【英语时差8,16】拱肩

Every now and then A Moment of Science likes to introduce a word for the day. Don and Yael discuss today's.   D: Time once again for the Moment of Science word of the Day. The Word of the Day, please.

Y: Today's Word of the Day is . . . spandrel.

D: Spandrel? You mean the little dog?

Y: That's "spaniel." This is "spandrel."D: Hmmm . . . I don't think I know what a spandrel is. And yet, I know all things about science. How can this be?

Y: It's because "spandrel" is a term from architecture. Imagine a dome¹ that is held up by  four arches, the way it's done in cathedrals. When you do this you wind up with      some leftover² space between each arch. That's a spandrel. Nobody planned for that extra space to be there, but if you're going to put a dome on top of four arches, you will always have it. Since it was there, people started painting angels in the leftover space, and it became one of the nicest parts of many cathedrals. Biologist Stephen J.      Gould used the term "spandrel" to express something that happens in evolution all  the time. He gave the example of the Irish Elk³. It had enormous antlers. To hold up  those huge antlers it developed big spines⁴ on the vertebrae at its shoulders. This  made a hump on the animal's back. The hump later became useful as a mating device--bigger humps were sexy. But the hump wasn't developed in order to attract mates. It was just a bi-product of having big antlers. Later on, since it was already  there, it developed into other uses as well. That's a spandrel!  

1 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

2 leftover   

n.剩货，残留物，剩饭；adj.残余的

参考例句：

• These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
• Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。

3 elk   

n.麋鹿

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing.我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。
• The refuge contains the largest wintering population of elk in the world.这座庇护所有着世界上数量最大的冬季麋鹿群。

4 spines   

n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊

参考例句：

• Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。
• The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》