纪录片《我们的地球》 第174期 多样浅海(08)

Food is not evenly distributed in the tropical shallow seas, and it can take a lot of finding

食物在热带海域的分布并不平均，所以要找到食物也不容易，

but bottlenose dolphins are inquisitive¹, energetic and very intelligent

像宽吻海豚这种又好奇又聪明伶俐又精神充沛的动物，

and they have discovered a shoal of baitfish.

发明了一种利用浅滩钓鱼的方法。

Together, they ride a wave, using it to carry them into the shallows

它们一起赶着海浪，好让海浪把它们带到浅水域，

and there, it will be easier to make the catch.

这样捕鱼就轻松多了。

In Western Australia, these dolphins have taken on an ever tougher challenge.

在澳大利亚西部，这些海豚面临着一个巨大挑战。

The fish have taken refuge close to the beach where the water is only a few centimeters deep.

鱼儿们太靠近沙滩，而那里的水才几厘米深。

Tail slapping is a method dolphins often use to stun² their prey³, but it doesn't seem to work here.

用有力的尾巴击晕猎物是海豚们常用的方法，不过在这里好像没有什么用处。

The fish are tantalizingly⁴ close

虽然已经很接近鱼儿了，

but they're still out of reach, so the dolphins try another technique.

急人的是还是差那么一点，海豚于是开始用另一种技巧。

Vigorously pumping their tails, they work up some speed and then, they hydroplane.

用他们有力的尾巴加速，如同水上飞机般。

Their momentum⁵ carries them right through the shallowest waters, and onto the fish.

这种速度让它们穿越最浅的水域，来到了鱼儿那里。

Now they're in real danger of being stranded⁶, but fortune favors the brave.

现在它们有搁浅的危险，但幸运来自勇气。

Younger dolphins lie alongside, watching

年轻的海豚在远处观看

but so far only eight individuals here have mastered this daring technique.

不远处有8只海豚在展示这种高超的技术。

1 inquisitive   

adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的

参考例句：

• Children are usually inquisitive.小孩通常很好问。
• A pat answer is not going to satisfy an inquisitive audience.陈腔烂调的答案不能满足好奇的听众。

2 stun   

vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹

参考例句：

• When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时，我当时完全惊呆了。
• Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地，被一下打昏了。

3 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。

4 tantalizingly   

adv.…得令人着急，…到令人着急的程度

参考例句：

• A band of caribou passed by, twenty and odd animals, tantalizingly within rifle range. 一群驯鹿走了过去，大约有二十多头，都呆在可望而不可即的来福枪的射程以内。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• She smiled at him tantalizingly. 她引诱性地对他笑着。 来自互联网

5 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

6 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。