Giant Mammals
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents Introduction.
导言表。
4 Blowholes and Blubber.
4 Blowholes an分贝lubbers. 4 Blowholes an分贝lubbers. (原始内容存档于2018-09-29).
7 A Whole Lot of Little.
(原始内容存档于2019-07-27). A 整批"小".
10 From Sea to Shining Sea.
10 从出海到出海.
12 Those Big Baby Blues.
12个大宝贝蓝
13 Song of the Sea.
13"出海颂".
14 Conclusion.
14 结论。
15 Glossary.
15 词汇。
16 Introduction Far out at sea, scientists scan the horizon.
导言 远在海上,科学家扫描地平线。
They are looking for the largest creature on Earth.
他们在找地球上最大的生物
You would think that finding an enormous animal would be easy, but oceans are vast and wide.
你会认为找到一个巨大的动物是很容易的, 但海洋是广阔而广阔的。
Suddenly, a thunderous roar sounds as a blast of water shoots high into the air.
突然,一阵雷鸣的咆哮 听起来就像一阵大水 高高地射入了空气
The scientists have found what they were looking for—the mighty, magnificent blue whale.
科学家们找到了他们要找的东西 雄伟而雄伟的蓝鲸
How Big Is It?
这么大?
A blue whale’s water spout can shoot over 30 feet (9.
蓝鲸出水可射出30多英尺(9英尺).
1 m) in the air.
1米)在空气中.
A blue whale’s size is impressive.
蓝鲸的体型令人印象深刻。
It can weigh as much as 200 tons (181.
其重量可达200吨(181.
4 mt) and be as long as approximately 100 feet (30.
长约100英尺(30.
5 m).
(5米长)
Its tongue alone weighs as much as an elephant.
其口舌独重如象.
Its heart is so large that a person could crawl through its main blood vessels!
它的心脏如此之大 一个人可以爬过它的主要血管!
The blue whale has a mammoth body.
蓝鲸有一头猛兽.
Its skin actually looks blue underwater, but from above it looks blue-gray.
它的皮肤实际上在水下看起来是蓝色的,但从上面看它看起来是蓝色的灰色.
The underside of a blue whale sometimes appears to be pale yellow thanks to tiny organisms called diatoms that often hitch rides on the whale’s skin.
蓝鲸的下部有时看起来是苍白的黄色,
A blue whale’s body is as long as a basketball court.
蓝鲸的身体与篮球场一样长.
What Makes a Blue Whale a Mammal?
为什么蓝鲸是哺乳动物?
All mammals • breathe air • have hair on their bodies at some stage in their development • are warm-blooded • produce milk to feed their babies A blue whale breathes air through blowholes on the top of its head.
• 所有哺乳动物在发育的某个阶段都有头发; 蓝鲸通过头顶的口井呼吸出空气.
A blue whale has a layer of fat, called blubber, that helps keep it warm.
蓝鲸有一层脂肪,叫"鲸脂",有助于保暖.
A blue whale has baleen— hairlike structures inside its upper jaw.
蓝鲸的上下巴内有发状结构
Blowholes and Blubber Blue whales live in the sea, but they are not fish.
吹口和蓝鲸生活在海中,但它们不是鱼.
These graceful giants are the world’s largest mammals.
这些优雅的巨人是世界上最大的哺乳动物。
Blue whales have lungs and breathe air just like humans.
蓝鲸有肺和呼吸空气 就像人类一样
They inhale and exhale through two blowholes on top of their heads.
他们通过头顶上的两个喷口吸入并呼出.
In order to breathe, a whale must come to the ocean’s surface.
为了呼吸,鲸鱼必须来到海洋表面。
The blowholes open and the whale expels air, sending water spouts up to 30 feet (9.
吹口开口后被鲸鱼放出空气,发出高达30英尺(9.
1 m) into the sky.
1米)入天门.
Then the whale quickly inhales, filling its massive lungs.
然后鲸鱼迅速吸气,充入了巨大的肺.
All of this happens in under two seconds!
所有这一切发生在两秒钟内!
A whale breathes in and out several times at the surface before beginning a dive.
鲸鱼在开始下潜前在地表呼吸了好几次
It uses its flexible spine and wide tail flukes to navigate through the water.
它利用其柔软的脊椎和宽宽的尾花来航行于水中.
Flukes are made up of tissue, not bone, so they are flexible.
花序由组织而来,不是由骨骼所组成,因此具有弹性.
Blue whales leave circles called “flukeprints” on the water’s surface when they dive.
蓝鲸在潜水时会在水面上留下被称作"花纹"的圆圈.
These whales usually cruise along at 5 miles per hour (8 kmph), but they can travel as fast as 20 miles per hour (32 kmph).
这些鲸鱼通常以每小时5英里(8公里ph)的速度来航行,但它们可以快到每小时20英里(32公里ph).
Blue whales can stay underwater for about thirty minutes.
蓝鲸可以在水下停留约30分钟.
They are considered shallow divers because they rarely go deeper than 700 feet (213.
