英语听力：自然百科 海狮轶事

 Australian sea lions are lending a hand or maybe a flipper¹ in the establishment of South Australia's marine² parks. And along the way the national geographic³ Crittercam captured a never before seen act of predation，a sea lion capturing and eating a large octopus⁴. 

 

The project led by South Australian Research and Development Institute scientist Doctor Brad Page is revealing critical information about South Australia's seafloor environments, and is revealing valuable insights into the behavior and foraging⁵ habits of the endangered Australian sea lion.

 

Sea lions fitted with GPS trackers and a national geographic Crittercam are taking scientists on amazing journeys to previously⁶ unknown marine hotspots. These areas are important not only for providing the sea lions food but also for maintaining fish populations. The Crittercams are deployed⁷ at dangerous reef in Spancer Gulf，a rocky island the size of a football field and home to the biggest Australian sea lion colony. 

 

Combining the two instruments, the sea lions themselves are showing the researchers behavior never before witnessed by scientists and exactly where and how they feed. It’s answering many questions about the endangered sea lions which will help make sure the areas to be designated as marine parks, protect key sea lion habitat. Doctor Page says one important discovery is that the sea lions always feed on the seafloor and they don’t eat open ocean fish known as pelagic.

 

This is critical information because the marine parks are being set up to protect seafloor habitats，a move that the scientists can now confirm will protect critical sea lion resources. 

 

In one of the more spectacular pieces of Crittercam video so far，we can see this female working hard to handle a challenging prey⁸ item, a large octopus. Too big to swallow in one gulp⁹, she drags it to the surface where she can breathe while she works at breaking it down into bite size pieces. At several points the octopus tries to get away，but the sea lion is relentless¹⁰. She bites off tentacles¹¹ one by one. The octopus drifts away, but again the sea lion goes back for more of her meal, all the while keeping the prey near the surface where she can take some breath. 

 

The three year project is being conducted by SARDI and the South Australian Department for the environment and heritage，with support from Marine Innovation South Australia.

 

 

由黑舞蝴蝶在 整理的原文：

Australian sea lions are lending a hand or maybe a flipper in the establishment of South Australia's marine parks. And along the way the national geographic Crittercam captured a never before seen act of predation，a sea lion capturing and eating a large octopus. 

 

 

 

The project led by South Australian Research and Development Institute scientist Doctor Brad Page is revealing critical information about South Australia's seafloor environments, and is revealing valuable insights into the behavior and foraging habits of the endangered Australian sea lion.

 

 

 

Sea lions fitted with GPS trackers and a national geographic Crittercam are taking scientists on amazing journeys to previously unknown marine hotspots. These areas are important not only for providing the sea lions food but also for maintaining fish populations. The Crittercams are deployed at dangerous reef in Spancer Gulf，a rocky island the size of a football field and home to the biggest Australian sea lion colony. 

 

 

 

Combining the two instruments, the sea lions themselves are showing the researchers behavior never before witnessed by scientists and exactly where and how they feed. It’s answering many questions about the endangered sea lions which will help make sure the areas to be designated as marine parks, protect key sea lion habitat. Doctor Page says one important discovery is that the sea lions always feed on the seafloor and they don’t eat open ocean fish known as pelagic.

 

 

 

This is critical information because the marine parks are being set up to protect seafloor habitats，a move that the scientists can now confirm will protect critical sea lion resources. 

 

 

 

In one of the more spectacular pieces of Crittercam video so far，we can see this female working hard to handle a challenging prey item, a large octopus. Too big to swallow in one gulp, she drags it to the surface where she can breathe while she works at breaking it down into bite size pieces. At several points the octopus tries to get away，but the sea lion is relentless. She bites off tentacles one by one. The octopus drifts away, but again the sea lion goes back for more of her meal, all the while keeping the prey near the surface where she can take some breath. 

 

 

 

The three year project is being conducted by SARDI and the South Australian Department for the environment and heritage，with support from Marine Innovation South Australia.

 

1 flipper   

n. 鳍状肢，潜水用橡皮制鳍状肢

参考例句：

• The seal's flipper is homologous with the human arm. 海豹的鳍肢与人类的手臂同源。
• It's almost like a flipper action as she kicks down. 她向下踢腿时有鱼鳍的效果。

2 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

4 octopus   

n.章鱼

参考例句：

• He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。
• One octopus has eight tentacles.一条章鱼有八根触角。

5 foraging   

v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的现在分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西）

参考例句：

• They eke out a precarious existence foraging in rubbish dumps. 他们靠在垃圾场捡垃圾维持着朝不保夕的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The campers went foraging for wood to make a fire. 露营者去搜寻柴木点火。 来自辞典例句

6 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

8 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。

9 gulp   

vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽

参考例句：

• She took down the tablets in one gulp.她把那些药片一口吞了下去。
• Don't gulp your food,chew it before you swallow it.吃东西不要狼吞虎咽，要嚼碎了再咽下去。

10 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

11 tentacles   

n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛

参考例句：

• Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。
• Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》