Slithery Snakes
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents Introduction.
导言表。
4 Snake Traits.
四蛇特质。
6 Hunting and Eating.
6 猎取与取食.
11 How Snakes Are Born.
11"蛇出世"(How Snakes Are Born).
12 Venomous Snakes.
十二阴行蛇.
13 Conclusion.
13 结论。
15 Glossary.
15 词汇。
16 horned viper Introduction Snakes are unusual animals.
16角蛇入门 蛇是不寻常的动物.
They are reptiles, a class of creatures that also includes lizards and turtles.
它们是爬行动物,一类生物也包括蜥蜴和龟.
Long and limbless, snakes come in many lengths, patterns, and colors.
长而无四肢,蛇来多长相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相相相相去相去相去相相去相相相相相相去相去相去相相去相去相相去相去相去相去相相去相相相相相相相相相相相相相去相
To date, scientists have identified several thousand species of snakes.
迄今为止,科学家已经查明了几千个蛇种。
They live in oceans, in trees, and on land, and they have adapted to survive in many unusual ways.
它们生活在海洋、树木和陆地上,它们以许多不寻常的方式适应生存。
There are thousands of kinds of snakes in the world, but only a few hundred are dangerous.
天下有上千种之蛇相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相去相相去相去相去相去相去相
Snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica.
除了南极洲以外,每个大陆都有蛇.
Some places, however, are snake-free zones.
不过,有些地方是无蛇区.
For instance, no snakes live in the wild on certain islands, such as Ireland, New Zealand, and Iceland.
例如,某些岛屿,如爱尔兰、新西兰和冰岛的野外没有蛇。
Depending on the species, snakes in the wild may live up to twenty-five years.
根据物种的不同,野生蛇可以活到25年.
Biggest and Smallest One of the largest snakes is the green anaconda.
最大和最小 最大的一条蛇是绿色的Anaconda.
A full-grown green anaconda can be close to 10 meters (33 ft.)
出土的全长绿色角膜可接近10米(33英尺).
long and weigh more than 230 kilograms (507 lb.)
长而重230多公斤(507磅)
By contrast, one of the smallest snakes is the thread snake.
相形之下,一条最小的蛇就是线蛇.
It is only about 10 centimeters (4 in.)
它只有大约10厘米(4英寸).
long.
长.
NORTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA PACIFIC OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN INDIAN OCEAN ATLANTIC OCEAN ASIA AUSTRALIA ANTARCTICA AFRICA EUROPE Where Snakes Live Land snakes Sea snakes Snake Traits Like all reptiles, snakes are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature changes as the temperature around them changes.
北美 南美洲 太平洋 印度洋 印度洋 澳大利亚 非洲 欧洲 蛇活在陆地上 蛇纹象所有爬行动物一样,蛇是冷血的,指其体温随周围温度的变化而变化.
If a snake needs to warm up, it basks in the sun.
蛇若需要取暖,会倒入太阳.
If the snake needs to cool down, it rests in the shade.
如果蛇需要冷却, 它停留在阴道。
Snakes become much less active in winter.
蛇在冬季的活性要低得多.
Some snakes that live through cold winters do not hibernate; instead, they find a place underground or beneath a rock pile or log to stay warm.
有些活过寒冬的蛇不会冬眠;相反,它们会发现地下或岩石堆下或木材下的地方来保持温暖.
Another way snakes remain warm in winter is by gathering in a group and looping around each other to share body heat.
另一种冬季蛇会保持温暖的方式是聚集成群并相互环绕以分享体热.
The red-sided garter snakes of Canada hibernate in bunches during the winter.
加拿大红边吊带蛇在冬季会被打成堆.
They come out from their dens to mate in the spring.
他们从洞穴出来交配 在春天。
A snake’s skeleton is made up of a long backbone, ribs, a skull, and a jawbone.
蛇的骨架由长骨干,肋骨,头骨和下颚骨组成.
Its hard, bony skull protects its brain.
它的硬骨头骨保护它的大脑.
Snakes can have from about 150 to more than 400 vertebrae.
蛇可以有从大约150到400多个椎骨.
Their many vertebrae allow them to move in a multitude of ways.
他们的众多椎骨允许他们以多种方式移动.
A very limber snake usually has more vertebrae.
非常四肢蛇通常有较多的脊椎.
Like all reptiles, a snake has scales on its body.
和所有爬行动物一样,蛇的体内有鳞片.
In addition to providing protection, scales are nearly waterproof, helping keep the snake dry.
除了提供保护,鳞片几乎是防水的,有助于使蛇干.
Scales grow from the snake’s skin.
鳞片由蛇皮生长.
Some scales are colorful.
某些鳞片多彩.
Other snakes have scales for camouflage, which helps them blend in with their surroundings.
其他的蛇都有伪装的鳞片,帮助它们与周围环境相融合.
Since snakes have no arms or legs, they use their muscles and scales to move.
由于蛇没有手臂和腿,因此会用肌肉和鳞片来移动.
