纪录片《南太平洋》 第127期 奇异岛屿（03）

New Guinea is a vast island nestled close to the continental¹ landmass of Australia.

新几内亚是大岛 紧靠着澳大利亚洲大陆

As we move south and east, to smaller, more distant islands,

当我们迁到南方和东方更小更远的岛屿时

the wildlife becomes even more unusual.

野生动物变得更加独特

The little-known island of New Caledonia is a small sliver² of Australia

鲜为人知又狭小的新喀里多尼亚岛

that was cast adrift over 60 million years ago.

6千万年前从澳大利亚海岸漂移出去

It's home to a creature that seems to have evolved quite strangely.

似乎成了演化奇怪的动物们的发源地

It has wings, but it can't fly. It is the kagu.

有翅膀却不会飞。这是鹭鹤

Kagu families stick together,

鹭鹤的家庭成员彼此忠诚

with young from previous years helping³ to declare the family territory.

从前年怀胎起就宣布了家族的领地

All intruders are chased away.

任何擅入者都被赶走

It's the breeding season,

现在是繁殖季节

when males rekindle⁴ the flame with their life-long partners.

当雄性再次燃起终身配偶的热情时

It's hard to know what the kagu is related to...a heron, a rail, or maybe a pigeon.

很难理解鹭鹤为什么是...同鹭，秧鸡，或者是鸽子有关系

Its closest relative may actually be the sun-bittern of South America, 7,000 miles to the east.

实际上它是七千英哩以东，南美日鳽的近亲

1 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

2 sliver   

n.裂片，细片，梳毛；v.纵切，切成长片，剖开

参考例句：

• There was only one sliver of light in the darkness.黑暗中只有一点零星的光亮。
• Then,one night,Monica saw a thin sliver of the moon reappear.之后的一天晚上，莫尼卡看到了一个月牙。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 rekindle   

v.使再振作；再点火

参考例句：

• Nothing could rekindle her extinct passion.她激情已逝,无从心回意转。
• Is there anything could rekindle his extinct passion?有什么事情可重燃他逝去的热情呢？