Adaptations
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents A Penguin Surprise.
《企鹅惊喜》目录
4 Survival Strategies.
4 《生存战略》。
5 A Slow Process.
5 一个缓慢的进程。
9 Odd Diets.
9个怪餐
11 Their Blood Runs Cold.
11 他们的血液流出冷。
13 Masters of Disguise.
出自"异想天开"十三部.
16 Life Finds a Way.
十六生寻道.
18 Glossary.
18 词汇。
20 A Penguin Surprise When you think of penguins, what image comes to mind?
20个企鹅惊喜 当你想到企鹅时,会想到什么?
You probably imagine black- and-white birds sliding down snowy slopes and diving into icy waters, not sunning themselves on tropical islands near the equator!
你可能想象出黑白鸟从雪地上滑下 潜入冰冷的水域 而不是在赤道附近的热带岛屿上晒太阳
You might be surprised to learn that one kind of penguin inhabits just such a place.
你可能会惊讶地得知, 一种企鹅 住在这样的地方。
The Galapagos penguin lives on warm islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅生活在东太平洋温暖的岛屿上.
How does a species originally from Antarctica survive in such a climate?
原本来自南极洲的物种如何在这样的气候下生存?
It changes over time, gradually developing physical and behavioral adaptations that suit the conditions.
它随时间而变化,逐渐地发展出适合条件的物理和行为适应.
The Galapagos penguin is not the only species to do this.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅并不是唯一这样做的物种.
Most animal species exist today because of how they changed and adapted to their surroundings.
今天大多数动物物种都存在,因为它们是如何改变和适应周围环境的.
Galapagos penguins are the only penguins found at the equator.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅是唯一在赤道上发现的企鹅.
Survival Strategies The ability to adapt is key to any living thing’s survival: if it cannot thrive where it lives, it must change, go elsewhere, or die.
生存战略 适应能力是任何活物生存的关键:如果它不能在它所居住的地方活下来,它就必须改变,去别的地方,或者去死。
There are two types of adaptations.
适应有两种.
One kind has to do with an animal’s behavior, or how it acts.
一种与动物的行为或行为有关。
For instance, animals that migrate from one place to another in search of better food and living conditions demonstrate a behavioral adaptation.
例如,为了寻找更好的食物和生活条件而从一个地方迁徙到另一个地方的动物表现出行为上的适应.
Migration usually happens when seasons change.
迁徙通常会随着季节的变化而发生.
Monarch butterflies, for example, fly south to Mexico and other warm places when fall arrives in their northern summer homes; in the spring, they head north as temperatures rise.
例如,君主蝴蝶会向南飞去墨西哥等温暖地,当秋季到达其北部夏季住宅;春季会随着气温上升而向北飞去.
The monarch’s migration is legendary.
君主的迁徙是传奇.
For some, the journey to Mexico begins as far north as Canada.
对有些人来说,去墨西哥的旅程从北到加拿大开始。
A whiskered bat hibernates in a Netherlands limestone quarry (inset).
在荷兰的石灰岩采石场(被陷)有胡须蝙蝠冬眠.
A black bear mother sleeps with her cub inside their den in Minnesota (main).
黑熊妈妈在明尼苏达的巢穴里和幼崽睡觉(主干地).
Bats are true hibernators, while bears enter a lighter state of sleep.
蝙蝠是真正的冬眠者,而熊则进入更轻松的睡眠状态.
Hibernation is another kind of behavioral adaptation that occurs when seasons change.
休眠是季节变化时发生的另一种行为适应.
Instead of moving to a new place, some animals stay put and go into a state somewhat like sleep.
而不是搬到一个新的地方, 一些动物停留 并进入一个状态 有点像睡眠。
True hibernators include frogs, ground squirrels, and bats; many animals once thought to hibernate, such as bears and skunks, actually enter a lighter state of sleep called torpor.
