions that somewhat resemble a long fit of coughs, the male will produce anywhere from 1 to 2,000 babes! Interestingly, a male seahorse can “cough up” his babies at night, and be ready to mate again the very next morning!
在接下来的几周里，雄海马提供受精卵养分及氧气，甚至调节育儿袋里的温度，如此一来，这些未来的海马才能较易适应海水。最后，雄海马已经做好分娩准备。透过一长串类似咳嗽的肌肉收缩，海马爸爸可生出一到二千只的小海马！有趣的是，雄海马可以在晚上将海马宝宝「咳」出来，隔天一早就可以再度交配！
While human males don’t quite have the same capabilities, they can still take notes – these amazing creatures have proven that child-rearing isn’t just mom’s domain; dads have quite the nurturing instinct, too.
尽管男人没有相同的能力，不过他们还是可以记住：这些神奇的生物证明了，养儿育女不光只是妈妈的领域，爸爸也同样具有养育后代的天分。
−by Anita Wong
Vocabulary
单词发音
pregnant [ˋprɛgnənt] adj. 怀孕的
deposit [dɪˋpɑzɪt] v. 放置
nutrient [ˋnjutrɪənt] n. 营养物
adjust [əˋdʒʌst] v. 适应[（+to）]
capability [͵kepəˋbɪlətɪ] n. 能力
More Information
单词发音
seahorse [`siˏhɔrs] n. 海马〔海生小型鱼类〕
courtship [ˋkortʃɪp] n. 求爱；求爱期
snout [snaʊt] n.（动物的）口鼻部
spiral [ˋspaɪrəl] v. 螺旋形上升（或下降）
pouch [paʊtʃ] n.【动】育儿袋
contraction [kənˋtrækʃən] n. 收缩
domain [doˋmen] n. 领土，领地
Reading Questions
1. What is true about child-rearing among animals?
A. For animals, nurturing is always the work of the mother.
B. Birds take more responsibility for their offspring than fish.
C. In the animal kingdom, only the male cares for their young.
D. Some male animals also have active roles in parenting.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Young painted snipes are cared for by their fathers.
B. Female painted snipes take no part in nesting.
C. Fish that carry eggs in their mouths are called mouthbrooders.
D. Mouthbrooders sacrifice their offspring to feed.
3. What happens during the seahorse’s unique courtship ritual?
A. The male gives birth through a series of coughs.
B. The male and female exchange nutrients.
C. At the end, the male receives eggs from the female.
D. The male changes color to match the female.
4. What is the main theme of this article?
A. How seahorses are the “Super Dads” of the animal world.
B. How fish and other ocean life care for their young.
C. The exceptional roles played by the male of certain animal species.
D. Capabilities that human males can learn from fish and birds.
Painted Snipe
Mouth Brooding Fish
Seahorse courting,dancing,egg exhange,babies
Male seahorse giving birth
Answer
|
1. ( D ) |
2. ( D ) |
3. ( C ) |
4. ( C ) |