国家地理 追逐抹香鲸的水下摄影师(3)

Scientists know sperm¹ whales as the ocean's largest toothed predators². They have the biggest brains of any known animal, can weigh up to 45 tons, and have been observed displaying humanlike qualities, such as curiosity and playfulness. But despite their size and their expressiveness³, sperm whales remain one of the ocean's biggest mysteries. Do they share complex ideas? What are the dynamics⁴ in their family groups? And what goes on in those giant brains?

科学家知道抹香鲸是海洋中最大的有齿掠食者。它们的脑部是所有已知动物中最大的，体重可达45公吨，而且被观察到显露出类似人类的特质，例如拥有好奇心和彼此嬉闹。但除了体型和善于表现的特质之外，抹香鲸仍是海洋中最大的谜团之一。它们会分享复杂的想法吗？它们家庭团体之间的状态为何？还有，他们巨大的大脑中还藏着什么秘密？

Almost all whales appear to be disturbed by loud sounds. A boat's motor or a scuba⁵ system's bubbles can interfere⁶ with the animal's click-based communication system. Free diving, the underwater equivalent of tiptoeing, is the best way for a professional like Skerry to approach them. Still, he says, "sometimes it's like chasing ghosts."

几乎所有的鲸鱼都会被巨大的声响干扰。船只的发动机或水肺系统的气泡，会干扰动物的点击式通信系统。而自由潜水，则像是在水底踮着脚尖走路，对于斯科利这种专业人士来说是接近抹香鲸最好的方式。然而斯科利表示：“有时就像在追逐飘忽不定的魅影。”

Skerry lives in Maine, where he practices free diving in cold Atlantic waters, slowing his breathing sometimes for up to three minutes. Holding one's breath is as much the work of the mind as it is the lungs. In addition to staying in good physical shape, Skerry, 56, does meditation⁷ exercises to condition himself not to panic when his blood pressure drops and his lungs scream out. It's often in those moments when photographic magic happens. Skerry is partway through a three-year story project on whales for National Geographic⁸. It has taken him all over the world: to Alaska to photograph humpbacks, to Canada for belugas, and to Norway for orcas.

斯科利住在美国缅因州，他在冰冷的大西洋海水中练习自由潜水，学着放缓呼吸，有时可憋气达三分钟。憋气对心理和肺来说都是挑战。除了保持良好的体态，56岁的斯科利也练习冥想，让他能控制自己在血压降低、肺快爆炸时不要惊慌，摄影的魔力通常就在那些时刻发生。斯科利正在为《国家地理》杂志进行一项为期三年的鲸鱼拍摄计划。这项计划让他跑遍全世界：到阿拉斯加拍摄座头鲸、到加拿大拍摄白鲸、到挪威拍摄虎鲸。

1 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。

2 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》

3 expressiveness   

n.富有表现力

参考例句：

• His painting rose to a fresh expressiveness and revealed a shrewder insight. 他的画富有一种新的表达力，显示出更敏锐的洞察力。
• The audiences are impressed by the expressiveness of the actors. 演员们的丰富表情给观众留下了深刻的印象。

4 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

5 scuba   

n.水中呼吸器

参考例句：

• I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。

6 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

7 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

8 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法