英语听力文摘 English Digest 466、谁在啃我的叶子！
时间：2019-01-26 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力文摘 English Digest
作为一株小小的或是大大的植物(矛盾吗?),被生长在厚厚的泥土之下的根所束缚着,只能眼睁睁地看着虫子、鸟儿啃食自己的叶子,啄食自己的果实?植物也有保护自己的方法哦,一起来看看吧
Plants Arming Themselves
Yaël: Don, imagine this scenario 1. You’re a plant, and a butterfly lays its eggs on you. What do you do?
Don: What can I do Yaël, I'm a plant. I have roots, I think I'm stuck.
Y: Actually, Don, it turns out that you can do plenty.
D: Even with caterpillars 3 gnawing 4 on my leaves?
Y: Especially them, you see plants aren’t as static as you think they are. In fact, some plants are so tuned 5 into their predators 6 that they know exactly what kind of insect is munching 7 on their leaves.
D: Like whether it's a caterpillar 2 or a beetle 8? Amazing!
Y: And this means that individual plants can also adjust their physiology 9 in response to their current conditions. So they may release substances that are toxic 10 to the particular insect, adjust the ways they look and smell, and even adjust their growth patterns.
D: Really?
Y: And this can work both for and against the other species, depending on whether the plant needs its help. For example, plants being attacked by an insect might release scents 11 that attract the predators of that insect. And don’t think the insects don’t adjust in return. For example, they may adjust the balance of enzymes 12 in their stomach in order to better digest the plant.
D: So it’s like the plants and the insects are engaged in some elaborate arms race.
植物的自我武装
Yaël: Don，试想一下这样的情景：你是一株植物，一只蝴蝶在你的叶子上产下了很多的卵，作为植物的你会做什么呢？
Don: 你说我能做什么呢，我是株植物，我是有根的，被死死固定在泥土里。
Y: 事实上，你可以做很多事情。
D: 即使毛毛虫在啃我的叶子？
Y: 特别是这种情况，你要知道植物并非你所想的那样一直静止不动。事实上，许多植物对其天敌相当敏感，所以能很清楚地辨识出是什么昆虫在啃食自己的叶子。
D: 能辨识出是毛毛虫还是甲虫？太神奇啦！
Y: 这意味着单株植物能根据眼前的情况调整自身的生理学特征——释放对特定昆虫有毒的物质、改变自身的形态、散发不同的气味、甚至于改变自身的生长模式。
D: 真的吗？
Y: 这样的改变对其他的物种有好处也有坏处，这取决于该植物是否能获得益处。比如说，某种植物被昆虫攻击时可能会释放出能引来该种昆虫天敌的气味。但是，不要认为昆虫都是“傻子”，它们也会进行相应的调整。例如，昆虫会改变胃液中消化酶的平衡以此更好地消化植物。
D: 那这样说来，岂不是说植物与昆虫都“醉心于”一场“精锐武器”大赛！
- But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
- This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。
- 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。
- 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
- The dog was gnawing a bone. 那狗在啃骨头。
- These doubts had been gnawing at him for some time. 这些疑虑已经折磨他一段时间了。
- The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
- The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- 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》
- He was munching an apple. 他在津津有味地嚼着苹果。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Munching the apple as he was, he had an eye for all her movements. 他虽然啃着苹果，但却很留神地监视着她的每一个动作。 来自辞典例句
- A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
- He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。
- He bought a book about physiology.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
- He was awarded the Nobel Prize for achievements in physiology.他因生理学方面的建树而被授予诺贝尔奖。
- The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
- There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。
- The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
- The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》