侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第67期:在湖床上来去自如

 Three Allosaurus have killed a Ceratosaurus.

三头异特龙杀死了一头角鼻龙。

A Stegosaurus, wielding¹ his lethal² tail spikes³, has killed one of the unsuspecting Allosaurus.

一头剑龙抡起致命的尾刺干掉了一头没有防备的异特龙。

A hundred meters away, the surviving allosaurs focus their attention on a Camarasaurus stuck in the mud.

一百米外幸存的异特龙集中精力对付陷入泥中的圆顶龙。

Using their two key weapons - sharp teeth and vicious claws they inflict⁴ serious wounds.

它们用尖牙厉爪-两种致命武器留下了可怕的伤口。

If they can make the kill, the predators⁵ will feast for days.

如果它们猎杀成功就能大快朵颐多日。

The Camarasaurus, despite being at a clear disadvantage, wages a strong self-defense.

圆顶龙尽管明显处于下风也有很强的自卫能力。

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The Allosaurus stalk their prey⁶, looking for a weak spot.

异特龙追踪者它们猎物的动作寻找其弱点。

If one of the Allosaurus can get to the soft skin of the neck, they might be able to sever⁷ a major artery⁸ or cut off the air to the lungs.

如果一头异特龙能咬到其颈部柔软的皮肤，就有可能切断大动脉或者切开气管让其无法呼吸。

That will absolutely end this battle and bring down their behemoth prey.

这样绝对能够终结战斗放倒它们庞大无比的猎物。

The Allosaurus circle.

异特龙绕着猎物走动。

They use an anatomical adaptation to their advantage - splayed toes.

它们在利用自己的解剖学优势分开的脚趾。

The Allosaurus' don't get stuck in the mud like the Camarasaurus for two reasons.

有两种原因使得异特龙不会像圆顶龙一样陷进泥里。

Number one, they don't weigh as much.

第一是它们的重量没那么大。

But number two, they have a remarkable⁹ adaptation, it's the design of their foot.

但是第二则是它们了不起的适应力是它们脚部的设计。

Like modern birds, their toes are splayed out in three different directions.

就像现代鸟类一样它们的脚趾分开伸向三个不同方向。

This configuration¹⁰ gives them incredible traction¹¹ when their running at high speeds, but it also gives them stability.

该布局能让它们在高速跑动时获得出色的牵引力但同时又能给它们带来稳定性。

And the weight of the body is distributed between these three toes and not straight down as in the foot of Camarasaurus.

它们的体重被分布到这三个脚趾而不是像圆顶龙那样直接通过脚传向下方。

They work like snowshoes, keeping the body from breaking through the upper hard crust while allowing them unimpeded movement across the lakebed.

这些脚趾如同雪地鞋使其能够在湖床上来去自如，身体不至于压穿泥地硬壳。

One of the Allosaurus attacks.

一头异特龙发动了攻击。

The Camarasaurus is quick to respond.

圆顶龙的反应很快。

Like a freight train, the impact crushes the ribs¹² and splinters the arms of Allosaurus and drives its own humorus deep into its chest.

这一击力量如同火车击碎了异特龙肋骨、折断了其臂骨并且使其肱骨深深插进胸部。

The momentum¹³ of the tail allows the Camarasaurus's front legs to become free.

尾巴的冲力使得圆顶龙的前脚被解放出来。

Using the power in its rear legs, it raises its body.

它用后腿的力量抬起身体。

The other Allosaurus darts¹⁴ in.

另一头异特龙冲了过来。

The Allosaurus can't stop.

这头异特龙停不下来。

Its momentum literally¹⁵ drives it directly under the foot of the massive Sauropod.

巨大的惯性把它直接送到了这硕大的蜥脚类恐龙脚下。

The Camarasaurus crushes its last remaining rival.

圆顶龙消灭了最后的对手。

But its victory would be short lived.

不过胜利不会维持很久。

With all of its energy spent, and once again firmly stuck in the mud, the Camarasaurus is condemned¹⁶ to a slow, agonizing¹⁷ death.

它已经用尽了所有力气再一次被牢牢困住泥里，圆顶龙注定要慢慢地、痛苦地死去。

1 wielding   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The rebels were wielding sticks of dynamite. 叛乱分子舞动着棒状炸药。
• He is wielding a knife. 他在挥舞着一把刀。

2 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

3 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

5 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》

6 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

7 sever   

v.切开，割开；断绝，中断

参考例句：

• She wanted to sever all her connections with the firm.她想断绝和那家公司的所有联系。
• We must never sever the cultural vein of our nation.我们不能割断民族的文化血脉。

8 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

11 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

12 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

13 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

14 darts   

n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

16 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

17 agonizing   

adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式)

参考例句：

• I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not. 我用了好些天苦苦思考是否接受这个工作。
• his father's agonizing death 他父亲极度痛苦的死