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VOA慢速英语2021--美数万亿只蝉蛰伏17年破土而出

时间:2021-05-22 23:41来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

Every 17 years, billions of insects, known as the cicadas of Brood X, rise from the earth. This year, perhaps, there will be trillions!

Different broods, or groups, of cicadas come out on different years. The last time Brood X appeared was in 2004. The brood is one of the largest and will appear sometime in May in 15 states, from Georgia in the south to New York in the northeast.

Many scientists and insect lovers say they are looking forward to the red-eyed insects after a 17-year wait. One of them is Mike Raupp, an insect expert at the University of Maryland.

"What they're waiting for is the soil temperatures to reach about 18 degrees Celsius1, I believe that's about 64 degrees Fahrenheit2. Then they're going to be up and out of the ground."

Raupp called the event a "party on the treetops." When the insects come out of the ground, they will drop their skin, get their wings, and will try to go up on the treetops to escape from the predators4.

Raupp told VOA every creature will want to eat a cicada, and they will!

"On that night of emergence5 when the cicadas come up from the earth, everything on the planet is going to want to eat a cicada."

Once on the treetops, the male cicadas will "sing" their mating songs to draw the females. And it is loud!

If she likes the singing, they will have sex and reproduce. About six weeks later, the nymphs will fall off the treetops and go into the ground. Underfoot, the insects will quietly feed off tree roots and wait for another 17 years to start the party on the treetops all over again.

"I think the periodical cicadas give tens of millions of people an opportunity to simply go out in their backyard and witness and enjoy a natural event that happens nowhere else on the planet, only a handful of times in a lifetime."

Strange survival strategy

Raup explained that some cicadas appear every year. But they have a much shorter life cycle and stay alive in two ways. They are green and can hide in nature. Also, they can fly very fast. So, they avoid being captured by predators.

Periodical cicadas like Brood X do not have either of those lifesaving methods. To continue the species, he said billions of periodical cicadas will appear all at the same time. So, their predators cannot eat all of them. Also, by coming out every 17 years, they are not a dependable food source for predators and simply outlive them.

Some people might be afraid of Brood X or concerned about the noise. Raupp advised it may help to think of the similarities between Brood X and people.

"You know, this past year for humans has been a year of many challenges, right? We've had COVID. We've had social unrest. But now with the vaccines6, with restrictions7 being lifted, people are getting outside again. There's no longer social distancing. They're having fun with their friends. Now, think about the cicadas. They've been underground for 17 years social distancing. They're not hanging out together. And just like us, this spring in May, they're coming up and out of the ground. They're going to go to the treetops. They're going to have fun."

Eating cicadas

For those feeling even braver, a student at the University of Maryland, Jenna Jadin, wrote a book in 2004 to give cooking directions for eating cicadas.

In Cicada-Licious: Cooking and Enjoying Periodical Cicadas, she suggests eating only newly-emerged cicadas whose outer bodies have not hardened. Boil them for about four to five minutes. Remove the hard parts -- the wings and the legs. They will not hurt you, she writes. But they are not that tasty. Then you can fry them in seasonings9.

Raupp and other experts warn that people should talk to their doctor before eating any insect. He also suggests that those people who are afraid of cicadas think of them this way.

"Yes. I think everybody feels that it's a new day. It's a new day for us. It's certainly going to be a new and wonderful day for cicadas. So, I think we have a lot to look forward to."

Words in This Story

opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done

backyard – n. an area at the rear of a house

predator3 – n. an animal that lives by killing10 and eating other animals : an animal that preys11 on other animals

emergence – n. the act of becoming known or coming into view emerge – v. to come out or into view :

nymph – n. technical : a young insect that has almost the same form as the adult

life cycle – n. the series of stages in form and functional12 activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences13 of a specified14 primary stage

species – n. a particular group of things or people that belong together or have some shared quality

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do

seasoning8 – n. a substance (such as salt, pepper, a spice, or an herb) that is used to add flavor to food


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 Celsius AXRzl     
adj.摄氏温度计的,摄氏的
参考例句:
  • The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
  • The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。
2 Fahrenheit hlhx9     
n./adj.华氏温度;华氏温度计(的)
参考例句:
  • He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
  • The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。
3 predator 11vza     
n.捕食其它动物的动物;捕食者
参考例句:
  • The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
  • Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴,它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。
4 predators 48b965855934a5395e409c1112d94f63     
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》
5 emergence 5p3xr     
n.浮现,显现,出现,(植物)突出体
参考例句:
  • The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
  • Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生,随着社会的发展而发展的。
6 vaccines c9bb57973a82c1e95c7cd0f4988a1ded     
疫苗,痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
  • The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。
7 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
8 seasoning lEKyu     
n.调味;调味料;增添趣味之物
参考例句:
  • Salt is the most common seasoning.盐是最常用的调味品。
  • This sauce uses mushroom as its seasoning.这酱油用蘑菇作调料。
9 seasonings 51d04813db1bf8c7cc2d33652549fb57     
n.调味品,佐料( seasoning的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • It emphasizes the use of seasonings, so no two dishes ever taste alike. 它对调味品十分讲究。因此,没有两个菜会有同样的味道。 来自地道口语脱口SHOW 高中超越版
  • The food made of flour and various seasonings is called moon cake. 中秋节的食品也是圆圆的,也象征着团圆,这种用面和各种作料做的食品叫月饼。 来自互联网
10 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
11 preys 008ad2ad9007c4d7b3ecfb54442db8fd     
v.掠食( prey的第三人称单数 );掠食;折磨;(人)靠欺诈为生
参考例句:
  • His misfortune preys upon his mind. 他的不幸使她心中苦恼。 来自辞典例句
  • The owl preys on mice. 猫头鹰捕食老鼠。 来自辞典例句
12 functional 5hMxa     
adj.为实用而设计的,具备功能的,起作用的
参考例句:
  • The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了,但现在可以用了。
  • The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的,只是为了实用。
13 recurrences 2aa9f38c4a9e48919fce1b7ef8954d8d     
n.复发,反复,重现( recurrence的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • It was a melancholy tempered by recurrences of faith and resignation and simple joy. 心中不时产生信念,乐天知命的情绪,单纯的欣悦,从而冲淡了忧郁的气质。 来自辞典例句
  • The interval without tumor burden turned shorter after multiple recurrences. 多次复发者复发间期逐渐缩短。 来自互联网
14 specified ZhezwZ     
adj.特定的
参考例句:
  • The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
  • It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。
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