侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第147期:为了猎物大打出手

 　　The Ice Age had come to an end.And global warming had thrown the eco-system into utter chaos¹.

　　冰期已近尾声。全球变暖让生态系统彻底混乱。

　　Animals were forced to adapt, migrate or die.

　　动物们被迫适应、迁徙或死亡。

　　Mass migration² brought new diseases that indigenous³ creatures had no resistance to.

　　大规模迁徙将带来了当地生物无法抵抗的新疾病。

　　With the food supply dwindling⁴, even dominant⁵ predators⁶ could find themselves fighting over prey⁷.

　　随着食物供应的减少，就连统治性的掠食者也需要为了猎物而大打出手。

　　Bison were one of the few herbivores that thrived in the warmer temperatures.

　　野牛是为数不多的能在较暖的气候下繁茂生长的植食动物。

　　The grasslands⁸ expanded in the heat, offering them a larger food supply.

　　草场在高温下扩张，给它们带来更多的食物。

　　The bear's attention is clearly on the bison.

　　短面熊的注意力显然在野牛身上。

　　Its mind is no longer focused on the fight.

　　它的心思已经不再集中在打斗上了。

　　Although the lion is down, he's certainly not out.

　　尽管拟狮已经倒下，可是还没有出局。

　　The lion was most comfortable hunting at night.

　　拟狮最喜欢在夜间猎食。

　　Like all cats, his large eyes gave him superior night vision.

　　和所有猫科动物一样，它的大眼睛让它有出色的夜视能力。

　　But that does not help him now.

　　不过那现在帮不上什么。

　　The only hope the lion has is to crush the windpipe of the bear.

　　拟狮唯一有的希望是咬断熊的喉管。

　　If it can bite with enough force to penetrate⁹ that thick hide of the bear, he'll succeed in winning the day.

　　如果它有足够的力气咬穿短面熊的厚皮，它就会是今天的赢家。

　　The lion's long tail gives him added agility¹⁰.

　　拟狮的长尾巴让它格外灵活。

　　Before the lion can reach the bear's throat, the bear is able to hold off the attacker with its arms.

　　在拟狮能够咬到熊的喉咙之前，短面熊能够用前肢挡住进攻者。

　　The lion tries in vain to grab the throat, but the bear is just too powerful.

　　拟狮徒劳地试图抓住熊的喉咙，短面熊实在太过强壮。

　　The Ice Age favored power over speed.

　　冰期钟爱力量多过速度。

　　Larger animals were better insulated.

　　更大的动物保暖更佳。

　　The lion is in excruciating pain from the force of the bear's throw, but he won't give up.

　　被熊摔得太狠拟狮处于剧痛中，但它并不放弃。

　　Because of the lack of available food, his survival instincts won't allow him to turn tail and run, even though it seems like he is fighting a losing battle.

　　因为食物的缺乏，它的生存本能不允许它夹着尾巴逃跑，尽管它似乎在打一场输定了的战斗。

　　He turns to face the bear and bellows¹¹ a huge roar to send a clear message - this fight is to the death.

　　它转身面对熊发出巨大的吼叫，来明确地传达消息——这是生死之战。

　　The bear's roar matches that of the lion.

　　短面熊也用巨声吼叫回应拟狮。

　　The lion scores a direct hit to the face of the bear.

　　拟狮直接击中了短面熊的脸部。

　　Temporarily blinded and disoriented, the bear loses its footing and crashes to the ground.

　　让它一时间晕头转向、看不到东西，短面熊立足不稳摔倒在地上。

　　This gives the lion the opening that it's been waiting for.

　　这给了拟狮它等待已久的良机。

1 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

2 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

3 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

4 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

5 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

6 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》

7 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。

8 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

10 agility   

n.敏捷，活泼

参考例句：

• The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
• His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

11 bellows   

n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫

参考例句：

• His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
• You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想，你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句