侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第106期:第一个冰河大陆块形成

 　　Now, Ceratosaurus had appeared on earth long before the first Allosaurus showed up.

　　角鼻龙在地球上的出现远要早于最早的异特龙。

　　But towards the end of Jurassic, we find fewer and fewer skeletons of Ceratosaurus, but more and more skeletons of Allosaurus.

　　不过在侏罗纪末期，我们发现的角鼻龙骨骸越来越少，而异特龙的则越来越多。

　　This suggests that Allosaurus was out-competing Ceratosaurus and ultimately displaced it as the top predator¹ of its time.

　　这表明异特龙在竞争之中优于角鼻龙，并且最终取代了它成为当时的顶级掠食者。

　　Allosaurus had little trouble dispatching its rivals.

　　异特龙要击败对手并没有什么困难。

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　　But nature was slowly tightening² a noose³ surrounding its neck.

　　不过大自然却渐渐地勒紧了它脖子上的绳套。

　　By the end of the Jurassic, the planet was beginning to cool.

　　在侏罗纪末期，全球开始变冷。

　　As the continents continued to break apart, it changed the ocean currents.

　　随着大陆继续分离，它改变了海洋洋流。

　　This, in turn, had various effects on the weather.

　　这，反过来对天气产生了各种影响。

　　Now, a change in the weather may not sound like a big deal, but every single life form owns its existence to the environment and when that environment changes, it sets into motion a series of things that can start to fall like dominos.

　　现在，气候的变化听起来也许没什么大不了，不过每一种生命形式都依靠其环境而生存，当环境发生变化时就带动了一系列东西能像多米诺骨牌那样倒下。

　　And the bigger you are, the harder you fall.

　　你越大，倒下得越猛烈。

　　Gigantic dinosaurs⁴ like Allosaurus requires larger amounts of food and water to survive.

　　异特龙这样巨大的恐龙需要大量食物和水才能生存。

　　Even a slight drop in temperature would, over time, reduce its food supply enough to spell extinction⁵.

　　即使气温只下降一点儿，随着时间的推移，也能将其食物供给减小到足以招致灭绝。

　　For 11 million years, Allosaurus ruled what became North America as the biggest predator.

　　一千一百万年间，异特龙作为最大的掠食者统治着那时的北美洲。

　　But its inability to adapt to the changing environments of the late Jurassic period opened the door for a smaller, faster model, one that was terrifying.

　　不过它没有能力适应侏罗纪末期的环境变化给了一种更小更快的恐龙可乘之机，这是种非常可怕的恐龙。

　　With temperatures dropping, the first ice caps formed, the oceans cooled, and seasonal⁶ changes in weather patterns began.

　　随着温度的下降，第一个冰河大陆块形成了，海洋变冷了，气候模式的季节变化开始了。

　　The entire face of the planet changed and the dinosaurs were dramatically effected.

　　整个地球的面貌改变了，恐龙受到了显著的影响。

　　At the end of the Jurassic period, the earth had begun to cool.

　　在侏罗纪末期，地球开始变冷。

　　Dinosaurs like Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Stegosaurus were unable to adapt to these changing environments and it ultimately wiped them from the fossil record.

　　一些恐龙，如异特龙、角鼻龙、圆顶龙和剑龙无法适应正在变化的环境，最终从化石记录上消失无踪。

　　A change in the climate usually means a change in the plant life.

　　气候的变化往往意味着植物生命的变化。

　　If the herbivores can't eat these new plants, then they perish.

　　如果植食动物不能进食这些新植物，它们就会消亡。

　　And then in turn, the predators⁷ have nothing to prey⁸ on, and they die as well.

　　然后反过来，掠食者没有了猎物，它们也会死。

1 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。

2 tightening   

上紧，固定，紧密

参考例句：

• Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。
• It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

3 noose   

n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑

参考例句：

• They tied a noose round her neck.他们在她脖子上系了一个活扣。
• A hangman's noose had already been placed around his neck.一个绞刑的绳圈已经套在他的脖子上。

4 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

6 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

7 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》

8 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。