VOA慢速英语2020 科学家研究恐龙的最后一餐

Around 110 million years ago, a dinosaur¹ ate some plants, in what is now western Canada, before suddenly dying.

大约1.1亿年前，一只恐龙在突然死亡之前，在如今的加拿大西部吃了一些植物。

That creature is now giving important information about ancient plant-eating dinosaurs². Scientists reported recently that fossilized contents of the creature's stomach were found along with its skeleton.

该生物现在提供了有关古代食草恐龙的重要信息。科学家最近报告称发现了该生物的骨架以及胃部的化石。

The fossils were discovered in the Canadian province of Alberta. They are said to be the best-preserved remains³ of any plant-eating dinosaur. The stomach contents even show the cellular⁴ structure of leaves from the plants the dinosaur ate.

这些化石是在加拿大艾伯塔省发现的。据说它们是保存最为完好的食草恐龙。胃部化石甚至显示出了恐龙所食用植物的叶子的细胞结构。

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·布朗是艾伯塔省皇家泰瑞尔古生物学博物馆的古生物学家。他是这篇发表在《皇家社会开放科学》在线期刊上的研究报告的主要作者。

Brown noted⁵ that direct evidence of the diet of plant-eating dinosaurs "is very rare."

布朗指出，发现食草恐龙饮食的直接证据相当罕见。

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.

该生物长约5.5米，体重至少一吨，属于结节龙类恐龙。它的名称是Borealopelta markmitchelli。

It had a wide body and a small head. Its body had bony skin and a large spike⁶ on each shoulder.

它体型较宽，脑袋较小。它的身体覆盖了由骨骼组成的甲壳，在每个肩部都有一根巨大的刺。

The creature's stomach had leaves from a kind of fern, as well as very few leaves of different kinds of evergreens⁷. Charcoal⁸, 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.

该生物的胃里面有蕨类植物的叶子，还有少数几种不同常绿植物的叶子。在它的胃里面还发现了木炭，这是物体燃烧后留下的黑色物质。对于研究人员而言，这一发现表明该恐龙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.

科学家还报告称发现了许多胃石。这是现代鸟类和其它动物吞下去帮助胃消化食物的物体。

I'm John Russell.

我是约翰·罗素。

1 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

2 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

7 evergreens   

n.常青树，常绿植物，万年青( evergreen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The leaves of evergreens are often shaped like needles. 常绿植物的叶常是针形的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pine, cedar and spruce are evergreens. 松树、雪松、云杉都是常绿的树。 来自辞典例句

8 charcoal   

n.炭，木炭，生物炭

参考例句：

• We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
• Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。