他们被认为是浅潜水员,因为他们很少会更深地超过700英尺(213英尺).
4 m).
页:1
In contrast, sperm whales dive about 3,280 feet (1,000 m)—more than four times deeper!
相形之下,精子鲸下潜约3,280英尺(1,000米)-更深4倍多!
A flap covers a blue whale’s blowholes to keep out water when it dives.
一只蓝鲸在下潜时会挡住水,
Whale watchers look for flukeprints on the water’s surface to locate whales.
捕鲸者在水面上寻找花纹,
Ocean water can be frigid at such depths, but that’s not a problem for blue whales.
海水可以在如此深处被冷冻,
Like all sea mammals, blue whales have a layer of fat called blubber just beneath their skin.
和所有海洋哺乳动物一样,蓝鲸的皮肤下方有一层叫"鲸脂"的脂肪.
The blubber insulates them from the deep water’s chilly temperatures.
鲸脂使它们与深水中寒冷的温度隔绝。
A Whole Lot of Little When blue whales dive, they are searching for their favorite food— krill.
一整块小块 当蓝鲸潜水时,它们正在寻找它们最喜欢的食物——磷虾.
Krill are tiny shrimplike creatures that live in large groups.
磷虾是小虾类生物,生活在大群中.
Swarms of krill can be found near the water’s surface as well as at ocean depths greater than 6,000 feet (1,829 m).
在水面附近以及在6 000英尺(1 829米)以上的海洋深处可以发现磷虾的碎片。
It may seem strange that the largest animal in the world feeds on one of the smallest.
世界上最大的动物 以最小的动物之一为食 似乎很奇怪
Blue whales are gargantuan, but their throats are actually very narrow.
蓝鲸的喉咙很窄
Their esophagus is only inches wide, so they cannot swallow anything large.
它们的食道只有一英寸宽,所以不能吞下任何大的.
Blue whales also have no teeth for chewing.
蓝鲸也无牙可嚼.
They must swallow their food whole.
他们必须把食物全部吞下
Krill (inset) is the main food in a blue whale’s diet.
磷虾(inset)是蓝鲸饮食中的主要食物.
Krill often swarm near the water’s surface.
Krill经常在水面附近聚集。
In addition to keeping whales warm, blubber also helps them float better and swim faster.
除了能让鲸鱼保持温暖外,鲸脂还能帮助它们更好地漂浮并更快地游泳.
Instead of teeth, blue whales have plates of baleen on their upper jaws.
蓝鲸的上下巴上有花纹
Baleen is made of keratin, the same material in our hair and fingernails.
巴林由克拉廷所制, 同样的材料 在我们的头发和指甲。
Baleen plates are like a mustache growing inside a whale’s mouth.
鲸鱼嘴里长出胡子。
Baleen works like a filter.
巴林的工作就像过滤器
A blue whale opens its mouth and takes a gulp of seawater full of swimming krill.
一只蓝鲸张开口取出一股充满游泳磷虾的海水.
The whale’s throat expands to hold thousands of gallons of seawater.
鲸鱼的喉咙膨胀到有上千加仑的海水。
Then the whale closes its mouth and uses its tongue to push the seawater through the baleen and back out into the sea.
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Because krill cannot pass through the baleen, they stay trapped inside the whale’s mouth and are swallowed whole.
因为磷虾不能穿过地盘,
A blue whale eats about forty million krill each day.
蓝鲸每天能吃到四千万磷虾
From Sea to Shining Sea Blue whales can be found gliding through the depths of every ocean on our planet.
从出海到出海 蓝鲸在地球上的每一个海洋的深处 都能发现它们的滑翔
They travel alone or in pairs, going wherever krill live.
他们单独旅行或成对旅行,去克里尔住的地方.
During the summer months, blue whales feed in polar waters.
在夏季的几个月里,蓝鲸在极地水域中觅食.
When winter comes, both the krill and the whales migrate toward the equator.
当冬天来临时 磷虾和鲸鱼都向赤道迁徙
A favorite gathering spot for many blue whales is the Costa Rica Dome, off the southern coast of Central America.
许多蓝鲸最喜欢的聚集地是位于中美洲南部沿海的哥斯达黎加穹顶.
A blue whale has up to eight hundred baleen plates in its mouth.
一只蓝鲸的口腔有多达800块花板
Where Blue Whales Live The grooves on a blue whale’s throat expand to help it gulp up to 17,000 gallons (64,352 L) of water at a time.
蓝鲸的栖息地 蓝鲸喉咙上的沟槽会扩张,
Those Big Baby Blues Female blue whales give birth when they are in warmer water.
那些大宝贝蓝 雌蓝鲸在取暖后会生出.
Their gestation period lasts approximately ten to twelve months.
妊娠期大约为10至12个月。
A female whale gives birth every two or three years.
雌鲸每两三年生一头.
Baby blue whales, called calves, weigh more than 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg) when they are born.
婴儿蓝鲸被称作"小牛",出生时体重超过5000磅(2,268公斤).