真正的冬眠动物包括青蛙,地松鼠,和蝙蝠;很多曾经认为会冬眠的动物,如熊和臭鼬,实际上进入了一种叫"torpor"的更轻的睡眠状态.
Both groups of animals enter these states during cold winter months when food is scarce because they use less energy and need less food.
两组动物在寒冷的冬季几个月进入了这些州,当时由于使用能量较少,需要的食物较少,食物稀缺.
When outside conditions improve in the spring, they become active again.
当外出条件在春季好转后,它们又开始活跃.
By contrast, structural adaptations are changes in body structure that make it easier for animals to live in their environment.
相形之下,结构适应是身体结构的变化,使动物更容易地生活在其环境中.
These changes happen slowly over many generations.
这些变化在几代人中缓慢地发生。
Chameleons, for example, developed skin that can change color, which helps them blend in with their surroundings and makes it hard for predators or prey to see them.
例如变色龙会发展出能改变颜色的皮肤,这能帮助它们与周围环境相融合并使得捕食者或被猎物难以见到它们.
Foxes have structural adaptations that help them use camouflage, too.
狐狸有结构适应 帮助他们使用伪装,太。
The Arctic fox has a white coat, which makes it hard to see in the snow, while the desert fox has a tan coat, which blends in with the desert sand.
北极狐有白色外衣,使得在雪地上难以见到;而沙漠狐有棕色外衣,与沙漠沙地相融合.
Both foxes have other structural adaptations as well.
两只狐狸也有其他的结构适应.
The Arctic fox has much smaller ears than its cousin because foxes lose body heat through their ears.
北极狐的耳朵比它的堂兄弟小得多,因为狐狸会从耳朵中失去体热.
The Arctic fox lives in a cold environment, so it needs to hold in body heat.
北极狐生活在寒冷的环境中,因此需要保持体温.
The desert fox, on the other hand, lives in a hot environment and needs to stay cool, so it has very large ears that help it shed heat.
而沙漠狐狸则生活在炎热的环境中并需要保持冷静,因此它有非常大的耳朵来帮助它降出热量.
Arctic fox desert fox Oddly Adaptable Some adaptations are odder than others.
北极狐沙漠狐狸 奇怪的适应 一些适应比其他更奇怪
Take walking sharks.
带上行走的鲨鱼
Found in waters near Australia and Indonesia, these small sharks have very strong front fins.
这些小鲨鱼在澳大利亚和印度尼西亚附近的水域中发现,它们的前鳍非常坚固.
At times, they use their muscular fins not to swim but rather to crawl across the ocean floor.
有时,它们使用它们的肌肉鳍 不是为了游泳,而是爬过洋底。
Giraffes have a few odd adaptations of their own.
吉拉菲斯有一些奇特的自适应.
Dig deep into a giraffe’s coat and you’ll end up holding your nose.
挖出长颈鹿的外衣,
That’s because giraffe fur works as a chemical defense.
因为长颈鹿的毛皮是化学防御剂。
It is full of antibiotics and other smelly chemicals that keep parasites away.
它充满了抗生素和其他使寄生虫远离的有味化学物质.
Giraffes also need very little sleep.
吉拉菲斯也很少需要睡眠.
Most giraffes get by on just two hours of shut-eye a day, and nearly all of that is while standing!
大部分长颈鹿一天只闭上两小时的眼 几乎都是站着的
Both behaviors help protect them from predators.
这两种行为都有助于保护他们免受食肉动物的侵害.
Even when lying down, giraffes usually keep their necks held high.
即使躺下,长颈鹿也通常会把脖子抬高.
A walking shark takes a seabed stroll at night.
一只行走的鲨鱼晚上会去海床散步
A Slow Process Animal species don’t think about ways to change.
一个慢过程动物物种不考虑如何改变。
Adaptation happens naturally over time.
适应是自然发生的。
Early bears that entered a state of torpor survived cold winters.
进入躯干状态的早期熊在寒冷的冬天活了下来.
The bears that didn’t died.
