时差N小时 在企鹅蛋壳上行走

Yael: Today, we're talking penguin¹ eggs.

今天，我们来谈下企鹅的蛋。

Don: Why?

为什么？

Y: Penguins² lay their eggs on hard surfaces near coastlines, or they might dig burrows³ if the soil permits. And because they're optimized⁴ for swimming rather than walking, it's difficult for penguins to gather a lot of soft nesting material. See the problem?

企鹅在海岸边坚硬的地表产蛋，如果土地合适，它们也会挖洞。因为它们更擅长游泳而不是走路，对企鹅来说要收集到很多柔软的筑巢的材料是很难的。明白问题了吧？

 D: Hmm! the penguin lifestyle isn't exactly eggshell-friendly.

企鹅的生活方式对蛋壳来说并不很友好。

Y: And that's not counting the nasty fights penguins can get into over things like space for their nests or burrows, and the stones that some species pile up around their nests if they're in the open.

那还不包括，企鹅为了争夺筑巢或洞穴领地而发生的激烈争斗，而且如果企鹅在开阔地，它们会在巢穴旁堆积石块。

D: I bet all that hubbub⁵ isn't very good for eggs either. So do penguins lose more eggs than other species?

我打赌所有的吵闹声对蛋也是不利的。那企鹅会比其它物种损失更多的蛋吗？

Y: Actually, according to one study, only 2.6 percent of penguin eggs break from causes other than human interference or predators⁶. That rate is similar to the rate in the rest of the bird world, even including those birds that have cushy nests and never fight near their eggs.

事实上，根据一份研究显示，排除人类的破坏和掠夺者的影响，只有2.6%的企鹅蛋会破裂。这个机率和其它鸟类是一样的，甚至包括那些有舒适的巢穴且从不在蛋附近打架的鸟类。

D: So how do they do it? By producing thicker shells?

那企鹅是怎样做的？产出更厚的蛋壳？

Y: Yep. Penguin eggshells are fifty percent thicker than expected for their size. But it isn't easy to produce thick egg shells. It requires a lot of calcium⁷, more than female penguins normally get in their diets.

是的，企鹅蛋壳比估计的尺寸要厚一般。但是不容易产出厚蛋壳，这需要很多钙，远多于雌性企鹅正常猎食中所获得的钙。

D: And they can't just run to the store for a supplement.

而且它们还不能去商店来补充。

Y: Nope. So in the period right before they lay eggs, female penguins eat a lot of mollusks. The clam⁸ and mussel shells in their stomachs slowly leach⁹ calcium which is then used to form eggshells. Incidentally, thicker shells also help prevent breakage for birds that lay eggs on rocks, and for ostriches¹⁰ and rheas.

不能。所以在企鹅产蛋前，雌企鹅会吃很多软体动物，胃中的蚌和贝壳类会缓慢 过滤用于形成蛋壳的钙。顺便说一句，厚蛋壳还能避免企鹅在岩石上产蛋时蛋壳的破损，就像鸵鸟和美洲驼一样。

D: I always did wonder about those ostriches.

我总是对这些鸵鸟感到惊奇。

1 penguin   

n.企鹅

参考例句：

• The penguin is a flightless bird.企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟。
• He walked with an awkward gait like a penguin.他走路的步子难看得就像企鹅。

2 penguins   

n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why can penguins live in cold environment? 为什么企鹅能生活在寒冷的环境中？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whales, seals, penguins, and turtles have flippers. 鲸、海豹，企鹅和海龟均有鳍形肢。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 burrows   

n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻

参考例句：

• The intertidal beach unit contains some organism burrows. 潮间海滩单元含有一些生物潜穴。 来自辞典例句
• A mole burrows its way through the ground. 鼹鼠会在地下钻洞前进。 来自辞典例句

4 optimized   

adj.最佳化的，（使）最优化的v.使最优化，使尽可能有效( optimize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• We are often asked whether consumer Web sites should be optimized for beginners or intermediates. 我们常常被问到这样的问题：消费类网站究竟应该为新手而优化，还是应该为中间用户而优化？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• GOOGLE Advertising optimized sequence, greatly increasing the advertising effect. 优化了GOOGLE广告位排列顺序，大大增加了广告效果。 来自互联网

5 hubbub   

n.嘈杂；骚乱

参考例句：

• The hubbub of voices drowned out the host's voice.嘈杂的声音淹没了主人的声音。
• He concentrated on the work in hand,and the hubbub outside the room simply flowed over him.他埋头于手头的工作，室外的吵闹声他简直象没有听见一般。

6 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

8 clam   

n.蛤，蛤肉

参考例句：

• Yup!I also like clam soup and sea cucumbers.对呀！我还喜欢蛤仔汤和海参。
• The barnacle and the clam are two examples of filter feeders.藤壶和蛤类是滤过觅食者的两种例子。

9 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

10 ostriches   

n.鸵鸟( ostrich的名词复数 )；逃避现实的人，不愿正视现实者

参考例句：

• They are the silliest lot of old ostriches I ever heard of. 他们真是我闻所未闻的一群最傻的老鸵鸟。 来自辞典例句
• How ostriches could bear to run so hard in this heat I never succeed in understanding. 驼鸟在这样干燥炎热的地带为什么能疾速长跑，我永远也理解不了。 来自辞典例句