英国学生科学读本 第72期:聪明的蜘蛛(2)

 　　Try to find a spider's web on a bush or on the grass in your garden, and look very closely at it. The spider makes the outside lines of the web first. Then it forms the lines which extend like the spokes¹ of a wheel from the centre of the net to the edges. All these lines of the web are made of smooth elastic² threads of silk.

　　走到花园中, 试试看能不能在树丛或草地上找到一张蜘蛛网, 然后仔细观察。蜘蛛首先编织的就是外围的蛛丝, 然后从中间往边缘的方向搭建轮辐般的蛛丝。这些蛛网全部由极富弹性的柔顺丝线组成。

　　Lastly, it starts from the centre of the web and fastens a slender line across the others, going round and round in a spiral. This spiral or cross thread is covered by the spider with thousands of tiny drops of a very sticky substance. Then the spider goes to one corner of the net and waits.

　　最后, 蜘蛛从蛛网中心绕上一圈又一圈的细丝, 它们构成彼此交叉的横丝。蜘蛛又在这些螺旋或交叉横丝上涂抹了数以千计的非常粘稠的物质。然后, 它便躲在一个角落里, 耐心等待。

　　Soon an insect—perhaps a common fly—rushes in its flight against the web, and is caught by the drops of sticky stuff. Out comes the spider, runs to the fly, and rolls a band of its gummy silk around it. Then the spider gives the fly a bite, to kill it, or carries it away to one corner of the web till it is wanted for food.

　　很快, 有只昆虫——可能就是一只普通点的苍蝇——在飞行中撞上了这张蛛网, 然后便被粘稠物质抓个正着。这时, 蜘蛛就会爬出来, 扑向苍蝇, 用粘稠的细丝将其团团围住。然后, 蜘蛛就会在苍蝇身上咬上一口, 把它杀死或者把它搬运到蛛网的某个角落, 等到想吃的时候再慢慢品尝。

　　The spider's jaws³ are grooved⁴, and in its head are some tiny poison-bags. When the spider bites, some of the poison runs down the grooves⁵, and so enters the body of the insect which is bitten. After this the insect is unable to move or to fly away.

　　蜘蛛的牙齿长有沟槽, 头部则生有几个很小的毒囊。当蜘蛛咬下猎物时, 一部分毒液顺着凹槽流入猎物。这时候, 被咬的昆虫动不了也飞不走了。

　　There are many spiders which in habits and appearance are quite different from the garden spider. Some of them have their nests in little holes in the ground, and make little trap-doors to close them. Others live under water, and carry down little bubbles of air to breathe in their homes.

　　蜘蛛的种类很多, 它们的习性、外貌与我们在花园中见到的蜘蛛相差很大。有些蜘蛛在地下的洞中栖身, 在洞口造出一个既能遮挡地洞又能捕获猎物的活门。还有些蜘蛛生活在水中, 它们能够将小气泡带入水中, 用于在自己的巢穴中呼吸。

1 spokes   

n.（车轮的）辐条( spoke的名词复数 )；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动

参考例句：

• Her baby caught his fingers in the spokes of the pram wheel. 她宝宝的手指被婴儿车轮的辐条卡住了。 来自辞典例句
• The new edges are called the spokes of the wheel. 新的边称为轮的辐。 来自辞典例句

2 elastic   

n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的

参考例句：

• Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。
• These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。

3 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。

4 grooved   

v.沟( groove的过去式和过去分词 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏

参考例句：

• He was grooved in running errands for his neighbors. 他已习惯于为邻居跑腿。 来自辞典例句
• The carpenter grooved the board. 木匠在木板上开槽。 来自辞典例句

5 grooves   

n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏

参考例句：

• Wheels leave grooves in a dirt road. 车轮在泥路上留下了凹痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Sliding doors move in grooves. 滑动门在槽沟中移动。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》