熊没有死。
As a result, only the first group of bears was around to reproduce.
因此,只有第一批熊在周围繁殖.
Something similar happened with foxes.
狐狸也发生了类似的情况.
Arctic foxes with small ears survived, while those with large ears did not.
有小耳朵的北极狐存活了下来,而有大耳朵的狐狸则没有存活.
The survivors mated, and, in time, all the foxes in that environment had small ears because that feature was passed down.
幸存者交配, 及时,所有狐狸 在那个环境中的耳朵很小, 因为这个特征被传下来。
Animal species evolve through a combination of behavioral and structural adaptations.
动物物种通过行为和结构适应的结合来演化.
The Galapagos penguin is a good example.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅是一个很好的例子.
Galapagos penguins found their way to the tropics by way of the Humboldt Current.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅通过洪堡海流找到去热带的路.
This current carries cold water north from Antarctica and is rich in squid and fish like sardines.
这种水流从南极洲向北携带出冷水,并有丰富的鱿鱼和沙丁鱼等鱼类.
The penguins are right at home in the cold water.
企鹅就在寒水中
They must come on land to nest, however, and land in the tropics is much warmer than water.
然而,它们必须登上陆地去筑巢,而热带地区的陆地比水温暖得多。
South America PACIFIC OCEAN Galapagos Islands Equator Humboldt Current Galapagos penguins have ways to cope with the heat.
南美洲 PACIFIC OCEAN 加拉帕戈斯群岛 Equator Humboldt Current Galapagos企鹅有应付高温的方法.
They pant to keep cool, and they stretch out their flippers to shade their feet and keep them from getting sunburned.
他们喘着气来保持凉爽,并伸出脚来遮住脚,防止被晒伤.
The penguins build their nests in burrows between rocks, hidden from the Sun’s rays.
企鹅在岩石之间的洞穴中筑起巢穴,隐藏于太阳的射线下.
While other penguins molt once a year, Galapagos penguins molt twice.
其他企鹅每年摩尔特一次,加拉帕戈斯企鹅摩尔特两次.
Shedding their feathers helps them stay cool.
割去他们的羽毛有助于他们保持冷静。
These penguin behaviors and features developed over time.
这些企鹅的行为和特征随着时间推移而得到发展.
Penguins that lacked them died off.
缺乏它们的企鹅都死了
Prime nesting sites like this one are limited.
像这样的原始筑巢地是有限的.
In 2010, researchers built 120 shady penguin nest sites to help these endangered birds.
2010年,研究人员建造了120个隐蔽的企鹅巢点来帮助这些濒危鸟类.
Odd Diets Diet is a behavioral adaptation.
奇怪的饮食是一种行为适应。
Some animal species have developed eating habits that help them survive.
一些动物物种已经发展出能帮助他们生存的饮食习惯.
Kangaroo rats, for example, live in deserts with little water or rainfall, yet somehow survive without ever drinking water.
例如,袋鼠生活在少有水或降雨的沙漠中,然而却不知怎么地没有饮用水活下来。
They get the moisture they need from eating grass seeds and mesquite beans.
他们从吃草籽和甜豆得到所需的水分.
A parrot known as the scarlet macaw eats seeds, too, except these seeds contain a deadly poison.
一只被称作"花红鹦鹉"的鹦鹉也会吃出种子,只是这些种子含有致命的毒药.
What may keep the macaw safe is its habit of also gnawing on rocks that contain clay.
可能让金刚鹦鹉安全的地方是 它也习惯于用粘土粘住岩石
The clay absorbs the poison, which allows the birds to digest the seeds safely.
粘土能吸收毒物,使鸟类能安全地消化出种子.
Then again, new studies suggest the birds may be eating the clay in order to increase the salt in their diet.
之后,新的研究表明鸟类可能正在吃粘土来增加食用中的盐.
Either way, this instinctive behavior is a dietary adaptation that helps the birds survive.
