英语听力：自然百科 冰冻星球 前往地球尽头—17

Exhausted¹, it no longer has the energy to pull itself to safety. And the killers² are moving in. Game over. Although such team hunts are rarely seen, scientists believe they may be the most complex ever documented in the natural world. They were first witnessed by Captain Scott and his men when they came to explore Antarctic one hundred years ago. 

  Journeying further south, the fragmenting ice is replaced by a permanent sheet that doesn't know even the heat of summer. It is a barrier that many creatures find impossible. It repels³ even powerful mink⁴ whales. They have to turn back if they can't no longer reach the air that they need to breathe.

    Under the ice, life has to be extremely specialized⁵ to survive.Few of us will ever experience this strange, mysterious world. And as yet, no one knows much about it. The crystalized surface of ice-styl tights provides a home for ice fish whose bodies are full of antifreeze. The sailing of ice shelters those living below it from the violent polar weather that rages above. Little here has changed for millions of years. The cold allows animals to grow very slowly and become giants.

1 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

3 repels   

v.击退( repel的第三人称单数 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• His manner repels me. 他的举止让我厌恶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her callous attitude repels me. 她冷酷无情的态度引起我的反感。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mink   

n.貂，貂皮

参考例句：

• She was wearing a blue dress and a mink coat.她穿着一身蓝色的套装和一件貂皮大衣。
• He started a mink ranch and made a fortune in five years. 他开了个水貂养殖场，五年之内就赚了不少钱。

5 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。