Within minutes of birth, a calf swims to the surface with its mother for air.
出生后几分钟内,一头小牛会同母亲一起向地表游泳以取出空气.
Song of the Sea Blue whales are not only the largest animals in the world, they are also the loudest.
海蓝鲸之歌不仅是世界上最大的动物,也是最响的.
These whales can produce sounds louder than a jet engine!
这些鲸鱼能产生比喷气发动机更响亮的声音!
Whale “songs” can travel for miles through the water.
鲸鱼“歌曲”可以穿越多英里的水面。
Even though whale sounds are loud, they are impossible for people to hear without special equipment.
虽然鲸鱼的声音很响亮,但如果没有特殊设备,人们就无法听到.
Some scientists think whales use sonar to help them find their way through dark ocean waters, much the way bats navigate.
一些科学家认为鲸鱼使用声纳来帮助它们找到通向黑暗海洋的通路,这大多是蝙蝠航行的方式.
Other scientists think whales sing to communicate with each other.
其他科学家认为鲸鱼会唱歌来交流.
Scientists do know that only male whales sing.
科学家们知道只有雄鲸会唱歌
They have also discovered that whales in different parts of the world sing slightly different songs.
他们还发现,世界不同地区的鲸鱼所演唱的歌曲略有不同.
The calf and its mother have a strong bond.
犊子同其母有坚固之相.
They remain together for many months while the calf drinks milk and gains over 200 pounds (90.
它们在一起许多月,而幼崽饮用牛奶并增加200多磅(90.
7 kg) a day.
7公斤)一日一发.
After about a year, it leaves its mother and becomes independent.
大约一年后,它离开母亲并独立.
Blue whales give birth in warm waters.
蓝鲸出产于温暖的水域.
Calves have little insulating blubber when first born.
幼崽刚出世时有很少的绝缘脂肪.
Whale songs are too deep and low for humans to hear without special equipment.
鲸鱼之歌太深也太低了,人类没有特殊设备听不到.
Conclusion Whale songs are just one of the behaviors of blue whales that scientists hope to better understand.
结论 鲸鱼歌曲只是蓝鲸的行为之一,科学家们希望能更好地理解.
Much is still unknown about the habits of these enormous creatures.
对这些巨大生物的习性,人们仍然一无所知。
In the early to mid-twentieth century, so many blue whales were hunted that they were nearly driven to extinction.
在20世纪初到中叶,许多蓝鲸被猎杀,以至于几乎被驱赶去灭绝.
Their numbers have only slightly recovered since then.
从那时起,他们的人数只略有回升。
As an endangered species, blue whales are protected by the International Whaling Commission.
作为濒危物种,蓝鲸受到国际捕鲸委员会的保护.
Despite these efforts, it is estimated that only ten to twenty-five thousand of these magnificent creatures survive today.
尽管做出了这些努力,据估计今天只有一万到二万五千只这些宏伟的生物存活.
Scientists continue their research, hoping to acquire new knowledge about these gentle giants to help ensure their survival for many generations to come.
科学家继续他们的研究,希望获得关于这些温和的巨人的新知识来帮助确保后代的生存.
Glossary baleen (n.)
词汇baleen (n.)
a material in the mouth of certain whales that filters food from ocean water (p.
a 某些鲸鱼口中从海水中过滤出食物的材料(p.
11) blubber (n.)
11) lu脂 (n.
fat under the skin that keeps marine mammals warm (p.
使海洋哺乳动物保持温暖的皮肤下脂肪(p.
9) esophagus (n.)
9) 食道 (n.
the muscle-lined tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach (p.
将食物从喉咙带到胃部的肌肉线管(p.
10) flukes (n.)
10) 排风 (n.
the two halves of a whale’s tail (p.
鲸鱼尾巴的两半(p.
8) gestation (n.)
8) 孕期 (n.
the period when a baby develops inside its mother’s body before being born; the development that occurs during this time (p.
婴儿出生前在母亲体内发育的时期; 在此期间发生的发育(p.
13) insulates (v.)
13)绝缘(五.
prevents the transfer of heat (p.
防止发热(p.
9) keratin (n.)
9) 克拉廷 (n.
a strong material produced by the bodies of some animals that makes up hair, hooves, claws, feathers, and fingernails (p.
由一些动物的身体所生成的能构成毛发,蹄,爪,羽毛和指甲(p.
11) krill (n.)
11) 磷虾 (n.
tiny crustaceans that live in oceans and are food for many other animals (p.
生活在海洋并是许多其他动物的食物的细小甲壳类动物(p.
10) sonar (n.)
10) 声纳 (n.
a system that sends high- frequency sound waves through water and registers the vibrations bounced back by an object (p.
一个通过水来发送高频声波并记录被物体反射回的振动的系统(p.
14) Once, over three hundred thousand blue whales lived in the world’s oceans.
14) 有一次,超过30万只蓝鲸生活在世界海洋中.
Now there are only about ten to twenty-five thousand.
现在只有一万到二万五千