纪录片《我们的地球》 第69期 洞穴迷宫(08)

They're cave swiftlets.

它们就是洞金丝燕

Like bats, they use echolocation to navigate¹.

和蝙蝠一样，它们也利用回声定位来导航

We need lights to see what's going on,

我们必须有光才能看清前方的路

but in the pitch black, the swiftlets manage unerringly to locate their individual nesting sites,

但是金丝燕却能在黑暗中准确无误地到达自己的筑巢点

which are only a few centimetres across.

而它们的巢窝相隔不过几厘米远

It's a remarkable² skill and one we still do not fully³ understand.

我们至今仍未能完全了解这种了不起的本领

These birds are unusual for another reason.

这些鸟之所以特别还有另外一个原因

Their little cup-like nests are made entirely⁴ from threads of saliva⁵.

它们小巧的杯状燕窝完全由唾液丝筑建

It takes more than 30 days to complete one.

每个燕窝得花上30多天才能完工

Their nests are very precious objects, and not only for the birds.

燕窝是非常珍贵的东西，不仅只是针对这些鸟而言

For 500 years, people have been harvesting the nests of cave swiftlets. It's a very risky⁶ business.

500年来，人们一直采集洞金丝燕的燕窝。这是一项非常危险的工作。

With virtually no safety equipment and using ladders made from forest vines,

事实上没有任何安全措施，采集者利用树藤编成的梯子

the gatherers climb into the highest reaches of the cave, often more than 60 metres from the floor.

爬到洞穴的最高处，通常高出地面60多米。

The work may be hazardous⁷ in the extreme, but the rewards are great.

这项工作看起来极度危险，但却能得到丰厚的回报。

1 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

5 saliva   

n.唾液，口水

参考例句：

• He wiped a dribble of saliva from his chin.他擦掉了下巴上的几滴口水。
• Saliva dribbled from the baby's mouth.唾液从婴儿的嘴里流了出来。

6 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

7 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。