万物简史 第533期:丰富多彩的生命(29)

 A lot of mycologists work in industry, making cheeses and yogurts and the like, 许多真菌学家效力于工业，制造奶酪、酸奶等等，

so it is hard to say how many are actively¹ involved in research, 因此很难说有多少人在积极从事研究，

but we can safely take it that there are more species of fungi² to be found than there are people to find them. 而有待发现的真菌品种肯定多于在发现它们的人的数量。

The world is a really big place. 世界确实是个大地方。

We have been gulled³ by the ease of air travel and other forms of communication into thinking that the world is not all that big, 由于便捷的空中旅行和其他形式的交通工具，我们错误地认为世界其实不那么大，

but at ground level, where researchers must work, it is actually enormous — enormous enough to be full of surprises. 但在研究人员必须工作的地面上，世界其实很大——大得充满了新奇的东西。

The okapi, the nearest living relative of the giraffe, is now known to exist in substantial numbers in the rain forests of Zaire, 现在知道。长颈鹿活着的近亲獾枷蚍在扎伊尔的雨林里的数量很多，

the total population is estimated at perhaps thirty thousand — yet its existence wasn't even suspected until the twentieth century. 据估计，总数大约有3万只——然而，它的存在在20世纪之前连想也没有想到过。

The large flightless New Zealand bird called the takahe had been presumed extinct for two hundred years 新西兰有一种不会飞的大鸟，名叫短翅水鸡，被认为已经在200年前灭绝，

before being found living in a rugged⁴ area of the country's South Island. 接着发现它们生活在该国南岛的荒山野岭。

In 1995 a team of French and British scientists in Tibet, who were lost in a snowstorm in a remote valley, l995年，一个法国和英国科学家考察队在西藏一个偏僻的山谷里迷了路，

came across a breed of horse, called the Riwoche, that had previously⁵ been known only from prehistoric⁶ cave drawings. 偶尔碰上了一种新的马，名叫Riwoche，这种马以前只是从史前的山洞壁画上知道。

The valley's inhabitants were astonished to learn that the horse was considered a rarity in the wider world. 那个山谷的居民吃惊地获悉，那种马在外面的世界被认为是一种珍品。

 

1 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

2 fungi   

n.真菌，霉菌

参考例句：

• Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。
• The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。

3 gulled   

v.欺骗某人( gull的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Such promises, said Apacides sullenly, are the tricks by which man is ever gulled. 阿帕奥得斯板着脸说：这种诺言是骗人的诡计。 来自辞典例句
• The man gulled the traveler out of every penny he had with him. 那人把那游客骗得身无分文。 来自辞典例句

4 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

6 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。