新概念英语85年上外美音版第四册 第32课

　　Lesson 32 The Past Life of the Earth 古代地球上的生命
It is animals and plants which lived in or near water whose remains¹ are most likely to be preserved, for one of the necessary conditions of preservation² is quick burial, and it is only in the seas and rivers, and sometimes lakes, where mud and silt³ have been continuously deposited, that bodies and the like can be rapidly covered over and preserved.
But even in the most favourable⁴ circumstances only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved in this way before decay sets in or, even more likely, before scavengers eat them. After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive, and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided. The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved, for there is seldom anything to cover them over. When you think of the innumerable birds that one sees flying about, not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see, it is very rarely that one comes across a dead body, except, of course, on the roads. They decompose⁶ and are quickly destroyed by the weather or eaten by some other creature.
It is almost always due to some very special circumstances that traces of land animals survive, as by falling into inaccessible⁷ caves, or into an ice crevasse⁸, like the Siberian mammoths, when the whole animal is sometimes preserved, as in a refrigerator. This is what happened to the famous Beresovka mammoth⁹ which was found preserved and in good condition. In his mouth were the remains of fir trees--the last meal that he had before he fell into the crevasse and broke his back. The mammoth has now been restored in the Palaeontological Museum in Leningrad. Other animals were trapped in tar¹⁰ pits, like the elephants, sabretoothed cats, and numerous other creatures that are found at Rancho la Brea, which is now just a suburb of Los Angeles. Apparently¹¹ what happened was that water collected on these tar pits, and the bigger animals like the elephants ventured out on to the apparently firm surface to drink, and were promptly¹² boggedin the tar. And then, when they were dead, the carnivores, like the sabre-toothed cats and the giant wolves, came out to feed and suffered exactly the same fate. There are also endless numbers of birds in the tar as well.
remains: 更多指人；body：（人和动物）都可以
to pay the last respects to his remains 向遗体告别
preservation n.保存
preserved vegetable 腌菜　preserved bean curd¹⁴
She is well-preserved. 她保养得非常好。poorly/badly preserved
set in vi. 开始
Winter has set in early this year. Fatigue¹⁵ sets in when one grows old.
scavenger⁵ n.食尸动物
1. dustman 清道夫，清洁工　2. obscene writer
vegetarian¹⁶: 吃素的 He is a vegetable. (乏味之人) carnivorous: 吃肉的
numerous a. 许多的(数量多)
numeric （about number）关于数字的numbered a. 1.编号的　numbered card  2.时日无多的
mouse: n.
as poor as a church mouse
to play cat and mouse with sb.  e.g. The policeman played cat and mouse with the thief.
She is a mouse. (胆小的)/He is a chicken.
rat:
cat n.猫科动物　feline¹⁷: 猫科的
They live a cat and dog life. (水火不容)
rain cats and dogs (北欧神话中，猫是风神，狗是雷神)
I cat a nap only 15 minutes.  cat’s paw: 牺牲品，受人利用；cat walk
vole: 野鼠，鼹鼠
decompose vt. 腐烂 decay: 逐渐哀老；decompose: 分解；rot: 腐烂
inaccessible a.不能到达的　accessible
The book is accessible to beginners. /The goal is inaccessible.
access n.
Students should have access to a wide range of readings.  attain¹⁸: attainable/unattainable
approach: approachable/unapproachable
Siberia: 西伯得亚　Siberian a. cold currents 寒流　warm currents 暖流
mammoth n. 猛玛 mammoth parade 盛大游行
palaeontological a.古生物学的 pal(a)e=old palaeoanthropology 古人类学
ontology: 物种起源学 palaeolith 旧石器时代　neolith: 新石器时代
palaeography 古文书，古文书学
Leningrad  Stalingrad: Volgograd
pit n.坑
A fall in the pit, a gain in the wit. (吃一堑，长一智)
pitfall¹⁹: 意外的挫折或困难　pit (casino) boss: 赌场老板
saber: 马刀　saber-toothed
NY(New York) LA (Los Angeles) Chicago
venture vi. 冒险
I venture to buy some stocks.
Nothing Ventured, Nothing gained. (不入虎穴，焉得虎子)  joint²⁰ venture 合资企业
bog¹³ vt.&vi.
I’m bogged/troubled/plunged/sunk.
likely=possibly
deposited=saved=piled up 堆积
mud (from the seashore)
the man and the like: 就他那样的人（否定意义）
cover over: 全部覆盖
第一段：强调句1. 加原因状语 2. 加地点状语
favourable=good=ideal
small fraction 小部分
that die 已死的或将要死的
feed on: 靠……为生　I feed on rice./I feed rice. (F) I feed the baby.
live by: 通过　live by the hands 自力更生　live by the mountains
live on=feed on
dead or alive 连缀形容词要做后置定语
ecological²¹ chain: 生物链　the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest
chance=accidental 偶尔　chance meeting　邂逅　chance company 萍水相逢
on land 陆路　 seldom=hardly innumerable=numerous
see sb doing sth.
fly about: 四外飞翔　go about: 转一转
not to mention: 更不用说 = let alone= not to speak of
it is very rarely…(强调句，强调状语)
come across=run into
带other，一般用单数词，any(some)other: 任何一个
traces=remains
as…as…
when: 时间状语（接by falling into inaccessible caves, or into an ice crevasse…）
refrigerator: refrige
preserved: 做主语的宾语补足语  in good condition: 完好状态
tar pits: 焦油坑 collected=assembled 汇集 the carnivores: 肉食动物　　

