时差N小时 狗比猫弱?(上)

Have you ever noticed that while it's pretty easy to tell your dog is sick,it's much harder to know how your cat or bird are feeling?

你有没有注意到,自家狗生病很容易就被你发现,但很难知晓你的猫或鸟是何感觉?

Well, before you start asking your dog why it can't be more stoic¹ like animals half its size, it's probably worth considering each animal's place in the food chain.

好吧,在开始前问问你的狗为什么不能像身材不及一半大小的动物们更强韧,这可能要考虑每种动物处在食物链当中的位置。

You see, the lower² down the food chain you are, the more important it is for you to hide any sign of illness.

你看,你越是处于食物链下层,隐藏任何疾病的迹象就显得越发重要。

Obvious illness or pain function as red flags for predators³.

明显的疾病或疼痛表象就是对捕食者们举起了白旗。

You may as well wear a sign saying, “Easy meal, guys. Come and get me.”

你就仿佛穿着标志，上面写道:“伙计们，我是顿白来的大餐。过来抓我吧。”

1 stoic   

n.坚忍克己之人，禁欲主义者

参考例句：

• A stoic person responds to hardship with imperturbation.坚忍克己之人经受苦难仍能泰然自若。
• On Rajiv's death a stoic journey began for Mrs Gandhi,supported by her husband's friends.拉吉夫死后，索尼亚在丈夫友人的支持下开始了一段坚忍的历程。

2 lower   

adj.较低的；地位较低的，低等的；低年级的；下游的；vt.放下，降下，放低；减低

参考例句：

• Society is divided into upper,middle and lower classes.社会分为上层、中层和下层阶级。
• This price is his minimum;he refuses to lower it any further.这个价格是他开的最低价，他拒绝再作任何降价。

3 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》