VOA慢速英语2020 科学家研究恐龙死前的最后一餐（在线收听）

Scientists Study Dinosaur’s Last Meal

Around 110 million years ago, a dinosaur ate some plants, in what is now western Canada, before suddenly dying.

大约1.1亿年前，在如今加拿大西部，一只恐龙在突然死亡之前吃了一些植物。 

That creature is now giving important information about ancient plant-eating dinosaurs.Scientists reported recently that fossilized contents of the creatures stomach were found along with its skeleton.

该生物现在正在提供关于古代植食恐龙的重要信息。科学家们最近报告称他们在该生物骨骸中发现了胃内化石容物。

The fossils were discovered in the Canadian province of Alberta.They are said to be the best-preserved remains of any plant-eating dinosaur.The stomach contents even show the cellular structure of leaves from the plants the dinosaur ate.

这些化石是在加拿大亚伯达省发现的。据说它们是保存最完好的植食恐龙化石。胃内化石容物甚至能显示出该恐龙所吃植物叶子的细胞结构。

Caleb Brown is a paleontologist at the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology in Alberta.He was the lead writer of a research report that appears in the online publication Royal Society Open Science.

卡勒布·布朗是亚伯达省皇家泰瑞尔古生物学博物馆的古生物学家。他是网络出版物《皇家学会开放科学》上所发表的一篇研究报告的主要作者。

Brown noted that direct evidence of the diet of plant-eating dinosaurs "is very rare."

布朗指出，有关植食恐龙饮食的直接证据“非常罕见”。 

The creature was about 5.5 meters long, weighed at least a ton and was a member of a group called nodosaurs.Its name is Borealopelta markmitchelli. It had a wide body and a small head.

这只恐龙身长约5.5米，重至少一吨，属于结节龙属。它的名字是马克·米切尔北方盾龙。它身子大，脑袋小。

Its body had bony skin and a large spike on each shoulder.

它的身上有鳞甲，而且两肩各有一根巨大的尖刺。 

The creatures stomach had leaves from a kind of fern, as well as very few leaves of different kinds of evergreens.Charcoal, a black material left after things are burned, was also found in its stomach.To researchers, that finding suggests the dinosaur had been eating in an area that had recently had a fire.

它的胃里有一种蕨类植物的叶子以及少数不同常绿植物的叶子。在它的胃里还发现了木炭——物体燃烧后剩下的一种黑色物质。对研究人员来说，这一发现表明，这只恐龙曾在最近着过火的地方觅食。

Scientists also reported finding many gastroliths, or gizzard stones.These are objects swallowed by modern birds and other animals to help the stomach break down food.

科学家们还报告称发现了许多胃石或砂囊石。现代鸟类和其它动物会吞下这些东西来帮助胃分解食物。

Im John Russell.

约翰·罗素为您播报。