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

3 silt   

n.淤泥，淤沙，粉砂层，泥沙层；vt.使淤塞；vi.被淤塞

参考例句：

• The lake was almost solid with silt and vegetation.湖里几乎快被淤泥和植物填满了。
• During the annual floods the river deposits its silt on the fields.每年河水泛滥时都会在田野上沉积一层淤泥。

4 favourable   

adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
• We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。

5 scavenger   

n.以腐尸为食的动物，清扫工

参考例句：

• He's just fit for a job as scavenger.他只配当个清道夫。
• He is not a scavenger nor just a moving appetite as some sharks are.它不是食腐动物，也不像有些鲨鱼那样，只知道游来游去满足食欲。

6 decompose   

vi.分解；vt.（使）腐败，（使）腐烂

参考例句：

• The eggs began to decompose after a day in the sun.鸡蛋在太阳下放了一天后开始变坏。
• Most animals decompose very quickly after death.大多数动物死后很快腐烂。

7 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

8 crevasse   

n. 裂缝，破口；v.使有裂缝

参考例句：

• The deep crevasse yawned at their feet.他们脚下的冰川有一道深深的裂缝。
• He fell down a crevasse.他从裂缝处摔了下来。

9 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

10 tar   

n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于

参考例句：

• The roof was covered with tar.屋顶涂抹了一层沥青。
• We use tar to make roads.我们用沥青铺路。

11 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

12 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

13 bog   

n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖

参考例句：

• We were able to pass him a rope before the bog sucked him under.我们终于得以在沼泽把他吞没前把绳子扔给他。
• The path goes across an area of bog.这条小路穿过一片沼泽。

14 curd   

n.凝乳；凝乳状物

参考例句：

• I'd like to add some pepper to the bean curd.我想在豆腐里加一点辣椒粉。
• The next one is bean curd with crab roe.下一个是蟹黄豆腐。

15 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

16 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

17 feline   

adj.猫科的

参考例句：

• As a result,humans have learned to respect feline independence.结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。
• The awakening was almost feline in its stealthiness.这种醒觉，简直和猫的脚步一样地轻悄。

18 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

19 pitfall   

n.隐患，易犯的错误；陷阱，圈套

参考例句：

• The wolf was caught in a pitfall.那只狼是利用陷阱捉到的。
• The biggest potential pitfall may not be technical but budgetary.最大的潜在陷阱可能不是技术问题，而是预算。

20 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

21 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.