时差N小时 大雁的V字形

If you've ever seen a bicycle race, you might have noticed the riders lining¹ up behind each other instraight columns.

如果你看过自行车比赛，你或许注意到自行车手们都一个跟着一个排成一队。

Bicycle racers spend much of their energy overcoming wind resistance, so this lining up makesgood sense.

自行车手们耗费了很大的能量来克服风的阻力，所以这样的排队方式是很合理的。

If you ride directly behind your opponent, she'll cut through the air resistance for you, letting you save up energy for the finish line.

如果你直接骑在对手的后面。他能够为你阻挡空气的阻力，为你冲刺终点保留体力。

What's true for bicycle racers is true for otherthings too.

对于自行车手适用的道理也同样适用于其他方面的事情。

Going in straight line formation is the best way to overcome wind resistance.

以直线的队列行进是克服风阻力的最好办法。

Which brings us to those silly geese.

这让我们想到了那些愚蠢的大雁！

Like bicycle racers, geese fly in formation mainly to saveenergy.

就如自行车手们那样，大雁们以节省能量的队形飞行。

The formation they prefer however is shaped like the letter “V.”

然而它们喜欢的队形却是“V”字形。

What's going on? Aregeese just plain dumb?

这是怎么回事？难道大雁是傻瓜？

Not at all!

不是这样的。

Remember, geese don't only need to worry about air resistance—they need to stay aloft as well.

记住，大雁不仅需要担心空气阻力-他们同样也需要停留在高空。

To do this, goose wings are curved and tapered² like those of an aircraft.

为了做到这一点，大雁的翅膀如弯曲的锥形的飞机机翼一般，

The top surface bulges³ upward while the bottom stays flatter.

表面凸起向上，底部保持平整。

Air rushes more quickly over the wing'sbulging top, and this creates a kind of upward suction.

空气很快从其翅膀顶部凸起的部分掠过，这就造成了一种向上的吸力，

This phenomenon is called “lift,” and it's agoose's secret for staying aloft.

此现象就叫做“牵引”，这就是大雁能够停留在高空的秘密。

Lift, however, is a peculiar⁴ thing.

然而“牵引”是一种很特殊的东西。

While most of it tugs⁵ upward on the goose, some of it spills awayfrom the wing tips as a kind of updraft.

大多数的引力牵引着大雁向上，一些引力则以上升气流的形式从翼尖流出。

This lingering updraft spreads out behind the goose in aV-shape like the wake of a boat.

这些残留的上升气流像船的尾迹一样在大雁的身后呈V字形伸展开。

If another goose puts its wings inside this updraft wake, it gets anadded upward boost itself.

如果另一只大雁也在这样的上升气流中展开翅膀，它会获得额外的升力来助推自己。

What's the best formation to take advantage of this?

什么样的队形能够最好地利用这个优势？

It's not astraight line, it's a “V”!

不是直线，而是“V”字形。

1 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

2 tapered   

adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The tail tapered to a rounded tip. 尾部越来越细，最后成了个圆尖。
• The organization tapered off in about half a year. 那个组织大约半年内就逐渐消失了。

3 bulges   

膨胀( bulge的名词复数 )； 鼓起； （身体的）肥胖部位； 暂时的激增

参考例句：

• His pocket bulges with apples. 他的衣袋装着苹果鼓了起来。
• He bulges out of his black T-shirt. 他的肚子在黑色T恤衫下鼓鼓地挺着。

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 tugs   

n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The raucous sirens of the tugs came in from the river. 河上传来拖轮发出的沙哑的汽笛声。 来自辞典例句
• As I near the North Tower, the wind tugs at my role. 当我接近北塔的时候，风牵动着我的平衡杆。 来自辞典例句