英国语文第二册 第50期:美洲虎

 　　LESSON 50 The jaguar¹ 五十课 美洲虎

　　The jaguar has his home in the New World. He lives in the great forests of South America. 美洲虎分布在新世界，住在南美洲的大森林里。

　　His skin is covered with dark spots, something like the leopard²'s, and he may be called the leopard of America. 美洲虎身上覆盖着黑点，这与美洲豹身上的黑点类似。人们也称其为住在美洲的美洲豹。

　　The favourite food of the jaguar is the flesh of the monkey; but he finds it no easy task to catch the nimble monkeys. 美洲虎最爱吃猴子的肉，但要抓住敏捷的猴子谈何容易。

　　Sometimes, however, he finds them sleeping high up on the trees; and then he steals among them before they are aware that he is near. 然而，有时候，猴子们在高高的树上沉睡时，美洲虎会悄悄靠近，等猴子们意识到危险，美洲虎已经得到美味了。

　　A few strokes of his terrible paw soon dashes some of them to the ground. The jaguar then descends³, to feast at his leisure. 它只要挥几下令人胆寒的爪子，就能把一些猴子打落在地，随后它会从树上跳下，享用大餐。

　　Travellers in the forests often hear the fierce roar of the jaguar, mingled⁴ with the yells of the monkeys.  游客们经常能在森林里听到美洲虎的咆哮，夹杂着猴子的尖叫。

　　These sounds tell of the deadly work that is going on among the trees. 这些声音表明，在某棵树上又有猴子成为美洲虎的盘中餐。

　　The jaguar also feeds on other animals, and is strong enough to kill a deer or a horse. 美洲虎也吃其它动物，它很强，能杀死一只鹿或一匹马。

　　If any animal pursued by the jaguar should take to the water, that makes no difference to him.  如果美洲虎追捕的动物跳进水里，那也是跑不掉的。

　　He plunges⁵ into the water after it, and soon seizes his prey⁶. 它会跳进水里继续追捕，很快就能抓住猎物。

　　The jaguar is also fond of fish, and watches for them by the river-side. 美洲虎也喜欢吃鱼，经常在岸边潜伏。

　　As soon as a fish comes within reach, he strikes it with his paw, and with his sharp claws he throws it on the bank. 只要有鱼在它的攻击范围内，他就会用爪子攻击，将鱼抛到岸上。

　　He catches birds too; and so quick are his movements, that he will bound within reach of a bird, and strike it down before it has time to escape. 美洲虎也能捕鸟。它动作非常迅捷，跳起攻击在范围内的鸟，而小鸟没有机会逃走。

1 jaguar   

n.美洲虎

参考例句：

• He was green with envy when he saw my new Jaguar car.看见我那辆美洲虎牌新车，他非常妒忌。
• Should you meet a jaguar in the jungle,just turn slowly,walk away.But slowly,never look back.你在丛林中若碰上美洲虎，就慢慢转身走开，可一定要慢，切莫回头看。

2 leopard   

n.豹

参考例句：

• I saw a man in a leopard skin yesterday.我昨天看见一个穿着豹皮的男人。
• The leopard's skin is marked with black spots.豹皮上有黑色斑点。

3 descends   

v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite. 这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The path descends steeply to the village. 小路陡直而下直到村子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

5 plunges   

n.跳进，投入vt.使投入，使插入，使陷入vi.投入，跳进，陷入v.颠簸( plunge的第三人称单数 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• Even before he plunges into his program, he has his audience in his pocket. 他的节目甚至还没有出场，就已控制住了观众。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• 'Monseigneur, he precipitated himself over the hill-side, head first, as a person plunges into the river.' “大人，他头冲下跳下山坡去了，像往河里跳一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

6 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。