无论如何,这种本能行为是一种饮食适应,帮助鸟类生存.
A kangaroo rat hops in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but the rat lives in North America.
一只袋鼠跳出与大得多的袋鼠类似的方式,但老鼠生活在北美.
Strange ocean creatures known as tube worms have their own way of dealing with poison.
被称作管状蠕虫的奇怪海洋生物有它们自己的毒药处理方法.
Tube worms live in total darkness at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and cluster near hot vents that pump out dangerous gases from deep inside Earth.
管状蠕虫生活在太平洋底部的完全黑暗中,并聚集在从地球深处抽出危险气体的热口附近.
The gases would kill most life-forms, but tube worms survive and even thrive, thanks to their odd body structure.
气体会杀死大多数活体, 但管状蠕虫存活甚至繁衍, 多亏了它们奇怪的身体结构。
They lack body parts we would expect to see in animals, such as eyes and a stomach.
它们缺乏身体部位,我们期望在动物中看到,如眼睛和胃.
They are basically bags of bacteria.
基本上都是细菌的包
The bacteria inside the tube worms use the gases as an energy source.
管子虫体内的细菌将气体作为能量来源.
Tube worms cluster near a warm gas vent in the North Pacific.
北太平洋暖气口附近的管虫群.
Their Blood Runs Cold Subfreezing temperatures can kill an animal.
他们的血流得冷 潜行温度可以杀死动物.
Animals’ body cells are mostly made of water.
动物的身体细胞大多由水所生.
When cells freeze, the water turns to ice and expands.
当细胞结冰后,水会变成冰并膨胀.
The cells burst, which causes death.
细胞破裂,导致死亡。
Animals have developed different ways to keep this from happening.
动物们已经开发出不同的方法来阻止这种情况发生.
When temperatures drop, some species migrate to warmer places, while others sleep in warm dens.
当气温下降时,有的物种会迁移到更温暖的地方,而有的则会睡在温暖的地穴.
Still others stay alive by “supercooling” their body fluids.
还有其他人通过“超冷却”其体液活下来。
Many insects produce chemicals that act as a kind of antifreeze.
许多昆虫会生产起一种抗冻作用的化学物质.
The chemicals keep ice crystals from growing, so body cells get supercool but never freeze.
化学物质使冰晶无法生长,因此体细胞会得到超酷但不会被冻结.
This adaptation helps cockroaches and caterpillars survive freezing temperatures for days.
这种适应有助于蟑螂和毛虫在冷冻温度下活了好几天.
Alaska’s red flat bark beetle can supercool its body fluids to –50°C (–58°F).
阿拉斯加的红色平地树皮甲虫能将它的体液超冷到-50°C(-58°F).
Wood frogs can survive for weeks at a time when temperatures drop as low as –14°C (7°F).
木蛙在温度下降至-14°C(7°F)时可以存活数周.
Although ice does form within frogs’ bodies, it forms between cells rather than inside them.
虽然冰的确在青蛙体内形成,但它在细胞之间而不是在细胞内部形成.
That way, cells are not at risk of bursting.
这样,细胞就不会爆发。
Other animals adapt by simply getting rid of the water in their body through a process called dehydration.
其他的动物通过一个叫做去水分的过程,简单地去除体内的水来适应.
Tiny insects known as Antarctic midges dry up, appear frozen, and seem to be dead.
被称作"南极侏儒"的小昆虫干涸了,看起来被冻死,似乎已经死亡.
When they come in contact with water, however, they spring back to life.
然而,当他们与水相接触时,他们会再生.
Only one mammal can supercool its body— the Arctic ground squirrel.
只有一头哺乳动物能超冷其身体——北极地松鼠.
This squirrel’s body temperature can drop as low as –3°C (26°F).
这只松鼠的体温可以下降至-3°C(26°F).
Just how it does this is a mystery.
只是它是如何做的 这是一个谜。
It doesn’t make its own antifreeze, nor does it get rid of fluids.
