2007-08-18, Dolphin Showoffs? 海豚表演?

These sea birds are getting ready for a great show and just maybe a quick bite to eat. Wuhu, how about that? These are bottlenose dolphins rampaging up on shores gathering¹ fish and causing a major holeable loom². Are they just showing off? The dolphin equivalent of hot rodding? The dolphins may be fleshier than most species and smarter as well, but like so many behaviors, it's all about staying welfare. Bottlenose dolphins are among the most inventive and intelligent hunters in the sea and wild bottlenose dolphins often hunt close to shore. This coordinated³ assault on the beach is a sophisticated technique developed here in the salt marshes⁴ of South Carolina. First a dolphin scout⁵ locates schools of fish in the channel, then, the other dolphins rush the shore, creating a wave that washes the school of fish onto the shore, then, using their superior of up-water eyesight, the dolphins grab the fish and consume them. And after that, it's time to do it all over again until the dolphins get tired or the fish supply runs out, which ever comes first. The dolphins clearly relish⁶ this kind of hunting and the birds like it too.

Here is the fascinating bit of trivia that will wow your friends. The dolphins always rush the shore landing on their right side/. The teeth on this side of their mouths get worn down from / chewing the mud and silt⁷ that sloshes in with the fish. The dolphins can be so exuberant⁸ they actually beach themselves. Sometime it seems they are almost trying to crawl back on the same land they left 15 million years ago when their ancestors first moved into the sea.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 loom   

n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近

参考例句：

• The old woman was weaving on her loom.那位老太太正在织布机上织布。
• The shuttle flies back and forth on the loom.织布机上梭子来回飞动。

3 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

6 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

7 silt   

n.淤泥，淤沙，粉砂层，泥沙层；vt.使淤塞；vi.被淤塞

参考例句：

• The lake was almost solid with silt and vegetation.湖里几乎快被淤泥和植物填满了。
• During the annual floods the river deposits its silt on the fields.每年河水泛滥时都会在田野上沉积一层淤泥。

8 exuberant   

adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的

参考例句：

• Hothouse plants do not possess exuberant vitality.在温室里培养出来的东西，不会有强大的生命力。
• All those mother trees in the garden are exuberant.果园里的那些母树都长得十分茂盛。