【双语有声阅读】始祖鸟 Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx

 

始祖鸟

Scientists have determined¹ that Archaeopteryx,the earliest known bird,was definitely birdbrained,meaning no disrespect.

科学家已经确定，已知最古老的鸟类始祖鸟的确是鸟的脑子，这么说并不是对它不敬。

Indeed, they consider the fossil's brain size decisive evidence that Archaeopteryx had what it took to fly.

确实，他们把这种化石的脑部尺寸作为有力的证据来说明始祖鸟拥有使其飞翔的东西。

The new research suggests, moreover,that birds probably started flying millions of years earlier than scientists previously² thought.

而且，新的研究揭示鸟类可能比科学家先前认为的时间早几百万年就开始飞翔。

It is just that fossils of those first flying birds—predecessors of Archaeopteryx-have never been found.

只是那些最早的能飞行的鸟—始祖鸟的祖先—的化石尚未被发现。

The researchers, at the Natural History Museum in London,based their findings on the first X-ray examination and reconstruction³ of the braincase and inner ear of a 147-million-year-old Archaeopteryx specimen⁴.

伦敦自然历史博物馆研究人员的发现是基于1.47亿岁的始祖鸟标本的脑壳和内耳的首次X光检查和重建之上的。

They found that in size, shape and volume,its brain was similar to that of the modern eagle or sparrow.

他们发现在大小，形状和容量方面，它的脑与现代的鹰或麻雀相似。

Measurements of the semicircular canals,the mechanism⁵ for balance inside the ear,showed that Archaeopteryx had the "neurological and structural⁶ adaptations necessary for flight,"the scientists concluded.

科学家总结道，对这种鸟的耳内控制平衡的机制半规管的测量显示，始祖鸟拥有了“为了飞翔所必需的神经的和结构的相应改造”。

Their research,involving an X-ray computed⁷ tomography scan, or C.T.,of the fossil's braincase and inner ear,is described today in the journal Nature.

他们所做的关于华硕颅骨和内耳的X光电脑断层扫描或者叫做CT扫描的研究登在《自然》杂志上。

Previous studies of the feathered wing and tail of Archaeopteryx and its birdlike anatomy,including a pronounced wishbone,supported the prevailing⁸ view of experts that it was capable of some degree of powered flight.

之前关于始祖鸟带羽毛的翅膀，尾巴以及它类似鸟类骨骼的研究，支持专家们公认的观点，即它能做某种程度的动力飞行。

Archaeopteryx is considered a prime transitional species in the evolution of some reptiles,probably dinosaurs⁹, into today's birds.

始祖鸟被认为是从某些爬行动物，也许是恐龙，到今天鸟类的演变中重要的过渡物种。

But the research team, led by Dr. Angela Milner,a paleontologist at the British museum,wrote that until their investigation¹⁰ of Archaeopteryx,"little was understood about the extent to which its brain and special senses were adapted for flight."

但是由大英博物馆古生物学家杰拉米尔纳博士领导的研究团队写道:直到他们研究始祖鸟，对于始祖鸟的脑和特殊感觉因应飞行而发生了何种程度的改变的认识尚知之甚少。

Dr. Milner said the new study not only established that Archaeopteryx was capable of "controlling the complex business of flying,"but also showed "how much there is still to discover about when and how bird flight began."

米尔纳博士讲到，新的研究不仅显示始祖鸟能够控制飞行这样一种复杂的事，而且显示出海洋多少官员鸟类何时和怎样开始飞行的事情尚未发现。

In a statement issued by the museum,Dr. Milner said,"If flight was this advanced by the time Archaeopteryx was around,then were birds actually flying millions of years earlier than we'd previously thought?"

在博物馆编写的综述中，米尔纳博士写到，如果出现始祖鸟的时候飞行就已经到了如此高级的阶段，那么鸟类是否实际上比我们先前考虑的时间还要早数百万年就飞行了呢？

1 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

2 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。

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

7 computed   

adj.[医]计算的，使用计算机的v.计算，估算( compute的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He computed that the project would take seven years to complete. 他估计这项计划要花七年才能完成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Resolving kernels and standard errors can also be computed for each block. 还可以计算每个块体的分辨核和标准误差。 来自辞典例句

8 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

9 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》

10 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。