By Jonathan/覃云華(譯)
◆語篇導讀
因為人類活動導致自然界環(huán)境的變化,獅子、老虎等許多哺乳動物為了避免與人類接觸,可能會減少活動或遷移到偏遠地方,或通過夜間不眠的方式警惕可能受到的襲擊,并且減少覓食的時間。
Lions,tigers and other mammals are staying awake at night to avoid human beings,a new study finds.
Scientists have long known that human activities can lead to changes in nature.Many mammals may move around less or travel to distant places to avoid contact with people.By being awake at night,mammals can also be on guard against possible attackers and spend less time looking for food.
The latest research has found even activities like hiking and camping can frighten animals and cause them to become more active at night.
Kaitlyn Gaynor of the University of California,Berkeley led the study.She said,“It suggests that animals might be cautious when people are around them.We may think that we leave no trace when we're just hiking in the woods,but our mere presence can have lasting consequences.”
She and her team of researchers examined 76 other studies involving 62 species on six continents.Among the animal studies were lions in Tanzania,tigers in Nepal,and otters in Brazil.
Researchers compared how much time those animals were active at night in areas of human activity,such as hunting,hiking and farming.The team found that,on average,human presence caused an increase of about 20 percent in night time activity,even in creatures that usually sleep at night.
“Humans can do their thing during the day,wildlife can do their thing at night,”Kaitlyn Gaynor said.Gaynor added,that way,people would be sharing the planet with many other species.
◆詞語積淀
mammal/'m?ml/n.哺乳動物
avoid/?'v??d/vt.避免;躲避
contact/'k?nt?kt/n.接觸;聯(lián)系;熟人 v.聯(lián)系;聯(lián)絡(luò)(如用電話或信件)
attacker/?'t?k?(r)/n.攻擊者;抨擊者
consequence/'k?ns?kw?ns/n.結(jié)果;后果
involve/?n'v?lv/vt.包含;(使)忙于;牽涉;(使)卷入
continent/'k?nt?n?nt/n.大陸;洲
on average平均;通常;普通
◆典語賞析
1.It suggests that animals might be cautious when people are around them.We may think that we leave no trace when we're just hiking in the woods,but our mere presence can have lasting consequences.這表明周圍有人時,動物會十分謹慎。我們可能會認為,當我們只是在森林徒步旅行時不會留下任何痕跡,但是我們只要出現(xiàn)就會產(chǎn)生持久性的影響。
It suggests that表示“這表明……”之意,that引導的是賓語從句,此句中suggest表示“暗示;指明”之意;suggest后接賓語從句時,從句謂語既可用陳述語氣,也可用虛擬語氣,其區(qū)別與suggest所表示的意思有關(guān):若suggest表示“建議”,則其后接的 that從句謂語通常用“(should+)動詞原形”這樣的虛擬語氣形式;若suggest表示“暗示;意指;表明”等意思,則其后接的that從句要用陳述語氣。
【即時嘗試】她建議班會不要在星期六舉行。
2.The team found that,on average,human presence caused an increase of about 20 percent in night time activity,even in creatures that usually sleep at night.該研究小組發(fā)現(xiàn),平均來說,人類活動會導致動物在夜間活動增加約20%,即使那些通常在夜間睡覺的生物也不例外。
句子“The team found that...”中,that引導的是賓語從句,而句子“in creatures that usually sleep at night”中that引導的是定語從句;that在定語從句中既可指代人也可指代物。先行詞是人或者物時,可以用that來引導;而關(guān)系代詞that在從句中可充當主語或者是賓語,當關(guān)系代詞在句中充當定語從句的賓語時,常常省略。當that引導賓語從句時,that為連詞,不充當任何成分,可以省略。
【即時嘗試】老師告訴學生們地球是圓的。
(答案見第63頁)
譯文助讀
一項最新研究發(fā)現(xiàn),獅子、老虎等其他哺乳動物為了躲避人類選擇晝伏夜出。
科學家們早就知曉人類活動會導致自然界環(huán)境的變化。為了避免與人類接觸,許多哺乳動物可能會減少活動或遷移到偏遠地方。哺乳動物通過夜間不眠的方式警惕可能受到的襲擊,并且減少覓食的時間。
最新研究發(fā)現(xiàn),即使是徒步旅行和露營等戶外活動也會讓動物受驚,導致其在夜間更加活躍。
加利福尼亞大學伯克利分校的凱特林·蓋納開展了這項研究。她說:“這表明周圍有人時,動物會十分謹慎。我們可能會認為,當我們只是在森林徒步旅行時不會留下任何痕跡,但是我們只要出現(xiàn)就會產(chǎn)生持久性的影響?!?/p>
凱特林和同組的研究人員調(diào)查了其他76份涉及六大洲62個物種的研究。研究對象包括坦桑尼亞的獅子、尼泊爾的老虎和巴西的水獺等。
研究人員比較了這些動物在人類活動(如打獵、遠足和耕作)區(qū)域的夜間活動時間。該研究小組發(fā)現(xiàn),平均來說,人類活動會導致動物在夜間活動的幾率增加約20%,即使那些通常在夜間睡覺的生物也不例外。
凱特林·蓋納說:“人類可以在白天活動,而野生動物可以在夜間活動?!鄙w納補充說,如此,人類就可以和其他許多物種共享這個星球了。