英语听力：自然百科 大迁徙 Great Migrations—2
时间：2019-01-22 作者：英语课 分类：自然百科2010年
英语课
What on earth could drive this headlong rush to slaughter 1? Only earth herself with her insistent 2 clocks.
This story begins in the Great Rift 3 Valley, where the continent is tearing itself apart and being reborn.
The plains in the shadow of the rift, the Serengeti are threaded with the paths of the millions on the move in a constant burning search for fresh grass.
Every year, more than a million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras must chase the seasonal 4 rains in a 300-mile loop around Tanzania and Kenya.
But here in the Serengeti, they pause for an avalanche 5 of young, the most migration 6-ready newborns on earth. The wildebeest have a scant 7 three weeks to deliver half a million calves 8, who have only minutes to get up on their feet, because the predators 9 and the scavengers have the migration clock etched in their genes 10 as well.
For them, this is a weak and movable feast. For the newborns, it's "get going" or "get eaten".
n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀
- I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
- Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。
adj.迫切的，坚持的
- There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
- He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。
n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入
- He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
- The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。
adj.季节的，季节性的
- The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
- The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。
n.雪崩，大量涌来
- They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.他们在瑞士阿尔卑斯山的一次雪崩中罹难。
- Higher still the snow was ready to avalanche.在更高处积雪随时都会崩塌。
n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙
- Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
- He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。
adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略
- Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
- Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候，许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。
n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解
- a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
- The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）
- birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
- The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》