侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第128期:攻击之前需要三思

 　　The Utahraptor had relatively¹ thin arms, so it couldn't simply flip² the heavy Gastonia over to get to its underbelly.

　　犹他盗龙的前肢比较细，所以它没法把沉重的加斯顿龙翻过来直击它的下腹部。

　　In nature today, predatory animals are very cautious about who they attack.

　　在如今的大自然里，掠食性动物选择攻击对象会非常小心。

　　For instance, a single lion will rarely, if ever, take on an animal as big as a water buffalo³.

　　比如，单独的狮子就算有也很少会攻击像水牛那么大的动物。

　　Now a pride of lions will certainly do it, but a lone⁴ lion usually won't, unless they are in desperate need of food.

　　一群狮子当然会这么做，不过单独的狮子通常不会，除非它们急需食物。

　　Attacking something that can defend itself is not in the best interest of the attacker.

　　攻击有自我防御能力的猎物不是攻击者最大的兴趣。

　　So Utahraptor probably saw Gastonia on a daily basis, but it would think twice about attacking one unless it had no other choice.

　　所以犹他盗龙很可能每天都见到加斯顿龙，但攻击它之前一定会三思，除非它别无选择。

　　The Utahraptor would normally have jumped on its prey's back, but against the armor plated Gastonia, that would be futile⁵.

　　犹他盗龙一般会跳到猎物背上，不过对于披盔戴甲的加斯顿龙，那样是没有用的。

　　A fight between these two animals could have happened a thousand different ways.

　　这两种动物间的争斗可能会有一千种不同方法。

　　There are just too many variables to consider.

　　这里面要考虑的变量太多。

　　So when we recreate a scenario⁶, we try to use as much evidence and scientific fact as possible.

　　所以我们在重建场景时，会尽量多用各种证据和科学事实。

　　We study the prehistoric⁷ environments.

　　我们研究史前环境。

　　We study the skeletal design of the dinosaurs⁸, and then other evidence, so we can paint a realistic picture of what could have occurred.

　　我们研究恐龙的骨骼构造，还有其它证据，这样我们对发生的事情才能勾绘更加实际的图景。

　　It's a combination of these factors, that allows us to pose a realistic representation of what could have occurred.

　　这些因素结合在一起，让我们能提出较为真实的事件推演。

　　The work from initial discovery to excavation⁹ and cleaning, reassembling and final analysis can take tens of thousands of man hours.

　　这些工作从最早的发现到挖掘和清理，重组和最终分析可能要花去数万工时。

　　But the resulting hypothesis are invariably fascinating.

　　不过最终的假设总是吸引人的。

　　This dry, desolate¹⁰ riverbed is the result of a major drought.

　　这片干燥荒凉的河床是一次大旱的结果。

　　A lone Gastonia walks with his head hovering¹¹ above the ground.

　　一头加斯顿龙在单独行进，头离地面不远。

　　He's trying to sniff¹² out water for survival.

　　它在试图闻到用来维生的水。

　　His vision is poor, so his entourage of Pterosaurs acts as lookouts¹³ for predators¹⁴.

　　它的视力不佳，所以它的翼龙同伴扮演着掠食者的瞭望员。

　　His incredible sense of smell tells him there's water just underneath¹⁵ the soil.

　　它灵敏异常的嗅觉告诉它这里的地下就有水。

　　Using his front legs, the little Gastonia begins to dig.

　　小加斯顿龙开始用前腿挖土。

　　It won't take much to get to the water below.

　　不用费很多力气就能到达下面的水。

1 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。

2 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

3 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

4 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

5 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

6 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

7 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

8 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》

9 excavation   

n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地

参考例句：

• The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
• The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

10 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

11 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

12 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

13 lookouts   

n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台

参考例句：

• Lookouts were spotted all along the coast. 沿海岸都布置了监视哨。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Lookouts and leadsmen in bulky life jackets stumbled and slipped after him. 监视哨和测深员穿着饱鼓鼓的救生衣，跌跌撞撞地跟在他后面。 来自辞典例句

14 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。