它不会自行解冻,
Yet somehow it has adapted to survive very low temperatures.
但不知何故,它已经适应 以活过非常低的温度。
An Arctic ground squirrel in Alaska finds a snack.
阿拉斯加的北极地松鼠找到点心
Wondrous Water Bears The tiny water bear is not a bear at all.
美丽的水熊 小水熊根本不是一头熊。
It’s a microscopic animal known as a tardigrade that has some pretty impressive adaptations.
它是一种微缩的动物,
Water bears can withstand cold to –200°C (–328°F) and heat higher than 149°C (300°F).
水熊能承受-200°C(-328°F)的寒冷和高于149°C(300°F)的热量.
They can survive high levels of radiation, a dangerous form of energy, and pressure six times greater than that found at the bottom of the ocean.
它们能活过高水平的辐射,一种危险的能量形式,并承受比出海底高六倍的压力.
In many conditions, they survive by curling into a ball and entering a nearly lifeless state.
在许多条件下,他们通过卷入一球并进入几乎无生命状态来活命.
They also produce many substances known as antioxidants, which keep vital organs intact.
它们也生产出许多被称作"抗氧化剂"的物质,使重要器官保持完好无损.
And they produce a protein that protects their cells from the effects of radiation.
它们产生一种蛋白质,可以保护细胞免受辐射的影响.
These adaptations make tardigrades nearly indestructible.
这些改造使得延迟几乎不可破坏.
Scientists think that tardigrades will outlast humans, thanks to their amazing adaptations!
科学家们认为,由于他们的惊人的适应性,迟缓会超过人类!
Masters of Disguise Another structural adaptation is the ability to camouflage.
伪装大师 另一种结构适应是伪装能力.
Some animals are true masters of disguise, such as the leaf mantis.
有的动物是真正的伪装大师,如"花叶螳螂".
Parts of its body are the exact shape and color of dead leaves, a remarkable adaptation that makes it easy for this insect to hide and hunt on the forest floor without being seen.
其部分身体为枯叶的精确形状和颜色,这是一种出众的适应,使得这种昆虫很容易在林地上躲藏和打猎而不被看到.
Like the mantis, the cuttlefish can masquerade as part of the landscape.
和螳螂一样, cut鱼可以伪装成地貌的一部分.
It looks like a small squid.
它看起来像一个小鱿鱼。
Its skin changes color and texture to match its surroundings almost perfectly.
其皮肤会改变颜色和纹理,以几乎完美地与周围相匹配.
The cuttlefish has three skin layers and fleshy growths called papillae, which it uses to make itself look like bumpy coral or stone.
切口鱼有三层皮层和肉质生长,被称作"帕皮拉"(papillae),用来使自己看起来像起伏的珊瑚或石头.
This makes it practically invisible to prey and also keeps this effective hunter from being hunted itself!
这使得猎物几乎看不见,也使这个有效的猎人无法自己被猎取!
Adaptations are only helpful if they work, though.
不过,适应只有在起作用时才有用。
Changes to an animal’s habitat can turn an effective adaptation into a fatal flaw.
改变动物栖息地可以将有效的适应变成致命的缺陷.
This is what happened to an insect known as the peppered moth.
这就是一种被称为"胡椒蛾"的昆虫的遭遇.
Most early peppered moths had white wings with dark spots.
大多数早期的胡椒蛾有带有暗点的白色翅膀.
The moths easily blended in with lichen-covered tree bark.
蛾子很容易被地衣覆盖的树皮混入其中.
Predators such as birds couldn’t see the moths.
鸟类等捕食者看不到蛾子。
Some peppered moths, however, were only dark.
然而,一些胡椒蛾只是被打黑了。
Those moths were easy targets for birds and, as a result, there were many more white moths than dark ones.
这些飞蛾很容易成为鸟类的目标,因此,白蛾比黑蛾多出很多.
During the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, pollution from factory smokestacks killed the lichen and turned the tree bark black.
