侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第63期:以不变应万变

 Allosaurus was built to move at good pace compared to other dinosaurs¹.

异特龙跟其它恐龙相比移动速度出色。

Some experts estimate they could run as fast as twenty miles an hour.

有些专家估计它们能跑到时速三十多公里。

But the Camarasaurus could have been 150 years old.

不过这头圆顶龙可能已有一百五十岁。

It wouldn't have moved as quickly.

它可没法跑得这么快。

We can look at the skeletal structure of Allosaurus and see it was a fairly capable, moving animal.

我们可以从异特龙的骨骼结构看出它是比较擅长移动的动物。

We can even go beyond that though and look inside the head to look at the inner ear.

我们不仅能知道这些，而且能看到它头颅里面的内耳。

What we see in, in Allosaurus, is the agility² of a predator³.

我们看出异特龙是非常敏捷的掠食者。

When we look at the inner ear of Camarasaurus, what we see is the animal that moves very slowly in a very stately manner.

当我们观察圆顶龙的内耳时，我们看到的是移动速度非常缓慢的一种动物。

This is an animal for whom quick movements were not particularly important for this animal.

对这种动物来说快速移动并不十分重要。

So Allosaurus was a relatively⁴ fast-moving agile⁵ animal.

所以异特龙是比较快速灵敏的动物。

Camarasaurus potentially could have just stood still and faced the music.

而圆顶龙则基本上就是以不变应万变。

Allosaurus had a very bird-like stance.

异特龙的姿势很像鸟类。

Having their legs designed like an ostrich⁶ is what gives these dinosaurs their ability to run so quickly.

它们的腿部设计就像鸵鸟，所以这些恐龙能够跑得飞快。

And, like a Cheetah⁷, they use their long tail as a counter balance to help them change directions when they're running at top speed.

而且它们像猎豹一样能用尾巴保持平衡，让它们在高速奔跑时可以变向。

It's the combination of these features that allows Allosaurus to grow huge, yet move like a sprinter⁸.

这些特点加在一起使得异特龙既有庞大身躯又能高速冲刺。

Camarasaurus, on the other hand, is built like an elephant.

而另一方面，圆顶龙构造得就像大象。

But when you're that big, you aren't in much of hurry to get to where you're going anyway.

不过要是体型这么大不管去哪里都不用那么着急。

In fact, a giant species of Allosaurus grew to an even greater size than its cousin, T-Rex.

其实有一种异特龙能长得比它们的表亲霸王龙都大。

When you look at Camarasaurus and you look at Allosaurus, the weapons of Allosaurus are a lot more obvious.

看过圆顶龙后，再看异特龙异特龙的武器明显得多。

Allosaurus has blade like serrated teeth in its powerful jaws⁹.

异特龙有刀刃一般的锯齿状牙齿还有有力的双颌。

It's got these eagle like talons¹⁰ at the ends of these powerful arms, But don't discount Camarasaurus here.

它们有力前肢末端的爪子仿佛鹰爪，不过不要小看圆顶龙。

It has its size and size is a great weapon.

它的体型巨大，而体型是有力武器。

On top of that, it's got a very long broad tail which it could use to swat at an attacker.

除此之外，它还有长大宽阔的尾巴能够用来重重拍打进攻者。

Cat scans show that Allosaurus was able to strategize more than Camarasaurus.

对异特龙的CT扫描表明它比圆顶龙更能利用策略。

We can also look at the brain and see differences there, too.

我们看了它们的脑也发现了区别。

When we look at the brain of Allosaurus, what we see, is some enlargement of the forebrain, the cerebrum.

我们看异特龙脑的时候，能够看到前脑那里有些膨大也就是大脑。

On the other hand, in Camarasaurus, we see a very small brain and particularly the cerebrum, that same center of higher, higher functions is really quite small.

而反过来对于圆顶龙我们看到的脑部非常小特别是大脑部分，这种高等功能区非常之小。

What that suggests, is that in the heat of battle, the slightly larger brain size of what we see in Allosaurus, would have potentially allowed it to, in a sense, adapt to the changing battle situation.

这表明在激烈的搏斗中，我们看到的异特龙稍大的脑容量在一定程度上能够让它更适应变化的战斗态势。

1 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》

2 agility   

n.敏捷，活泼

参考例句：

• The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
• His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

3 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

4 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。

5 agile   

adj.敏捷的，灵活的

参考例句：

• She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！
• An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

6 ostrich   

n.鸵鸟

参考例句：

• Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
• The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。

7 cheetah   

n.(动物)猎豹

参考例句：

• The cheetah is generally credited as the world's fastest animal.猎豹被公认是世界上跑得最快的动物。
• The distribution of the cheetah ranges from Africa to Central Asia.印度豹的足迹遍及从非洲到中亚的广大地区。

8 sprinter   

n.短跑运动员，短距离全速奔跑者

参考例句：

• He is more a sprinter than a swimmer. 他是短跑健将，而不是游泳选手。 来自辞典例句
• The sprinter himself thinks he can run the race at 9.4 seconds. 这位短跑运动员自认为可以用9.4秒跑完比赛。 来自互联网

9 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

10 talons   

n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部

参考例句：

• The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句