The scales on their belly tightly grip the surface beneath them.
腹部的鳞片紧紧地压住地表
Their muscles help them move from side to side, or slither, along the ground.
它们的肌肉帮助它们沿着地表从一侧向一侧移动,或者分光.
Some even use their muscles and scales to climb trees.
有些人甚至用肌肉和鳞片来爬树.
Snake scales are made up of the same protein as human fingernails.
蛇鳞由与人类指甲相同的蛋白组成.
Snake scales look like a single sheet of skin.
蛇鳞外观为单片皮.
Snakes don’t actually shed skin.
蛇其实不会露出皮肤。
Instead, they shed the outer layers of their scales.
相反,它们掉下它们天平的外层.
Snakes usually shed up to four times per year.
蛇一般会每年倒出四次.
This is called molting.
这叫"倒地"
During molting, a snake rubs against a hard object such as a rock or log.
在被熔化时,一蛇会向岩石或木头等硬物上摩擦.
Rubbing helps its skin stretch and split.
捣烂会帮助其皮肤伸展并分出.
Then the snake crawls out and leaves it behind.
然后被蛇爬出并留下来.
Snakes shed for several reasons.
蛇出走有好几个原因.
Young snakes shed more often than mature snakes because they are still growing.
幼蛇出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出出
Unlike the skin of other animals, a snake’s skin does not stretch as the snake grows.
与其他动物的皮肤不同,蛇的皮肤不会随着蛇的生长而伸展.
Another reason snakes shed is to get rid of parasites that may have attached to their old skin.
蛇出走的另一个原因是去除可能附着于老皮肤的寄生虫.
It can take up to fourteen days for some snakes to shed.
一些蛇出走需要14天的时间.
Scales protect a snake’s eyes, as well as its body.
鳞片保护了蛇的眼睛及其身体.
Unlike many animals, snakes do not have eyelids, and their eyes do not move.
与许多动物不同的是,蛇没有眼皮,眼睛也不动.
Instead, each eye is covered with a clear scale that protects the eye from drying out.
取而代之的是,每只眼睛被一个清晰的尺度所覆盖,保护眼睛不被干涸.
Because of this, snakes can’t blink.
蛇不会眨眼。
Another difference between snakes and other animals is their ears.
蛇与其他动物的另一个区别是它们的耳朵.
Snakes do not have ears on the outside of their skull.
蛇头骨外侧没有耳.
Instead, they listen through their jawbone.
相反,他们通过下颚骨听。
Sound vibrations pass through the jawbone to the inner ear, which sends a signal to the snake’s brain.
声音振动会从下颚骨传入内耳,这向蛇的大脑发出信号.
Snakes’ eyes adapt to light depending on whether they hunt during the day or at night.
蛇的眼睛根据白天或晚上猎取的光而适应.
Another important feature of a snake is its tongue.
蛇的另一个重要特征是它的舌头.
A snake uses its forked tongue to smell.
有蛇用叉舌来闻.
When its tongue is out, scent particles stick to it.
舌出后,气味颗粒会粘住.
The snake pulls its tongue back and touches the roof of its mouth where a special organ identifies the scent particles.
蛇将舌头拉回并触摸口腔的屋顶,在那里有特殊的器官识别出气味颗粒.
Certain snakes, such as pythons and boas, are able to sense the heat of warm-blooded animals nearby.
某些蛇,如蟒蛇和野猪等,能够感知到附近暖血动物的热量.
Pits near a snake’s eyes can sense even the slightest change in the temperature around them.
蛇眼附近的坑体甚至能感知周围温度的微小变化。
Other snakes, known as pit vipers, use two sensitive pits to send a heat image to their brain.
其他被称作"地坑维珀斯"的蛇会使用两个敏感的地坑来向大脑发送热成像.
The snake can “see” its prey through the heat given off by the prey’s body.
蛇可以通过被猎物身体发出热量来"看到"猎物.
This adaptation helps them judge distances while hunting in the dark.
这种适应有助于他们在黑暗中打猎时判断距离.
A forked tongue tells a snake where a smell is coming from.
叉舌相告一蛇从何处出出一味.
Hunting and Eating Snakes are carnivores, or meat eaters.
猎取和吃蛇是食肉动物,或吃肉.
They eat other animals in several ways.
他们以几种方式吃其他动物.
Some snakes inject venom, which is a type of toxin, when they bite prey.
有的蛇在咬猎物时会注射毒液,这种毒液是一种毒素.
Other snakes, called constrictors, squeeze prey to death.
其他被叫收缩器的蛇会将猎物挤死.
Some snakes sneak up on their prey, grab it with their powerful jaws, and swallow it alive.
有些蛇会悄悄地爬上猎物,用强大的下巴抓住它并活活地吞下它.
Most snakes’ upper and lower jaws are loosely connected.
大部分蛇的上下下颚的连接松散.
This allows a snake to spread its jaws and open its mouth wide enough to swallow large objects.