1800年代工业革命期间,被工厂烟囱污染的地衣被杀死后树皮变黑.
Now the dark peppered moths could blend in and hide.
现在黑胡椒飞蛾可以混入并藏起.
The white moths stood out against the dark bark.
白蛾出出相与暗树皮相会.
Birds could easily see them now.
鸟儿现在很容易见到它们
The number of white moths dropped, while the number of dark moths rose.
白蛾的数量下降,而暗蛾的数量上升.
When pollution controls took effect in the 1900s, the tree bark turned lighter again, and the moth populations shifted once more.
当污染控制在1900年代生效后,树皮又变轻了,蛾群再次转移.
Dark moths became rare once again.
黑蛾又变得稀有了
Even though the color variation may have been a fatal flaw for some individual moths, it allowed the species as a whole to survive in a changing environment.
尽管颜色的变异对于某些个体飞蛾来说可能是致命的缺陷,但是它让整个物种在不断变化的环境中生存.
Life Finds a Way Adaptation is especially important in environments that are going through change.
在经历变化的环境里,适应是特别重要的。
For most living things today, that change is climate change.
对今天大多数活物来说,这种变化就是气候变化。
Animals like the Galapagos penguin must once again adapt to conditions around them.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅等动物必须再次适应周围的条件.
As ocean waters warm and food supplies grow scarce, the penguins must change how, what, or where they eat.
随着海水暖和和食物供应的减少,企鹅必须改变其饮食方式、种类或地点。
The same holds true for animals around the planet.
地球上的动物也是如此。
Most will survive as long as they continue to adapt in response to their changing environment—if they have time to adapt.
只要它们继续适应不断变化的环境——如果它们有时间适应的话,它们就会活下来。
A Galapagos penguin feeds its chick.
加拉帕戈斯企鹅养活它的雏鸟
If the cool waters that supply their food warm permanently, the penguins may have to move.
如果提供食物的冷水永久温暖,企鹅可能不得不移动.
A Race Against Time Many species are being pushed to adapt to climate change, but adaptation takes time.
许多物种正被迫适应气候变化,但适应需要时间。
In their race against the clock, the outlook is better for some than others.
在他们与时钟的比赛中,某些人的前景优于其他人.
Tawny owls come in different shades.
陶尼猫头鹰的影子不同
With milder winters in recent decades, researchers in Finland have seen an increase in darker owls.
近几十年来冬季比较温和,芬兰研究人员发现更暗的猫头鹰有所增加.
Less snow means these owls blend in better and are more likely to survive and reproduce.
雪较少意味着这些猫头鹰融合得更好,更可能存活和繁殖.
Polar bears may have evolved from their brown bear ancestors as far back as six hundred thousand years ago.
北极熊可能已经从它们的棕熊祖先中演化出 早在60万年前
It took the species time to adapt to its conditions.
物种需要时间适应其条件.
Black skin, white fur, and fur-covered feet are adaptations that make the bears well-suited for Arctic survival.
黑皮,白毛和被皮毛覆盖的脚是使熊非常适合北极生存的适应.
Now, loss of their sea ice habitat due to global warming poses a dire threat to polar bears.
现在,由于全球变暖而失去它们的海冰栖息地,对北极熊构成了严重威胁.
They were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008.
它们于2008年5月被"濒危物种法"列为受威胁物种.
American pikas are cute but tough.
美国皮卡很可爱,但很坚韧。
Because they live high on mountains, they have adapted to a cold climate.
因为他们高地生活在高山上,因此适应了寒冷的气候.
When exposed to warm temperatures, pikas can overheat and die.
当暴露出温暖的温度时,皮卡会过热而死亡.
But since pikas live so high already, there is nowhere for them to go.
但是由于皮卡人的生活已经如此高了,他们无处可去.
Trapped at the top, they could be one of the first species to go extinct due to climate change.
它们被困在顶端,可能是第一个因气候变化而灭绝的物种之一.