英语听力：自然百科 北极熊 冰上间谍 Spy_Bear—17

 At last, there is hope. They have finally reached the pack-ice that forms the polar icecap. It’s the ultimate hunting habitat for polar bears. The icecap stretches all the way to the North Pole. Seals are found wherever it meets the sea. It’s been a long journey. There are a hundred miles from Svalbard and 150 miles from the den-sites where they were born. For now, she can relax, having fulfilled her mission. It’s the perfect spot to spend the few months left of summer.

 

It is four months since Svalbard was surrounded by sea ice. It could be another two before it freezes again. Guided by her sense of smell, the mother discovers what's left of the stranded¹ whale, but it looks like the remains² have been stripped clean by bears. The massive backbone³ says it all. There is not a scrap⁴ to be found. This was their last hope. With the carcass gone, the bears search the shore for scraps⁵. All the remains are sun-bleached bones. There is little nutrition here, but at least the cub⁶ has found something to chew on.

1 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

4 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

5 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。

6 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。