这使得一蛇可以将下巴向外张开并张开口口,能将大物体吞下.
Snakes’ teeth are mainly designed for catching and holding prey.
蛇的牙齿主要用于捕捉和捕捉猎物.
Their fangs and regular teeth are curved backward, which pushes the food toward their throat.
它们的尖牙和正齿被弯曲后退,将食物推向了喉咙.
They are even able to push their breathing tube out of their mouth so they can breathe as they swallow their prey whole.
它们甚至能够把呼吸管从口中推出 这样它们就能在吞下全部猎物时呼吸
Once prey has been swallowed, a snake uses its powerful muscles to move it into the stomach and intestines.
猎物被吞下后,一蛇会用强大的肌肉将其移入胃和肠道.
Strong acids produced by the walls of the stomach dissolve the prey into a liquid-like mass for easy digestion.
由胃壁产生的强酸将猎物溶解为液体等质以方便消化.
How Snakes Are Born Most snakes that live in cold areas mate in late spring or early summer.
蛇是如何诞生的 大多数生活在寒冷地区的蛇会于春季后期或夏季初交配.
Snakes that live in warmer areas may mate at any time of year.
生活在更温暖地区的蛇每年的任何时间都可以交配.
Once they mate, the male snake usually leaves.
一旦它们交配,雄蛇通常会离开.
About two-thirds of all female snakes lay eggs in a safe place and then leave.
大约三分之二的雌蛇在安全的地方产卵,然后离开.
Snake eggs have soft, leathery shells.
蛇蛋有柔软,皮质外壳.
Baby snakes grow inside the eggs, and most develop sharp teeth to cut through the egg to hatch.
婴儿蛇会生长在卵内,大多数会发育出尖牙来切入卵来孵出.
Once a baby snake hatches, it must survive on its own.
一旦婴儿蛇孵出,它必须靠自己生存.
It is not easy to survive because birds, some mammals, and other snakes eat baby snakes.
由于鸟类,有哺乳动物,有的蛇会吃幼蛇,所以生存不容易.
Some types of female snakes, such as rattlesnakes, hold their eggs inside their body until they hatch.
某些种类的雌性蛇,如响尾蛇等,会把卵放入体内,直到孵出.
Others, such as common garter snakes, also give birth to live young.
其他如常见的吊带蛇也生出活生生的年轻.
Baby snakes hatch by biting through their shell.
婴儿蛇通过咬穿外壳孵出.
Venomous Snakes Some, but not all, snakes produce venom.
恶毒蛇 有些,但不是全部,蛇产生毒液。
Venom is injected through fangs, which are located on a snake’s jaws.
风能通过牙膏来注射,牙膏位于蛇的下巴上.
Venom is produced in sacs behind a snake’s eyes.
阴道在蛇眼后被阴囊所产生.
Some fangs are hollow so the venom can flow through them from these sacs.
有些尖牙是空心的,所以毒液可以从这些囊中流出.
Venom flows from a snake’s venom sacs through its fangs.
毒液会从蛇的毒囊中流出,
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Snakes use venom for both defense and attack.
东方钻石后卫响尾蛇使用毒液进行防御和攻击.
They usually inject more venom when they bite in defense.
它们通常在咬防时会注入更多的毒液.
Snakes’ venom paralyzes their prey.
蛇的毒液使猎物瘫痪。
Some inject the prey with venom and let it go.
有的给猎物注射了毒液并放走.
Then they use their sense of smell and heat sensors to track the prey until it dies.
然后他们用他们的嗅觉和热感应器追踪猎物直到它死去.
Other snakes use their teeth or body to hold on to the prey until it dies.
其他蛇会用牙齿或身体来紧紧地抓住猎物直到它死去.
Then they eat it.
然后他们吃了它。
Fewer than half of venomous snakes have venom that is strong enough to kill humans.
有毒蛇不足半分有毒能强能杀活人.
Venom versus Poison Venom and poison are not the same thing.
阴通相与毒相与毒相同.
Poison is absorbed, eaten, or breathed in, while venom is injected into the victim through a bite or sting.
毒物被吸收,被吃或被吸入,而毒液通过被咬或被刺注入被害者体内.
Other animals, such as scorpions and certain insects, inject venom by stinging.
其他动物,如蝎子和某些昆虫会用刺来注射毒液.
Snakes do not chew prey.
蛇不会咬猎物
Instead, they swallow it whole.
相反,他们完全吞下它。
Conclusion Snakes are among the animal kingdom’s fiercest predators.
蛇是动物王国最凶猛的捕食者之一。
Snakes have survived in most environments because their senses have adapted to the natural world in specific ways.
蛇在大多数环境中都活了下来,因为他们的感官以特定的方式适应了自然世界.
Whether they are long or short, large or tiny, venomous strikers or constrictors, snakes are fascinating animals that play an important role in Earth’s natural environment.
无论是长的还是短的,大的还是小的,毒气的打击者还是收缩者,蛇都是迷人的动物,在地球的自然环境中起着重要的作用.