英语听力：自然百科 秋日黄石公园 Autumn—12

 Now he must gather the last of his strength. The rival wants to take him on. The aim is to get an antler point into his neck. But they are evenly matched. Neither can penetrate¹ the other's guard. Now, it's all about power. A well-aimed thrust or a broken neck will kill. 

 

This challenger is lucky to get off with just a parting stab in the rump. The victor returns to his females. His young will be born next spring. But the prospects² are not so good for a defeated bull. After all this effort, he will now have to wait until next autumn to try his luck again. That's if he even makes it. Bull elk³, exhausted⁴ by the rut, struggle/ to survive the Yellowstone winter. 

 

It's now October and the winter is catching⁵ up with the elk once more. An early flurry of snow is a sign that it's / time to make a decision.

 

1 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。

2 prospects   

n.希望，前途(恒为复数)

参考例句：

• There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
• They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

3 elk   

n.麋鹿

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。
• The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。

4 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。

5 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。