美国科学60秒 SSS 2012-11-08
时间：2019-01-08 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(十一)月
英语课
Crampfish became famous thanks to the movie Finding Nimo. In real life, their social hierarchy 1 is simple, larger fish dominate their smaller counterparts. Now we know that to reinforce the social structure, the fish communicate with aggressive and submissive audio signals. The news [infoes] in the journal PLoS ONE.
Researchers recorded crampfish calls capturing this noise as one chased a smaller fish. These popping sounds functioned as an () aggression 2 signal. When the/a [confish] has been chased and wishes to submit, it [cheek]s its head in a submissive gesture and produces [quicking] noises like these.
The researchers compared the aggressive and submissive calls and found that the sound posed in a submissive signal were shorter and more high-pitched. Unlike many animals that use sounds to drive/draw in potential mates, crampfish appear to use their calls only as a [lib] of social status. When a little fish makes submissive sounds to a larger one, neither has to invest in a physical confrontation 3, which is good news for small [fry], like Nimo.
n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层
- There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
- She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。
n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害
- So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
- Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。
n.对抗，对峙，冲突
- We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
- After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。