英语听力：自然百科 大堡礁 自然奇迹(15)

During the lowest tides,the water runs off and whole sections of living coral are normally beyond the water,are exposed.

最低潮时，海水流干，活珊瑚露出全貌。正常情况被淹没在水底的部分得以展现。

The level of water on the reef top decreases dramatically,getting ever shallower,and going from a stable environment,to ever changing hostile one.

珊瑚礁顶端的水位下降得很显著，变得非常浅，从一种稳定的状态变成一个不停改变的危险状态。

It's almost as though some mighty¹ force has lifted the reef right out of the water,these are extreme conditions.

就好像一种强大的力量举起了珊瑚礁把它托出水面，这些都是非常极端的条件。

As the exposed corals start to heat up,

显露出水面的珊瑚礁逐渐升温，

the tiny polyps retract² inside their stony³ skelectons for protection,

珊瑚虫退回到珊瑚骨架内以保护自己。

then they secrete⁴ mucouscan,it acts as sunscreen, and there is no skimping⁵ on quantity,an area no larger than the size of a coffee table can produce five meters of the stuff.

接着它们开始分泌有遮光作用的粘液，在分泌量上它们毫不吝惜。一张咖啡桌般大小面积的珊瑚虫就可以分泌出5升液体。

As the tides retreat to the edge of the reef,it cuts off pools of water,for most animals like the sea cucumboers and starfish,the best way to stay alive is by taking refuge in these rock pools.

在潮水完全退到礁石区以外后，留下的只有被礁石分割开来的潮汐地。对于大多数动物来说，比如海参，海星，最佳的生存方法就是暂时避居在这些潮汐池中。

1 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

2 retract   

vt.缩回，撤回收回，取消

参考例句：

• The criminals should stop on the precipice, retract from the wrong path and not go any further.犯罪分子应当迷途知返，悬崖勒马，不要在错误的道路上继续走下去。
• I don't want to speak rashly now and later have to retract my statements.我不想现在说些轻率的话，然后又要收回自己说过的话。

3 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

4 secrete   

vt.分泌；隐匿，使隐秘

参考例句：

• The pores of your body secrete sweat.身上的毛孔分泌汗液。
• Squirrels secrete a supply of nuts for winter.松鼠为准备过冬而藏坚果。

5 skimping   

v.少用( skimp的现在分词 )；少给；克扣；节省

参考例句：

• Nearly a third of workers are skimping on work to meet personal commitments. 几乎有三分之一的员工仅仅是为了达到自己许下的承诺因而在工作上马虎了事。 来自互联网