新浪首页 > 新浪教育 > 动物写真:海豚--海底世界的智多星

动物写真:海豚--海底世界的智多星
http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/11/23 21:47  空中美语

  语音讲解:
   (点击右键“另存为”可下载语音)

  We all know that dogs, pigs, and monkeys are very intelligent animals. But when it comes to underwater intelligence,1 no animal is smarter than the dolphin. No one knows for sure how smart dolphins are, but we do know they are fast learners. They can perform2 many amazing3 tricks, such as ringing bells with their snouts, shaking hands with their flippers, and taking bows. They can even act. In the movie Flipper, a dolphin was the main star!

  Because most dolphins live in the ocean, you might think they’re fish. Actually, they are mammals, just like people. That means they grow hair, give milk to their young, and breathe air. Every so often, the dolphin must rise to the surface and breathe through its blowhole. Like land animals, dolphins can’t drink salt water. They get most of their fresh water from their food. So even though dolphins live underwater, they survive4 just like desert5 animals, with no direct source6 of drinking water.

  大家都知道狗、猪和猴子算是相当聪明的动物,但提到海里最聪明的动物,则非海豚莫属了。海豚到底有多聪明,我们不得而知,但我们确实知道它们的学习能力相当强。海豚可以表演许多惊人的小把戏,像是用鼻子敲钟、用鳍跟人握手,以及鞠躬等等,它们甚至会演戏!在电影《飞宝》里,海豚飞宝可是主角呢!

  由于大多数海豚生活在海洋中,人们可能会以为海豚是鱼类。但事实上,海豚跟人类一样都是哺乳动物。换句话说,它们身上也有毛发,会哺乳下一代,并且同样需要呼吸空气。不时地,海豚必须游到海面上用气孔呼吸。跟陆生动物一样,海豚不能喝盐水,它们从食物里吸收淡水。所以,尽管海豚生活在海里,但在缺乏直接饮用水源的情况下,它们的生存方式就如同沙漠动物一般。

  Vocabulary

  1. intelligence n. the measure of how smart sb./sth. is 智能;智力

  Only people with very high intelligence can understand this difficult kind of math.

  这一类数学难题只有高智力的人才有办法理解。

  2. perform v. to do sth. interesting, exciting, funny, etc. for others’ enjoyment 表演;演出

  We have tickets to see a famous singer perform at the concert hall tonight.

  我们有入场券可以看这位著名歌手今晚在音乐厅的表演。

  3. amazing adj. very impressive and/or surprising 令人惊讶的

  It’s amazing that you weren’t injured after falling off of such a high ladder.

  你从这么高的梯子上摔下来居然没有受伤,简直是不可思议。

  4. survive v. to continue living despite difficult conditions 幸存;生存

  Without special equipment, astronauts would not be able to survive in outer space.

  若不是靠着特殊装备,宇航员人根本无法在外太空生存。

  5. desert n. a very dry area that doesn’t have much plant or animal life 沙漠

  If you decide to go hiking in the desert, make sure to carry extra food and lots of water.

  若你决定到沙漠健行,切记要带多一点食物和大量的水。

  6. source n. a person, place, or thing that provides sth. which sb./sth. needs 来源

  In Ireland, potatoes have been an important food source for hundreds of years.

  数百年以来,马铃薯一直是爱尔兰的主要食物来源。

  More Information

  1. snout n. (动物的)口部位

  2. flipper n. (海豚、企鹅等的)鳍状肢

  3. mammal n. 哺乳动物

  4. blowhole n. 气孔 (位于海豚头顶,用以呼吸)


评论英语学习论坛】【 】【打印】【关闭



Annotation


新闻查询帮助

热 点 专 题
东航客机在包头坠毁
胡锦涛出席APEC峰会
巨能钙被检出含双氧水
有影响力企业领袖评选
国足告别2006世界杯
广州车展美女图100张
网友偷拍国产新车谍照
今冬采暖季节实用攻略
新北京规划为宜居城市



教育频道意见反馈留言板 电话:010-62630930-5178 欢迎批评指正

新浪简介 | About Sina | 广告服务 | 联系我们 | 招聘信息 | 网站律师 | SINA English | 会员注册 | 产品答疑

Copyright © 1996 - 2004 SINA Inc. All Rights Reserved

版权所有 新浪网
北京市通信公司提供网络带宽