侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第137期:与短面熊交战

 　　Oversized teeth, sharp claws, speed and gargantuan¹ size led experts to first believe that this was a predator² with few adversaries³.

　　超大的牙齿、锋利的爪子、速度还有其巨大的体型，这些让专家们开始时认为这种掠食者没有什么对手。

　　First of all, I don't think that any sane⁴ animal would try to engage with this huge short-faced bear.

　　首先，我觉得没有哪种神志清醒的动物会自己主动跟这么大的短面熊交战。

　　In fact, it probably was the bully⁵ of the plains.

　　其实，它很可能就是平原上的恶霸。

　　So no doubt it would have been very intimidating⁶ for other carnivores to come across.

　　毫无疑问其它附近的肉食动物都会对它望而却步。

　　If in fact another carnivore would come into the scene, I would hope that that carnivore had friends with it.

　　如果有其它肉食动物来到它近前，我真希望那个肉食动物能有帮手。

　　By studying its skeletal design, and comparing it to the grizzly⁷ bear, experts believe the Arctodus would use its sheer size to stun⁸ its victim.

　　通过研究它的骨架构造，并且跟灰熊进行比较，专家们相信熊齿兽会用其庞大体型来震慑它的受害者。

　　They go straight in and these bears being extremely large sized are going to have this tremendous impact.

　　它们会直冲过去，而且这些体型巨大无比的胸就要发动这可怕的冲击了。

　　Rear up on the hind⁹ legs, show how big they are which really magnifies this size.Spread out those front paws and open that big mouth to show those big teeth.

　　它们用后腿站起来，展示它们巨大，这样真的能放大它的体型。它们伸出其前掌并且张开大嘴露出巨大的牙齿。

　　I think that would scare almost anything away.

　　我认为那几乎能吓退所有对手。

　　Even though he's a massive animal, he can still sustain injury.

　　尽管它是巨大的动物，它仍然会受伤。

　　So the first thing you want to do is you want to chase away your potential rival.

　　所以它的首选就是把潜在对手赶走。

　　But if that doesn't work, then you go to step two.

　　不过要是那不管用，那就开始第二步。

　　Scientists determined¹⁰ that using all its weight, the bear was particularly well adapted to attack in close quarters.

　　科学家们认为这种熊会用全部体重，特别适合在肉搏战里发动攻击。

　　These short-faced bears would have been well adapted for close combat.

　　短面熊特别适合贴身肉搏。

　　And so at close distance, these exceptionally long arms with the big claws would have been really efficient tools for knocking away other predators¹¹.

　　而且在近距离时，它长得出奇的前肢，加上巨大的爪子会是非常有效的工具，能够击退其它掠食者。

　　But by standing¹² on its hind legs, the bear would reveal a vulnerable spot, its soft underbelly.

　　不过在用后腿站立时，短面熊会暴露出薄弱环节，它柔软的下腹。

　　If you tried to attack the bear when it's in that position, then its forepaws are in a perfect position to take a swipe at you, and if you come in too close, then you are going to become a participant in the famous bear hug, which is not also going to have a happy ending, especially because then it can reach down and bite you at that time too.

　　如果你想要在这种熊以那种姿势站立的时候攻击它，那么它的前脚正处于朝你划过来的绝佳位置，如果你靠的太近，那你就能亲身体验到出名的熊抱，估计这不会有什么圆满结果，特别是它同时还能探下身去咬你。

1 gargantuan   

adj.巨大的，庞大的

参考例句：

• My gargantuan,pristine machine was good for writing papers and playing solitaire,and that was all.我那庞大的、早期的计算机只适合写文章和玩纸牌游戏，就这些。
• Right away,I realized this was a mistake of gargantuan proportions.我立刻意识到这是一个巨大的错误。

2 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。

3 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

4 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

5 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

6 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

7 grizzly   

adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊

参考例句：

• This grizzly liked people.这只灰熊却喜欢人。
• Grizzly bears are not generally social creatures.一般说来，灰熊不是社交型动物。

8 stun   

vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹

参考例句：

• When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时，我当时完全惊呆了。
• Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地，被一下打昏了。

9 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 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》

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。