英语听力：自然百科 冰冻星球 前往地球尽头—4

 Few have witnessed this moment, for the male, his only tender encounter in an otherwise solitary¹ life. 

But it doesn't last long. A rival suitor has also caught the female's scent².

 

Courtship has to be put on hold. He must fight for his rights.

 

He sees off this first challenger without injury to either party, but bloodier³ battles are to come. 

 

Another battle won, though he has been slightly injured. He hurries back to his mate, but now she seems to have lost her enthusiasm. Female polar bears are high maintenance. 

 

Wherever she goes, he will follow, mating with her when she allows and guarding her at all times. Over the next two weeks, the male sees off many rivals, but the battles take their toll⁴ on him.

 

He is almost spent, but he has ensured that no other bears have mated with his female.

1 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

2 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

3 bloodier   

adj.血污的( bloody的比较级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

4 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。