纪录片《侏罗纪之谜》 第04期 探索中侏罗世

Something turned the primitive¹ dinosaurs³ of the early Jurassic

因为某些原因，早侏罗世的原始恐龙

into the amazing creatures of the late Jurassic, but what was it?

最终变成了晚侏罗世那些令人称奇的生物，那么，究竟是什么原因呢

Finding the roots of these giants is actually quite a complicated thing to do.

寻找这些巨兽的根源是一件很复杂的事

In fact, finding their roots has been sort of something

事实上，寻找它们根源这种事

which palaeontologists have been trying to do for the last 200 years. It's a big problem.

过去200年来一直都有古生物学家在尝试。这是很困难的事

All scientists knew was that whatever had transformed the dinosaurs

所有科学家都知道使恐龙发生改变的事件

it happened in the 40 million years of the mid-Jurassic, but mid-Jurassic fossils are very rare.

发生在4亿年前的中侏罗世，可是中侏罗世的化石非常匮乏

The frustrating⁴ thing is with the middle Jurassic the curtains have been drawn⁵

让人感到沮丧的是，中侏罗世好像不肯揭开它的神秘面纱

so whatever happened there has been almost hidden from view.

所以那时发生了什么几乎无从得知

For decades, scientists hoped to find a site that would unlock the secrets of this palaeontological black hole.

几十年来，科学家们一直希望找到一处地点，能解开这个古生物学黑洞的秘密

It would have to be something very special.

那里必须有一些很特别的东西

What would be ideal is for us to find a site in the middle Jurassic

最理想的情况是我们能找到中侏罗世的化石场

that not only had dinosaur² fossils, but had a wealth of dinosaur fossils.

不仅有恐龙化石，而且要有大量的恐龙化石

Enough of, of an animal to not only reconstruct it

要有足够多的动物，不仅能推想当时的场景

but have maybe several of that animal so you know you're right in your interpretation⁶.

而且可能有些动物会使你觉得你的解释是对的

1 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

2 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

3 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。