侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第42期:如何避免挨饿?

 In spite of the fact that they look like they're more or less defensive¹, they have arms and legs and strength and that...that tail looks pretty wicked actually overall.

看起来它们还是或多或少有一定的防御能力，它们的前肢和腿力气不小…它们的尾巴还是厉害的。

So I would suspect it would draw on those, in quick succession once it was attacked.

因此我认为在遭到攻击时它们会用这些武器抵御。

If a Tenontosaurus was under attack, what we expect to see happening would be seeing it pivot² towards its attacker.

如果腱龙遭到袭击，我们估计发生的事会是它围着攻击者转。

If it can keep the attacker in front of it, it probably can't be successfully attacked.

如果能保证攻击者始终在眼前，攻击者的袭击或许不会成功。

The best defense³ against a pack of Raptors was to travel in groups.

应对迅猛龙群最好的防御方法是群体行进。

But this was not the only reason for their herding⁵ behavior.

但它们的群居习性并非仅为安全。

Science suggests they migrated to fend⁶ off starvation.

科学表明它们迁徙是为了避免挨饿。

They were relatively⁷ large and in big number. They could defoliate things.

它们的体形和数量都很庞大，它们会吃光植物的叶子。

It would look like somebody came through with the world's biggest hedge trimmers and just stripped every leaf within range.

看起来会像有人在用世上最大的修枝钳剪过一样，吃光所及范围之内的所有树叶。

Tenontosaurus have this wonderful battery of teeth that is absolutely suited for grinding food.

腱龙有一口奇妙的牙齿，非常适合研磨食物。

It was such a good technique that it survived for 70 million years.

也正是这一绝技让它们存活了七千万年。

Travelling in a herd⁴, migrating in search of food, the Tenontosaurus had no idea what awaited them in the forest.

腱龙成群行进，为了觅食而迁徙，并不知道丛林里有什么在等着它们。

In Montana, scientific investigation⁸ has revealed evidence of 115-million-year-old gang attack.

在蒙大拿，一亿一千五百万年前的群群殴证据在古生物学家手中重见天日。

The raw power of Tenontosaurus was enough to defend itself against a single Raptor.

一身蛮力的腱龙足以对抗单个的迅猛龙。

But how would it fight against the pack?

但怎样与整群的迅猛龙抗衡呢？

When you're attacked by a group, it changes the game considerably⁹.

当你被一群迅猛龙攻击时情况就大为不同了。

What it means is that even if you are larger than the animals that are trying to kill you, your size may not be an advantage.

也就是说即使你比这些动物大很多，在它们试图要杀掉你时，你的体形已经不再是优势了。

And in the case of Tenontosaurus, its greater size and strength may not have been enough to handle multiple attackers.

在这一幕发生在腱龙身上，它的庞大身躯和力气可能并不足以应对这么多攻击者。

1 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

2 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

5 herding   

中畜群

参考例句：

• The little boy is herding the cattle. 这个小男孩在放牛。
• They have been herding cattle on the tableland for generations. 他们世世代代在这高原上放牧。

6 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

8 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。

9 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。