美国小学英语教材6:第6课 摄像机猎象记(4)（在线收听） |
With most game, the larger the herd the less chance there is of getting a good picture, for they stampede too easily. 对于大多数动物而言，群体越庞大，获得好图像的概率就越小，因为它们很容易因受惊而集体奔逃。 But with elephants the opposite is true; a single elephant is always on the alert, but a herd is usually more careless. 但是对于象群来说却正好相反：一头象永远处于保持警惕的状态，而象群却非常随意。
I once had to shoot a charging elephant to save my life. 有一次，为了保命，我不得不开枪射击一头狂奔而来的大象。
He was mortally wounded, and I prepared to shoot again to save him from suffering; 它受了致命伤，随后我准备再开一枪，结束它的痛苦。
but before I could raise my gun, two of his companions came on either side of him as if to support him, 但当我举起枪的时候，它的两个同伴从两侧跑了出来，似乎是来救援的，
and he tottered away into the forest. This incident shows how loyal elephants are to members of their tribe. 然后我看到这头大象踉跄着进了森林。这充分体现了大象对它的族群成员的绝对忠诚。
I have seen a mother elephant punish her toto with her trunk, push it into line when it was staggering with weariness, 我亲眼看到过一头幼象因为困倦蹒跚而行的时候，一头母象用鼻子惩罚它，迫使它走直线；
and squirt mud over it when it was crying from the heat. 我也见过幼象因为温度太高而哭泣时母象把泥巴浇在它身上的情形。
Generally they are very patient with their totos, but when punishment is needed, it is given. 一般来说，母象对自己的孩子很有耐心，但该惩罚的时候，它们也会照做不误。
Boculy, the elephant guid “象导”鲍可利
We were fortunate to have employed Boculy for our elephant guide. 我们很幸运能找到鲍可利做我们的“象导”。
I believe he knows more about elephants than anyone in the world. 我相信他比世界上任何一个人都了解大象。
Boculy is a very important person in his own land. 在这片大陆上，鲍可利是一个非常重要的人。
Somewhere in the wilds he has a thousand cattle and two hundred fifty camels 在大草原的某个地方，他养了1000头牛和250只骆驼，
which some of his wandering tribe tend for him when he is on safari with the white men. 当他与白人外出旅行的时候，他便让他所在的游牧部落的族人为他放养。
He knows all the languages of the plains and the desert, 他通晓平原和沙漠上的所有语言，
and in some curious way he can get aid from any of these people when we need it. 并且当我们需要帮助的时候，他总能以某种奇妙的方式向这些部落中的任何一个寻求帮助。
There is a mystery in his wise old face, and his knowledge of wild animals is indeed remarkable. 他苍老而智慧的脸上始终带着一丝神秘，他对野生动物的语言也十分了解。 |
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