国家地理:Alligator Bites Scientist 惊悸一刻

Our next amazing rescue proves that working in an isolated¹ and wild environment can be a risky² endeavor. The llanos or wetlands of Venezuela, National Geographic's Brady Bar, a wildlife biologist is working with Venezuelan scientist and conservationist Maria Muyos. They're studying anacondas living in the wetlands at the river's edge, where they come across a caiman. This South American crocodilian is rarely a threat to humans.

I've got the head, I've got its head. Right here.

But get too close.

It's unleashed³...

Wow, wow, wow, you alright? You alright?

Does it get your finger?
No, my, my, my hand.
Shh. I'm pulling it out. Pull it out, pull it out, pull it out. You Ok?

The caiman struck without warning, going from dead still to jaws⁴' clamp shot in precisely⁵ one tenth of a second. They do not prey⁶ upon humans, but the caiman clearly saw these scientists as threatening. And when a caiman does attack, its jaws close with incredible force, 350 pounds of force.

I did everything I could to pry⁷ those jaws apart and I just could not do it.
Finally the caiman decided⁸ to release her hand.
Without Brady's help, the outcome could have been worse, a lot worse.
It was fortunate that I was on top of the animal. If it had rolled, she could have lost her hand.

A caiman, like all crocodilians, attacks by grabbing its victim with sharp teeth and then it rolls to rip off a mouthful of flesh. Had this carnivorous reptile⁹ been able to roll over, Maria's hand could have been severed¹⁰. This attack leaves no doubt that an animal as powerful as the caiman must be treated with the utmost respect and caution.

New Words:

llano: (n.) A large, grassy¹¹, almost treeless plain, especially one in Latin America. 大平原
caiman: (n.) Any of various tropical American crocodilians of the genus Caiman and related genera, resembling and closely related to the alligators¹². 凯门鳄
pry: (n.) To raise, move, or force open with a lever. 撬动

1 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

2 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。

3 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

5 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

6 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。

7 pry   

vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起)

参考例句：

• He's always ready to pry into other people's business.他总爱探听别人的事。
• We use an iron bar to pry open the box.我们用铁棍撬开箱子。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 reptile   

n.爬行动物；两栖动物

参考例句：

• The frog is not a true reptile.青蛙并非真正的爬行动物。
• So you should not be surprised to see someone keep a reptile as a pet.所以，你不必惊奇有人养了一只爬行动物作为宠物。

10 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

12 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