纪录片《为何无法预测地震》 第23期:蛇能感知地震

Guangxi province, South West China.

中国西南部的广西省

This farms lies at the centre of an intriguing¹ experiment

这个农场位于一个地震预测

to predict earthquakes...

实验区的中心

.. using snakes.

验证蛇能预测地震

We call this snake Dragon,

在中国 我们称这种蛇为龙

or Earth Dragon, here in China.

或者地龙

In Chinese culture,

在中国的文化里

we think of ourselves as children of the dragon,

我们认为自己是龙的传人

so there is no need to be afraid of snakes.

所以我们没有必要害怕蛇

Jiang Weisong, head of the local earthquake bureau,

江巍松[音]是当地地震局的负责人

has a team monitoring these snakes

他组建了一个小组

24 hours a day using webcams.

通过摄像头24小时监视这些蛇

It's thought that snakes

他们认为

may be able to sense earthquakes in the same way

蛇在捕食时对猎物的感应方式

that they locate their prey².

同样可以用来感知地震

Using their inner ears to pick up vibrations³ in the ground.

通过它们的内耳感知大地的震动

If a small earthquake

如果在120千米范围内

happens within 120 kilometres of this region,

发生了一次小地震

for example, a magnitude five,

比如 5级地震

then the snakes will come out of their holes

这些蛇就会爬出洞

and crawl along the walls, trying to escape.

顺着墙爬行 试图逃脱

If a major earthquake happens nearer,

如果附近发生了大地震

then the snakes would smash themselves

蛇就会不停地

against the wall continuously,

撞击墙

until they killed themselves.

直到撞死为止

It has a very powerful effect on them.

它们对地震的反应很强烈

1 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

3 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》