国家地理 树之最

Redwoods are the tallest living trees on the planet.

红杉是地球上现存最高的树。

And one of the best places to see them is northern California's Redwood National Forest.

观赏红杉的最佳地是加利福尼亚北部的红杉树国家公园。

They can reach 300 feet high or higher, and their massive trunks can grow to more than 20 feet wide.

它们很可长到300尺，甚至更高，它们巨大的树干可以长到20多尺宽。

Recently, a couple of naturalists¹ were searching these woods for tall trees when they spotted² something extraordinary.

最近，两名自然主义者正在寻找这些最高的书，他们有了一些惊奇的发现。

I said, "Michael, get back here, we've got a real tall one." We get our preliminary measurement.

我说，“迈克尔，回来，我们找到真正最高的那个了。”我们进行了初步测量。

And it was so, so amazing, I, I couldn't believe it, you know, it was 4 feet taller than the tallest tree.

这真的非常非常惊奇，我简直不敢相信，这棵树比最高的那一棵还要高4尺。

They christened the tree "Hyperion" and called in Humboldt State University biologist Steve Sillett to investigate their find.

他们将这棵树命名为“亥伯龙神”，并叫来了洪堡州立大学的生物学家史蒂夫·希莱对他们的发现进行调查。

Steve is a top redwood researcher with a passion for tall trees.

史蒂夫是一名对高树满怀激情的顶级红杉研究人员。

"I think the redwoods are one of the most fascinating species on the Earth. They are at least as fascinating as humans to me."

“我认为红杉是地球上最迷人的物种之一。至少和人类一样吸引着我。”

With the help of the Save-the-Redwoods League and the National Park Service, Steve is studying how a tree can grow this tall and still survive.

在抢救红木联盟和国家公园管理局的帮助下，史蒂夫正在研究这棵树如何长到这么高且仍能生存下来。

"I think the big thing that we are really interested in is understanding the biophysical limits to tree height: how tall can they grow?"

“我认为让我们真正感兴趣的是弄清楚树木高度的生物物理学限制：它们能长到多高？”

Steve wants to know the exact height of this tree and measuring from the ground just won't cut it.

史蒂夫希望知道这棵树的确切高度，并在不破坏的情况下，从地面开始测量。

"The best way to measure tree height is to climb to the top and lower a tape with a weight straight to the ground."

“量树高最好的方法是爬到树的顶端，放下卷尺，测量其到地面距离。”

But the best way as usual is also the hardest. Hyperion's lowest branches are 25 stories up.

但是最好的方法通常也是最困难的。亥伯龙神最低矮的树枝也有25层那么高。

To get to them, Steve uses a powerful crossbow to launch fishing line up and over the tree's branches.

为爬上去，史蒂夫使用了力度最强的弓弩将鱼线缠绕树枝。

Then with the help of wife and climbing partner Marie Antoine, he uses the line to hoist³ his climbing rope into the tree.

然后在妻子和攀登同伴玛丽·安托万的帮助下，他利用鱼线将他的登山绳拉倒树上。

"Really, it is a big one."

“这棵树，真的很大。”

With the rope in place, Steve and Marie walk their way up into the canopy⁴.

登山绳归位后，史蒂夫和玛丽走进冠层中。

The climbers move through a high-rise habitat, high above the forest floor.

攀登者穿过高高的栖息地，这里比森林地被物还高。

A variety of mosses⁵, lichens⁶ and insects make themselves at home in Hyperion's boughs⁷.

各种苔藓、地衣和昆虫在亥伯龙神的大树枝里安家。

"So here we are about 300 feet in what may be the world's tallest living tree.

“所以现在我们站在这棵世界最高树上距离地面约300尺。

And it goes a long way above us, so we are, we still probably are about half hour to an hour from the top.

还有很长的路呢，所以我们可能还要半小时到一小时才能到顶。

Let's come up to there. Kinda want to put you through here."

我们爬到那去，有点想让你穿过去。”

1 naturalists   

n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 )；（文学艺术的）自然主义者

参考例句：

• Naturalists differ much in determining what characters are of generic value. 自然学者对于不同性状决定生物的属的含义上，各有各的见解。 来自辞典例句
• This fact has led naturalists to believe that the Isthmus was formerly open. 使许多自然学者相信这个地蛱在以前原是开通的。 来自辞典例句

2 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

3 hoist   

n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起

参考例句：

• By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。
• Hoist the Chinese flag on the flagpole,please!请在旗杆上升起中国国旗！

4 canopy   

n.天篷，遮篷

参考例句：

• The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
• They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。

5 mosses   

n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式

参考例句：

• Ferns, mosses and fungi spread by means of spores. 蕨类植物、苔藓和真菌通过孢子传播蔓生。
• The only plants to be found in Antarctica are algae, mosses, and lichens. 在南极洲所发现的植物只有藻类、苔藓和地衣。

6 lichens   

n.地衣( lichen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The only plants to be found in Antarctica are algae, mosses, and lichens. 在南极洲所发现的植物只有藻类、苔藓和地衣。 来自辞典例句
• Litmus: Mixture of coloured organic compounds obtained from several species of lichens. 石蕊：从几种地衣类植物中获取的带色有机化合物的混合物。 来自互联网

7 boughs   

大树枝( bough的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。
• A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。