美国英语听力80篇3 Lesson43

[00:06.24]For years, many scientists have considered walking on two legs as one sign of being human.
[00:15.46]Early humans were not thought to have used their knuckle¹ bones or other parts of their hands in walking.
[00:23.59]Now, however, American scientists have found evidence that humans developed from creatures that walked on their knuckles²,
[00:32.71]much like gorillas³ and chimpanzees do today.
[00:36.60]Researchers Brian Richmond and David Strait are from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
[00:45.84]They say they made their discovery almost by accident during a visit to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.
[00:55.01]They compared old reports about the biology of apes with a copy of the wrist bone from Lucy,
[01:02.43]the most famous fossil remains⁴ of an early form of human.
[01:06.85]Their findings are reported in the publication Nature.
[01:11.37]The researchers examined how the wrist structure of chimpanzees and gorillas differs from other apes.
[01:20.01]They also examined the wrist bones from Lucy
[01:19.01]and another human-like creature that lived in Africa more than 3,000,000 years ago.
[01:26.56]The researchers say the ancient creatures had the same wrist structure as modern chimpanzees and gorillas.
[01:35.78]They found structures in the wrist bones that restricted the movement of the wrist.
[01:41.58]However; the researchers do not believe the creatures used their knuckles in walking
[01:48.32]because they had longer legs than the apes.
[01:51.80]The researchers say a creature with longer legs would have a difficult time
[01:58.28]supporting its weight on its lower legs and hands at the same time.
[02:04.05]They suggest that the wrist structure for knuckle-walking may have developed even earlier -- as much as 5,000,000 years ago.
[02:14.03]David Strait says the development of walking upright required major changes in the structure of the early human ancestors.

1 knuckle   

n.指节；vi.开始努力工作；屈服，认输

参考例句：

• They refused to knuckle under to any pressure.他们拒不屈从任何压力。
• You'll really have to knuckle down if you want to pass the examination.如果想通过考试，你确实应专心学习。

2 knuckles   

n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝

参考例句：

• He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘，握得指关节都变白了。
• Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 gorillas   

n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 )；暴徒，打手

参考例句：

• the similitude between humans and gorillas 人类和大猩猩的相像
• Each family of gorillas is led by a great silverbacked patriarch. 每个大星星家族都由一个魁梧的、长着银色被毛的族长带领着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。