英语听力文摘 English Digest 567、睁一只眼睡觉！！

 　　Sleeping With One Eye Open

 

　　There’s an old saying that if you think you’re in danger, you might ought to sleep with one eye open.

 

　　Well it turns out that many kinds of birds do just that.

 

　　A group of scientists at Indiana State University studied mallard ducks to learn more about this trait¹. They filmed a row of ducks while they were sleeping. Sure enough they found that a good part of the time the ducks at the ends of the row kept the eye facing away from the group open, while the eye toward² the other ducks closed in sleep. The ducks within the row were more likely to close both of their eyes to sleep.

 

　　The ducks at the ends of the line were actually controlling which side of the brain stayed awake, and which dozed³. They were engaging in what scientists call single-hemisphere sleep. The eye controlled by the sleeping side of the brain closed, while the active side kept its eye open and on the lookout⁴.

 

　　You can see how this is good for the group and for the lookout duck as well. The group gets the protection from having someone pulling guard duty, while the guard duck is at least able to get some rest.

 

 

　　睁一只眼睡觉

 

　　有个很老的说法，如果你觉得自己处于危险之中，你会睁着一只眼睡觉。

 

　　事实证明许多鸟类确实如此。

 

　　印第安纳州立大学的一群科学家通过研究野鸭，对它们这个习性有了更多的了解。科学家们在鸭子们睡觉时进行拍摄。果然，他们发现队伍两端的鸭子朝外的那只眼睛长时间睁着，而朝向其它鸭子的那只眼睛闭着睡觉。在队列中间的鸭子们则双眼紧闭睡觉。

 

　　队列两端的鸭子实际上在控制哪边的大脑保持清醒与休息。它们处于科学家们所称的单边睡眠的状态。被睡眠状态大脑控制的眼睛闭上，而被运转状态大脑控制的眼睛睁开放哨。

 

　　这种习性对整个群体及放哨鸭子非常有益。鸭群通过一些鸭子放哨获得保护，而同时放哨鸭子至少能得到一些休息。

1 trait   

n.显著特点，特性

参考例句：

• Creativity is a human trait.创造力是人类的一种特性。
• Repose of manner is an estimable trait in a horse.神情镇定是一匹马可贵的特质。

2 toward   

prep.对于，关于，接近，将近，向，朝

参考例句：

• Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
• Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了，并跑了过去。

3 dozed   

v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He boozed till daylight and dozed into the afternoon. 他喝了个通霄，昏沉沉地一直睡到下午。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• I dozed off during the soporific music. 我听到这催人入睡的音乐，便不知不觉打起盹儿来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 lookout   

n.注意，前途，瞭望台

参考例句：

• You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
• It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。