英语听力：自然百科 大堡礁：珊瑚礁到雨林—23

All of this food makes the mangrove¹ a great place for fish. Small residents as well as youngsters that will one day move out to the barrier reef. Reef species like these rabbit fish may look big, but they are still only 1/3 of their adult size. These snappers also have some growing up to do before they leave. And these young trevally will grow up one day and be major predators² on the outer reef. The mangrove sea grass meadows on the soft coral oases³ are vital nurseries for so many fish on the reef. And they all provide 2 things--food and shelter. 

 

The complexity⁴ of the mangrove root system makes it a perfect haven⁵ for small and juvenile⁶ fish, the reason is the lattice work of the roots as they cross means it’s very difficult for large predators to maneuver⁷, and actually get at the smaller fish. 

 

But predators like these young black tip reef sharks hide here too. They hunt at the edge of the mangroves. But they can’t get deep into the tangle⁸ of roots. So the young fish are safe for now.

 

So it’s a great environment for the small fish to actually grow up and to get big and strong before they make their big move out to the open sea in the reef beyond.

1 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。

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 oases   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲( oasis的名词复数 )；（困苦中）令人快慰的地方（或时刻）；乐土；乐事

参考例句：

• There was a hundred miles between the two oases. 这两片绿洲间有一百英里。 来自辞典例句
• Where underground water comes to the surface, there are oases. 地下水流到地表的地方，就成为了绿洲。 来自互联网

4 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

5 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

6 juvenile   

n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的

参考例句：

• For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
• Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。

7 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

8 tangle   

n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱

参考例句：

• I shouldn't tangle with Peter.He is bigger than me.我不应该与彼特吵架。他的块头比我大。
• If I were you, I wouldn't tangle with them.我要是你，我就不跟他们争吵。