时差N小时 投弹手甲虫

Is it a beetle¹ or some sort?

它是甲虫还是什么？

Right in deed.It's a bombardierbeetle.

就是甲虫，它是一只投弹手甲虫。

This one is an African species, but it could be found on most other continentstoo.

虽然它是非洲品种，却也能在其它大多数洲找到。

Bombardier? He releases bomb or some sort?

投弹手？它会放炸弹还是怎么的？

He may look harmless, but when threatened, this little guy fires a rapid spray of boiling hot,

这个小东西看起来是无害的，但受到威胁时就会放出沸腾的热水喷雾，

toxic² chemicals that can kill an insect attacker.

和可以杀死攻击它的昆虫的有毒化学物质。

The release of the chemicals makes an explosivepopping sound, like a tiny bomb detonating.

该化学物质释放时会发出一阵很大的爆炸声，就像一个小炸弹被引爆了。

These beetles³ are great marksmen, too.

这些甲虫还是伟大的射手。

The chemicals are released from its abdomen⁴, whichit can rotate to adjust its aim.

它们从腹部释放化学物质，腹部可以转动以调整目标。

There is no part of the beetle’s body that a predator⁵ can safelyattack.

而且它们的捕食者没有谁能在攻击这些甲虫后毫发无损。

How do this hot,toxic not injure or kill the beetle from the inside?

为什么这些在甲虫体内的热的、有毒的物质并没有伤害或者是杀死它们呢？

The toxicity⁶ and heat are not constant inside the beetle, but are produced by a binarychemical reaction.

这些热的有毒物质在甲虫体内并不是恒定不变的，它们是一个二元化学反映的产物。

This means that the toxicspray is a combination of two main chemicals that arerelatively harmless on their own.

这就意味着该有毒喷雾是两种对甲虫本身就无害的化学物质的化合物。

They’re stored in separate compartments⁷ in the beetle’s body until it needs them.

它们被储蓄在甲虫体内的不同区域。直到被需要时它们就会释放到一个叫做“反应室”的不一样的地方。

1 beetle   

n.甲虫，近视眼的人

参考例句：

• A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
• He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

2 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

3 beetles   

n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 abdomen   

n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分)

参考例句：

• How to know to there is ascarid inside abdomen?怎样知道肚子里面有蛔虫？
• He was anxious about an off-and-on pain the abdomen.他因时隐时现的腹痛而焦虑。

5 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

6 toxicity   

n.毒性，毒力

参考例句：

• The hoarse grunt or squeal is characteristic of toxicity.嘶哑的哼声和叫声是中毒的特征。
• Dieldrin is related to aldrin,and its toxicity to earthworms is similar.狄氏剂与艾氏剂有关，对蚯蚓的毒性是相似的。

7 compartments   

n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层

参考例句：

• Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》