趣味英语听力材料《地松鼠与响尾蛇》
当地松鼠遇上响尾蛇,我们理所应当地认为弱小会被邪恶所战胜,但是也许事实会让你大吃一惊。不信就来走进下面这篇英语听力的世界,让你知道地松鼠是如何战胜响尾蛇的。
So let's say you're a common ground squirrel. Just for a moment, pretend you're minding your own business, searching for seeds, doing whatever it is that squirrels like to do. Then, suddenly, out from behind a bush slithers a huge, sinister rattlesnake, coiled and ready to strike. What do you do?
假如你是一只普通的地松鼠,在专注于自己的事情,寻找种子吃,或者在做任何松鼠喜欢做的事。突然,从你身后的灌木丛中爬出了一条巨大的、凶恶的响尾蛇,它盘绕起身体,准备好了对你进行攻击。你该怎么办呢?
Obviously, you run away, play dead, or perhaps negotiate a deal of some sort. In any case, given that you're a furry, gentle squirrel and the snake is a deadly, rattling killer, whatever you do, you don't stand your ground and fight. Right?
显然,你会选择逃跑,装死,也可能会与它谈谈条件。鉴于自己是一只毛茸茸的,温顺的松鼠,而响尾蛇则是致命的杀手,无论如何你都不会站在原地与之进行搏斗,对吧?
Wrong! Calling upon the instincts passed down from your ancient squirrel ancestors, you rush at the snake, kick sand in its face, try to bite its tail, and then turn your back on it and whip your tail around.
你错了!从祖先那里继承的本能会让松鼠冲向响尾蛇,向它的脸上踢沙子,试图咬它的尾巴,接着转过身来,摇动自己的尾巴。
Now why on earth, you might be wondering, would my squirrel self take such suicidal measures? Kicking sand and biting might do some good, but tail waving? Why further taunt a venom-fanged snake already bent on violence?
你可能会感到不解,为何松鼠会选择这种以鸡蛋碰石头的做法?踢沙子和咬尾巴可能还管点用,但摇尾巴又是意欲为何呢?面对已经俯身做好攻击准备的、带有毒牙的蛇,松鼠为何还要进行挑衅呢?
As you may have guessed, there is a method to such madness. When confronted by a rattlesnake, squirrels' tails heat up, getting hotter by almost four degrees Fahrenheit. The infra-red sensors built into rattlesnakes' eye sockets sense this increase in temperature as a big, waving, fiery blotch.
可能你也猜到了,松鼠的这种看似疯狂的做法其实是有它的`道理的。当遇到响尾蛇时,松鼠的尾巴会变热,温度上升大约4度(华氏)。而通过眼睛窝中的红外线感应组织,响尾蛇感受到的则是一个大的,摆动的红点。
This alarming display, plus the fact that squirrels are partially immune to rattlesnake venom, actually gives the squirrel a distinct advantage when it confronts a rattlesnake. More often than not, the rattlesnake will slither away in search of a less intimidating foe.
这种让蛇方寸大乱的表演,再加上松鼠对响尾蛇的毒液有一定的免疫力,让松鼠在遇到响尾蛇的时候具有了本能优势。多数情况下,响尾蛇会爬开,去寻找不这么吓人的猎物。
Notes:
ground squirrel: 地松鼠
negotiate a deal: 商议一笔交易;谈谈条件
stand your ground: 坚持到底(坚守阵地,坚持立场,固执己见)
-
学好英语听力的方法
一、精听材料1、经典英语听力教材,可根据自身水平选择。《英语900句》:900个基本句型加上衍生的3600个常用句型,虽然部分句型有些过时,但仍不失为优秀的交际句型启蒙材料。《走遍美国》(FamilyAlbum,USA):开拓电视剧英语教学先河,精美的制作+地道的美语表达+精选的知识...
-
快速提高英语听力技巧解析
英语听力对于学英语的同学们来说都不陌生,同时也是最苦恼的一项。因为语言是一种文化,它需要一种氛围,那理想的学习办法就是把你扔到只能用英语交流的地方,不出3个月,同样你也可以将英语听的如果自己的母语一样。但是现实是骨感的,也因此,我们要如何在现在的环境中更...
-
高二英语听力指导方法
高二英语的无论是听力练习还是还是考试测试,大家能最烦就是听力考试。也许是大家还没有掌握技巧和方法,以下是小编整理高二英语听力测试的方法希望可以帮助大家提高自己的听力能力。一、调节情绪,要保持良好心态听力测试具有瞬时效应、信息效应和心理效应的特点,需...
-
训练英语听力的方法13篇
训练英语听力的方法1一.听说训练中应注意几个问题一般英语学习者,在全面提高英语的前提下,要提高听、说能力,应首先注意以下三点:1.注意区分和模仿正确的语音、语调在英语里有不少读音相近,但意思却截然不同的词汇,象cure[kjue](医愈)和kill[kill](杀死),menu(菜单)和m...