侏罗纪搏击俱乐部 第141期:被逼孤注一掷

 　　As the ice caps melted, temperatures began to rise.

　　随着冰盖的融化，气温开始升高。

　　Plant life that had adapted to colder climates died on a large scale.

　　已经适应更寒冷气候的植物大批死去。

　　The result was a mass migration¹ of the herbivores that consumed them.

　　其结果就是以它们为食的植食动物大规模迁徙。

　　With fewer plant eaters to hunt, predators² were also pushed to the edge.

　　能够猎杀的植食动物变少了，掠食者们也被推向极限。

　　Usually, even the toughest predators will stick to their own territory to avoid risky³ clashes with other meat eaters.

　　一般，即使最厉害的掠食者也会留在自己的领地，以避免与其它肉食者冲突的危险。

　　But when the food gets scarce, caution is abandoned.

　　不过当食物缺乏之时，就顾不上小心了。

　　At the end of the Ice Age, the huge lion and the gigantic bear were pushed to desperate measures.

　　在冰期末期，巨大狮子和熊被逼得孤注一掷。

　　Well, I think the first thing that we should realize is that we're looking at the epitome⁴ in these two animals.

　　我认为我们首先要明白的是，我们看到的是这两种动物的缩影。

　　The American lion is arguably the largest and most powerful feline⁵ that ever lived.

　　美洲拟狮有可能是有史以来最大最有力的猫科动物。

　　And the short-faced bear is certainly the largest, most powerful bear that we have any evidence for.

　　而短面熊毫无疑问是我们所知的熊类中最大、最有力的一种。

　　In fact, the short-faced bear is probably the largest and most powerful mammalian carnivore that we have.

　　其实，短面熊有可能是有史以来最大、最有力的哺乳类食肉动物。

　　And as such, even though this would be one heckish powerful lion, this bear would be so much more powerful that I really think it could skin the lion.

　　因此，尽管这是一头拟狮本身也很强大，这种熊要比它力量大得多我认为它可以剥了狮子的皮。

　　The lion was more intelligent than a house cat.

　　拟狮要比家猫更加聪明。

　　It knew how to uses its speed, to outmaneuver its prey⁶.

　　它知道如何利用速度，以以谋略制胜其猎物。

　　With lightning-fast jabs and assaults, it moved with power and purpose.

　　它的猛击突袭快如闪电，移动有力，目标清晰。

　　The short-faced bear was not as strategically minded - its plan of attack involved a headlong rush.

　　短面熊没那么有战略头脑，它的攻击方案就是横冲直撞。

　　The bear is actually pretty fast.It's got those elongated⁷ legs because it's designed to run over a long distance.

　　这种熊的速度其实相当快。它的腿很长构造很适合长距离奔跑。

　　So speed wise, it may not have been as fast as the lion, but it certainly could run much greater distances than the lion.

　　所以从速度来说，它也许没有狮子那么快，但却肯定能比狮子跑更远的距离。

　　The lion on the other hand is a cat, and cats are very quick, very agile⁸, very fast animals.

　　从另一方面来说，狮子是猫科动物，猫科动物非常迅速、异常敏捷

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 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》

3 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

4 epitome   

n.典型，梗概

参考例句：

• He is the epitome of goodness.他是善良的典范。
• This handbook is a neat epitome of everyday hygiene.这本手册概括了日常卫生的要点。

5 feline   

adj.猫科的

参考例句：

• As a result,humans have learned to respect feline independence.结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。
• The awakening was almost feline in its stealthiness.这种醒觉，简直和猫的脚步一样地轻悄。

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。

7 elongated   

v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Modigliani's women have strangely elongated faces. 莫迪里阿尼画中的妇女都长着奇长无比的脸。
• A piece of rubber can be elongated by streching. 一块橡皮可以拉长。 来自《用法词典》

8 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。