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Monster Resurrected – Meet the Mega Beasts 远古巨兽大复活

 

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课文讲解

 

繁體中文譯本

 

Discovery presents Monster Resurrected, a look at “mega beasts” from the past. The latest scientific and multi-media technology give us a fascinating insight into how these fearsome creatures lived and died – hunting, fighting, eating, and sometimes being eaten.

探索频道推出《远古巨兽大复活》，探索过去存在的「巨型兽」。最新的科学与多媒体科技提供我们这些骇人生物是如何生存又如何灭亡的迷人解说──牠们如何捕猎、斗争、进食，且偶尔又如何被吃掉。

 

Episode one focuses on the terror bird, a ten-foot-tall, flightless bird with a huge, pointed beak, powerful legs, and a hawk’s sharp eyesight. This beast hunted across North and South America around four million years ago, competing with wolves and saber-toothed cats. The terror bird, however, had some strong advantages. It could pursue prey over long distances like the wolf but was also capable of deadly surprise attacks like the cat. Its main weapon was its enormous, curved beak. Monster Resurrected uses technology to show how this weapon worked.

第一集专门介绍「恐鸟」，那是一种10英尺高、不能飞的鸟类，牠具有巨大的尖喙、有力的双腿以及如老鹰般敏锐的视力。约4百万年前，这种怪兽曾在横跨南、北美洲一带狩猎，与狼群、剑齿虎相互竞争。然而，恐鸟却拥有一些绝佳的优势。牠可以像狼一样长距离的追踪猎物，但也能够像猫科动物一样做出致命的突袭。牠最主要的武器是那巨大的弧形鸟喙。《远古巨兽大复活》运用科技呈现了这项武器如何发挥效力。

 

Using a steel replica of the terror bird’s head, scientists attempted to test its strength. Because the terror bird most closely resembled modern birds of prey, they were used as a guide for recreating its muscle structure and striking action. What did they find? The terror bird’s beak was able to easily crush a victim’s skull with a single blow.

科学家利用钢制成的恐鸟头复制品试图测试它的力量。由于恐鸟最接近现代的猛禽，牠们被用来当作重建恐鸟肌肉结构与攻击动作的参考。结果他们发现了什么？恐鸟的尖喙只消一次重击就可轻易地粉碎受害者的头骨。

 

With such speed and power, why did the terror bird become extinct? Some scientists say that climate change and lack of adequate food played a role. Others believe that it was due to the habitual characteristics of the terror birds. As solitary hunters, they were no competition for the wolves who hunted in packs; besides, their breeding habit of nesting on the ground made their young vulnerable to other predators. It seems this combination of factors inevitably led to their ultimate doom.

既然具有如此的速度与力量，恐鸟为何会步上灭绝一途？有些科学家认为气候变迁以及所需的食物不足是可能原因。其他人则相信是恐鸟的习性特征所致，身为独行狩猎者的牠们根本无法与集体猎食的狼群竞争。此外，牠们在地面上筑巢、繁衍后代的习惯使牠们的幼鶵易受掠食者的侵害。看样子，这些因素的组合无可避免地让牠们走向灭亡的命运。

 

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

insight [ˋɪn͵saɪt] n. 深刻的理解; 洞察力; 眼光

fearsome [ˋfɪrsəm] adj. 可怕的﹐吓人的

compete [kəmˋpit] v. 竞争[（+with/against/for）]

pursue [pɚˋsu] v. 追赶；追踪；追捕

replica [ˋrɛplɪkə] n. 复制品

crush [krʌʃ] v. 压碎；碾碎

extinct [ɪkˋstɪŋkt] adj. 绝种的，灭绝的

adequate [ˋædəkwɪt] adj. 足够的

habitual [həˋbɪtʃʊəl] adj. 习惯（性）的; 惯常的

solitary [ˋsɑlə͵tɛrɪ] adj. 单独的，独自的

breed [brid] v. 繁殖; （动物）生产；孕育

combination [͵kɑmbəˋneʃən] n. 结合﹐联合; 混合

inevitably [ɪnˋɛvətəblɪ] adv. 不可避免地；必然地

ultimate [ˋʌltəmɪt] adj. 最后的，最终的

doom [dum] n. 毁灭，死亡

 

 

More Information

单词发音

 

resurrect [͵rɛzəˋrɛkt] v. 复活

mega [ˋmɛgə] adj. 大得异乎寻常的

flightless [ˋflaɪtlɪs] adj.（鸟等）不能飞的

beak [bik] n.（鹰等的）鸟嘴

saber-toothed [ˋsebɚ͵tuθt] adj. 长而锐利之犬齿的

prey [pre] n. 被捕食的动物

birds of prey 猛禽

guide [gaɪd] n. 指导；指南

blow [blo] n.（用拳，武器等的）一击，殴打

vulnerable [ˋvʌlnərəb!] adj. 脆弱的; 易受伤的

 

 

 

课文朗读

 

课文讲解

 

The Monster Resurrected series continues with a look at one of the most terrifying beasts in our planet’s history – the awesome mosasaur, a 45-foot-long aquatic reptile with six-foot jaws and a flat, crocodile-like tail.

《远古巨兽大复活》系列继续探讨我们这个星球史上最恐怖的猛兽之一──令人惊惧的沧龙，牠是一种45英尺长的水生爬虫类，并拥有6英尺的颌部和扁平且似鳄鱼的尾巴。

 

Tyrannosaurus (T. rex) may have been supreme on land 85 million years ago, but the mosasaurs ruled the seas which, at that time, covered 85% of the earth’s surface. They are sometimes described as the T. rex of the deep. The mosasaur’s jaw and tail were deadly weapons used not only to hunt but to battle their rivals – giant sharks bigger than today’s great white; and 40-foot plesiosaurs, huge marine reptiles with long, snake-like necks.

