侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第118期:挖出最古老的甲龙之一

 　　Gastonia, built like a prehistoric¹ tank, it's body covered in armor.

　　加斯顿龙，身上披盔戴甲仿若史前坦克。

　　Huge spikes² jutted³ from its back and its tail worked like a chainsaw.

　　它的背后支出巨大尖刺尾巴简直如同链锯。

　　It lived alongside one of the most terrifying creatures on Earth - Utahraptor, a giant, supersized raptor.

　　它和地球上最恐怖的生物之一犹他盗龙，一种巨大的迅猛龙，一同生存。

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　　Some of its fossilized secrets are scientifically decoded⁴ as paleontologists explore whether these creatures were ever forced to fight for survival in the most brutal⁵ of terrains⁶.

　　古生物学家在探索这些生物在最残酷的地形中是否曾被迫为了生存而战时，科学地解码它的一些石化的秘密。

　　They were the Earth's largest animals.

　　它们曾是地球上最大的动物。

　　New technology and forensic⁷ evidence helps paleontologists bring to life some of their final moments.

　　新的科技和现场证据帮助古生物学家们重现了它们生命中的最后时刻。

　　The mystery began in October, 1989. In Moab, Utah.

　　谜团出现在1989年十月。在犹他州的摩押。

　　Dinosaur⁸ expert Robert Gaston was on a routine search for fossils when he happened upon a discovery that would rock the prehistoric world.

　　恐龙专家罗伯特·加斯顿偶然做出的一个发现将震撼史前世界时，他正在进行例行的化石搜寻。

　　I was walking along the bottom of the mesa and the mesa had brightly colored bands of purple and green soils on it.

　　我在一个平顶山脚下走着，山上有紫色和绿色土壤，形成鲜艳的带状构造。

　　And so in walking along the bottom I found a piece of armored dinosaur askew⁹ in a piece of this green clay.

　　就在我在山下走的时候，我发现了一块带甲的恐龙斜插在一片绿色的黏土里。

　　And I could see where it had rolled down because it was a freshly eroded¹⁰ piece.

　　我能看出来它从哪里滚下来因为它刚刚风化不久。

　　So I followed that up to the layer where it appeared to be coming out and once I got to the layer, there were dinner plate size pieces of armor, you could see vertebra in the rock.

　　所以我就循迹找到骨头原本所在的那一土层，我一到那里就看到了餐盘般大小的骨甲，能在岩石中看见脊椎骨。

　　And so I knew that there was, you know, quite a bit of this animal in the ground there.

　　所以我知道这个动物很大一部分就在这地下。

　　Gaston had no idea he was about to unearth¹¹ one of the earliest armored dinosaurs¹², a giant porcupine-like monster previously¹³ unknown to science.

　　加斯顿完全没有想到他将要挖出最古老的甲龙之一，一个此前科学所不知道的巨大的豪猪般的怪兽。

　　I realized that what I had found was scientifically significant fairly early on.

　　我很快就意识到这在科学上很有意义。

　　How significant, I didn't realize, but I knew that armored dinosaurs weren't really well known and because their bones are so distinctive¹⁴ being whole pieces of armor, it was easy to see that it was probably some type of animal like that.

　　我并不知道意义有多重大，不过我知道带甲恐龙不算太出名，因为它们骨头非常特殊是整片铠甲，很容易就知道它可能是某种那样的动物。

　　And so I began to realize the ramifications¹⁵ that, you know, not only was this thing, you know, fairly important, but it was going to shed a whole new light on a branch of animals that was poorly known in North America.

　　所以我开始意识到这些分支，不仅是这个东西，非常重要，而且它将照亮北美知之甚少的一个动物分支。

1 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

2 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》

3 jutted   

v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出

参考例句：

• A row of small windows jutted out from the roof. 有一排小窗户从房顶上突出来。
• His jaw jutted stubbornly forward; he would not be denied. 他固执地扬起下巴，一副不肯罢休的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 decoded   

v.译（码），解（码）( decode的过去式和过去分词 )；分析及译解电子信号

参考例句：

• The control unit decoded the 18 bits. 控制器对这18位字进行了译码。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Scientists have decoded the dog genome. 科学家已经译解了狗的基因组。 来自辞典例句

5 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

6 terrains   

n.地形( terrain的名词复数 )；地面；地域；地带

参考例句：

• Scientists call these pieces exotic or suspect terrains. 科学家们把这些小陆块叫外来或嫌疑地块。 来自辞典例句
• In the western of China are intricate terrains and many hilly regions. 我国西部地区地势复杂，多丘陵。 来自互联网

7 forensic   

adj.法庭的，雄辩的

参考例句：

• The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
• The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后，法官于10时30分宣布休庭。

8 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

9 askew   

adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的

参考例句：

• His glasses had been knocked askew by the blow.他的眼镜一下子被打歪了。
• Her hat was slightly askew.她的帽子戴得有点斜。

10 eroded   

adj. 被侵蚀的，有蚀痕的 动词erode的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea. 峭壁表面逐渐被海水侵蚀。
• The stream eroded a channel in the solid rock. 小溪在硬石中侵蚀成一条水道。

11 unearth   

v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出

参考例句：

• Most of the unearth relics remain intact.大多数出土文物仍保持完整无损。
• More human remains have been unearthed in the north.北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

12 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》

13 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

14 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

15 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》