纪录片《熟食造就了人类吗》 第37期：消化生食和熟食之间的区别

Deep in the southern United States

在南美腹地深处

lies a strange menagerie.

生活着一些异兽

Alligators¹, tarantulas, geckos...

短吻鳄 狼蛛 壁虎...

Each are playing a role in the exploration of our biology.

它们对我们的生物研究起着巨大作用

But for now, Doctor Stephen Secor of Alabama University

目前 阿拉巴马大学的史蒂芬·塞科博士

is working with Burmese pythons.

正在研究缅甸蟒

He wants to find out whether they use up more energy

他想弄清消化生食和熟食

digesting cooked or raw meat.

哪种更消耗能量

Snakes, being mainly a head and a stomach,

蛇类主要由头部和腹部组成

make good subjects for this experiment.

因此是很好的实验对象

They eat their prey² whole

它们把自己的猎物整个吞下

and stay still for up to a week.

一个星期内都静止不动

The only energy expended³ is in digesting their food.

它们只须要消耗能量去消化食物

We're trying to see

我们想要弄清

if we can find any difference

在消化熟食

in the course of digestion⁴ between

和生食的过程中

a cooked meal and a raw meal.

到底有什么区别

1 alligators   

n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Two alligators rest their snouts on the water's surface. 两只鳄鱼的大嘴栖息在水面上。 来自辞典例句
• In the movement of logs by water the lumber industry was greatly helped by alligators. 木材工业过去在水上运输木料时所十分倚重的就是鳄鱼。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 expended   

v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
• The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 digestion   

n.消化，吸收

参考例句：

• This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
• This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。