暴龙（简称T. rex）在8千5百万年前或许称霸陆地，但沧龙统治了当时占地球表面百分之85的海洋。牠们有时也被称为海洋深处的暴龙。沧龙的颌部及尾巴是致命的武器，不仅用来捕猎，也用来与敌手决斗。其竞争对手包括了比今日的大白鲨更大的巨鲨以及40英尺长的蛇颈龙，一种具有如长蛇般细长颈部的海洋爬虫类。

 

While the jaws of the mosasaur were as large as those of a T. rex, they were even more fearsome because of an extra set of teeth on the roof of the mouth. This unique adaptation prevented captured prey from escaping and forced the unfortunate victim mercilessly down the carnivore’s throat. To test the effect of the mosasaur’s jaws, the Discovery researchers built a life-size replica. It demonstrates that a mosasaur could eat 500 pounds of meat in just 20 seconds, by tearing off four-foot chunks of large animals or swallowing smaller prey in one gulp.

虽然沧龙的口部与暴龙的一样巨大，它们却更吓人，因为牠们的上颚多了一排牙齿。这项独特的进化特性可防止被捕猎物逃脱，残忍地迫使这些不幸的受害者落入这肉食性动物的深喉中。为了测试沧龙颌部的威力，探索频道的研究人员建造了一个符合真实大小的复制品。结果显示，一只沧龙在大口撕裂大型猎物身上的肉，或一口吞下较小型猎物的时候，可以在20秒内吃下500磅的肉。

 

The mosasaur was the ultimate predator; no other creature could defeat it. What, then, ended its reign? The same disaster that spelled doom for the dinosaurs: the impact of a massive asteroid that filled the atmosphere with debris, blocked out the sun, and wiped out the mosasaur’s food chain.

沧龙是终极猎食者；没有其他生物可以击败牠。那么，究竟是什么东西结束了牠的统治期呢？其实就是带给恐龙灾难的同一件祸事：巨大行星的撞击，使得大气充满了行星碎片与灰尘微粒，阻挡了太阳，也彻底摧毁了沧龙的食物链。

 

In upcoming episodes, Monster Resurrected investigates more of prehistory’s most terrifying predators. Every show is a detective story; you wouldn’t want to miss out!

在接下来的节目中，《远古巨兽大复活》会探究更多最令人畏惧的史前掠食者。每一集都是侦探故事；你绝对不会想错过！

 

−by Barry Hall

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

awesome [ˋɔsəm] adj. 令人敬畏的

reptile [ˋrɛptaɪl] n. 爬行动物；爬虫类

supreme [səˋprim] adj. 最高的，至上的

marine [məˋrin] adj. 海的；海生的

adaptation [͵ædæpˋteʃən] n. 适应性的变化，适应

capture [ˋkæptʃɚ] v. 捕获；俘虏

escape [əˋskep] v. 逃跑；逃脱

mercilessly [ˋmɝsɪlɪslɪ] adv. 无情地；残忍地

demonstrate [ˋdɛmən͵stret] v. 证明

defeat [dɪˋfit] v. 战胜，击败

reign [ren] n. 统治；支配

wipe out 彻底消灭或摧毁某事物 to destroy or be destroyed completely

investigate [ɪnˋvɛstə͵get] v. 查明〔犯罪﹑事故或科学问题等的真相〕; 调查

detective [dɪˋtɛktɪv] n. 侦探

miss out【口】失去获得利益或获得乐趣的机会

 

 

More Information

单词发音

 

mosasaur [ˌmosə'sɔr] n. 沧龙

aquatic [əˋkwætɪk] adj. 水生的；水栖的

tyrannosaurus [taɪ͵rænəˋsɔrəs] n.【古生】暴龙

plesiosaur [ˋplisɪəsɔr] n. 蛇颈龙

carnivore [ˋkɑrnə͵vɔr] n. 食肉动物

life-size [ˋlaɪfˋsaɪz] adj. 与实物大小一样的

chunk [tʃʌŋk] n. 矮而壮实的人（或马）

gulp [gʌlp] n. 吞咽；一（大）口

spell [spɛl] v. 导致; 招致

asteroid [ˋæstə͵rɔɪd] n. 小行星

debris [dəˋbri] n. 碎片; 残骸

 

 

Reading Questions

 

1. What is this article mainly about?

A. Powerful monsters from ancient mythology.

B. The most dangerous animals on Earth.

C. Deadly creatures that are no longer in existence.

D. Furious beasts that may exist in the future.

 

2. Which of the following statements about terror birds is NOT true?

A. They could fly extremely long distances.

B. They were found in North and South America.

C. They killed their prey with their large beaks.

D. They hunted the same animals as wolves.

 

3. What made the mosasaurs unique?

A. They roamed across 85% of the land on Earth.

B. They survived mainly on plants and small animals.

C. They ate slowly and shared their leftovers with other creatures.

D. They had an additional set of teeth hidden in their upper jaws.

 

4. What eventually happened to the mosasaurs?

A. They evolved into tyrannosauruses over time.

B. Their food supply was eliminated after a disaster.

C. They were killed by even larger sea predators.

D. Humans hunted them and they became extinct.

 

 

Mega Beasts: T-Rex of the Deep (HD Quality) [Part 1/5]

 

 

Mega Beasts: T-Rex of the Deep (HD Quality) [Part 2/5]

 

 

Tyrannosaurus REX (Extreme Survivor)

 

 

 

 

 

Answer

1. ( C )

2. ( A )

3. ( D )

4. ( B )