听力文摘：植物大战毛毛虫

If you have kids, you’ve probably read the children's book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar¹, see, at least five thousand times. If you haven’t had the pleasure, here’s a brief plot summary. A caterpillarhatches from a small, white egg. Extremely hungry, the caterpillar proceeds to eat through several pieces of fruit, an assortment² of junk food, and finally, to clear the palate, a nice green leaf. At the risk of ruining the ending, on the final page the caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly.

如果你身为人父或身为人母，那你对儿童读物《肚子好饿的毛毛虫》一定不会陌生。如果你还没读过这本书，不要紧，故事讲述了这样一个故事：一条毛毛虫从一个又小又白的卵壳里爬出，饥肠辘辘的毛毛虫狼吞虎咽地咽下不少水果和垃圾食物，最后，还啃下一片可爱的绿树叶来清清肠道。故事的结尾很美满，毛毛虫破茧成蝶！

Good plot, great characterization, enticing³ illustrations. But it leaves out the most exciting part–plant-insect warfare⁴. In the real world, some caterpillars⁵ and plants engage in a deadly struggle for survival. We’re talking full-scale battle, involving chemical weapons no less.

故事情节很好，文笔细腻，插图精美。但是遗漏了最精彩的环节：植物大战毛毛虫。在现实中，毛毛虫和植物为求生存而殊死搏斗，而全面战争肯定少不了化学武器。下面我们就来谈谈吧！

Scientists have known for some time that many plants protect themselves from insect attacks by producing toxins⁶ that either ward⁷ off or kill insects when they attempt to have the plant for lunch. What scientists have only recently discovered, however, is that the common caterpillar is not without its own arsenal⁸ of chemical agents. According to recent studies, a caterpillar can sense when a plant is about to unleash⁹ its chemical weapons and counter by producing anti-toxins to neutralize¹⁰ the plant’s attack.

科学家很早就发现，一些植物释放或分泌有毒物质，击退视植物为午餐的昆虫，以求自保；而这些有毒物质有时是致命的。直到最近，科学家才发现原来毛毛虫普遍也有自己的“化学兵工厂”。据最新研究表明，毛毛虫可以感应植物何时准备释放“化学武器”，而分泌有毒物质抗体，与植物抗衡。

So far, caterpillars seem to have the upper hand. Although different plants produce a wide variety of toxins, many ultimately rely on two main chemicals. Since caterpillars have evolved to neutralize these chemicals, they are able to infest¹¹ over one-hundred toxin-producing plant species across the United States.

目前，毛毛虫稍占上风。虽然，千差万别的植物释放的有毒物质品种繁多，但是主要归结于两大类。而毛毛虫进化得足以抵御这些化学物质，足以自如应对全美上百种有毒植物。

1 caterpillar   

n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫

参考例句：

• A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。
• A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

2 assortment   

n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集

参考例句：

• This shop has a good assortment of goods to choose from.该店各色货物俱全，任君选择。
• She was wearing an odd assortment of clothes.她穿着奇装异服。

3 enticing   

adj.迷人的；诱人的

参考例句：

• The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。
• Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

4 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

5 caterpillars   

n.毛虫( caterpillar的名词复数 )；履带

参考例句：

• Caterpillars eat the young leaves of this plant. 毛毛虫吃这种植物的嫩叶。
• Caterpillars change into butterflies or moths. 毛虫能变成蝴蝶或蛾子。 来自辞典例句

6 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

8 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

9 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

10 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

11 infest   

v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于

参考例句：

• Several animals in sea water can infest wood.海水中有好多动物能侵害木材。
• A lame cat is better than a swift horse when rats infest the palace.宫殿有鼠患，瘸猫比快马强。