时间:2018-12-08 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2015年(十月)


英语课

Scientists Solve Mystery of Chameleon 1 Eyes 科学家们解决变色龙眼睛的奥秘


Chameleons 2 can move their eyes in different directions, and most scientists thought that meant that each eye worked independently from the other. Scientists in Israel say they have discovered, however, that chameleons’ eyes are, in fact, highly coordinated 3.


Many fish and birds have eyes on opposite sides of the head, and they seemingly have at any given moment two different pictures of the world around them. But chameleons’ eyes are slightly bulging 4 so they can focus both eyes on one object or track two different objects with each eye.


The puzzling question was: does one eye know what the other is doing?


Scientists at Haifa University, in Israel, tried to find the answer with the help of a computer screen.


"We found out that each eye has a different role. We have the tracking eye, that will continue tracking the target, and the converging 5 eye that will converge 6 to the tracking eye, and eventually she will choose that target," said Hadas Ketter-Katz, who is a scientist at the university. "We found out that each eye has a different subtle pattern of eye movements according to her role.”


Split screen


When the picture of an insect projected on the screen was split in two, which then started to move in opposite directions, the chameleon was able to follow both.


But when the animal finally decided 7 on one of the targets, its other eye suddenly swiveled back to focus on the same spot. In a split second, it lashed 8 out its long tongue at the target. This proved that the second eye knew what the first eye was seeing.


"We assume that the brain controls each eye independently with independent units of eye movements, but there is a higher level of control that can co-ordinate these two. So each eye knows exactly what the other eye sees and vice 9 versa,” said Ketter-Katz.


Scientists say new findings may shed new light on research on other, similar animals. It also could find application in the control of mechanical devices — such as robots or self-driving cars — whose video cameras have to focus simultaneously 10 on several things.



1 chameleon
n.变色龙,蜥蜴;善变之人
  • The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings.变色龙变换颜色以适应环境。
  • The chameleon can take on the colour of its background.变色龙可呈现出与其背景相同的颜色。
2 chameleons
n.变色蜥蜴,变色龙( chameleon的名词复数 )
  • Insects, birds and baby rats are the main food of chameleons. 昆虫、小鸟和幼鼠等是避役主要的食物。 来自互联网
  • A bronze chariot ridden by chameleons radiating flaring lights. 一辆被燃烧的蜥蜴覆盖的青铜战车。 来自互联网
3 coordinated
adj.协调的
  • The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
  • The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
4 bulging
膨胀; 凸出(部); 打气; 折皱
  • Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
  • Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她:“问问是不是重要的事。”
5 converging
adj.收敛[缩]的,会聚的,趋同的v.(线条、运动的物体等)会于一点( converge的现在分词 );(趋于)相似或相同;人或车辆汇集;聚集
  • Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。 来自辞典例句
  • This very slowly converging series was known to Leibniz in 1674. 这个收敛很慢的级数是莱布尼茨在1674年得到的。 来自辞典例句
6 converge
vi.会合;聚集,集中;(思想、观点等)趋近
  • The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。
  • Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。
7 decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
8 lashed
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥
  • The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
  • The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 vice
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
10 simultaneously
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地
  • The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
  • The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。
学英语单词
Aateck
attic fans
australimoosella taiwanensis
bca
botrychium ternatum
bouges
box-method
braking hop
brute-force technique
budlong
Caldon
checks and balances
civil actions
clearing away heat-evil and promoting diuresis
cohune oils
cumulative letter of credit
cupric tungstate
daily price movement limits
delice
designated priority
devilwoods
die spotting machine
differential subring
dihydrofuscin
ditch oxidation
dummies
elevator bail
ellipsoid articulation
Eptavigor
eructated
ether wind
fermentation apparatus
first order functional calculus
flock paper
fluorolubricant
fruit-nut
gastrografin
gatcombes
Geosynchronous satellite.
ground thread thread rolling die
handwork hood
hknc
hydroxylbraunite
impression technic
informatiques
interdependency
inward traffic
leadage
Leptospira mezzana
Let your guard down
license and permit bond
liliopsid
liquers
major factors
McNairy County
melisse
micro safety burner
micus
mitochondrial transplantation
NETGEN
Nicodemian
nightcaps
nitritoid syndrome
non-glutinous
oil temperature indicator
Olondero
ovarium lobatus
perichondrial
Persea americana Mill.
plant geneticist
plasma etch process
product design
proportion of constant to variable capital
pseudokeratin
puplican
pyretometer
rate of sand transporting
rose-coloureds
rough bindweed
salt-fog chamber
samurais
scale data
scorbutus nauticus
scrapping of bearing
scshs-s
sharp resonance
steerer tubes
stochastic transition network
studio foldback circuit
sub-chelate
supersedal
swordman
Tan Dan
thermocouple ga(u)ge
Trogium pulsatorium
Troglodytes troglodytes
two-handed saw
unimparadised
V block
varshney
vlamincks
zizzed