常春藤解析英語 14 不會飛的大鳥：鴕鳥

by Rachel A. Black

In the past, you saw exotic animals at the zoo. When you went to a farm, you saw common animals that might _(1)_ on your dinner table. Nowadays, the lines have been blurred and what was once considered wild is now a commercial product that people eat and wear. The farming of ostriches is a new trend that has made its way across the globe. Although an ostrich's natural _(2)_ is the savannahs and deserts of Africa, it can survive anywhere where sufficient food supplies can be found.

Ostriches are the world's largest and heaviest birds. _(3)_ flightless, they are incredibly fast runners. The male ostrich is black and white, while its female counterpart is grayish brown and smaller in size. In the wild, a male will have about six hens in his flock. While he mates with all of these hens, he selects one as his main mate. This female puts her eggs in the middle of the nest to _(4)_ their survival over the other hens' eggs.

Nests are actually holes dug in the earth. _(5)_ to popular belief, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand. Instead, they lay their bodies atop the eggs and place their necks along the ground. Both males and females incubate eggs, which can weigh _(6)_ 1.5 kg and are the largest in the world. Males also help care for chicks after they are born. However, observers note that ostrich parents can be a bit absent-minded _(7)_ it comes to watching over their eggs. If left unattended, other adult ostriches may roll the eggs from the nest and even enjoy them as a snack.

1. (A) catch up　(B) wind up　(C) make up　(D) stand up

2. (A) vacancy　(B) location　(C) scenery　(D) habitat

3. (A) As　(B) However　(C) Though　(D) Because

4. (A) ensure　(B) insure　(C) assure　(D) sure

5. (A) Owing　(B) Contrary　(C) In addition　(D) With regards

6. (A) such as　(B) as wide as　(C) up to　(D) much less

7. (A) if　(B) until　(C) once　(D) when

原來如此

1. When you went to a farm, you saw common animals that might wind up on your dinner table.

理由：

a. (A) catch up (with sb)　　趕上(某人)

例： Slow down! I can't catch up with you when you run so fast.

(慢一點(diǎn)!你跑那么快，我跟不上你。)

(B) wind up + 介詞詞組∕現(xiàn)在分詞

= end up + 介詞詞組∕現(xiàn)在分詞

最終∕結(jié)果∕到頭來……

例： You'll wind up getting fat if you eat at McDonald's every day.

(你每天吃麥當(dāng)勞的話，最后一定會變胖。)

(C) make up (with sb)　　(與某人)和好

(D) stand up　　站立

b. 空格后為介詞詞組 on your dinner table(在餐桌上)，而根據(jù)上述用法，catch up 與 make up 之后多與介詞 with 并用，再接對象，故 (A)、(C) 不可選。stand up 表『站立』，置入空格后語意不合，故 (D) 亦不可選。僅 wind up 填入后符合語意、用法，故選 (B)。

2. Although an ostrich's natural habitat is the savannahs and deserts of Africa...

理由：

a. (A) vacancy n. 空位;空缺

例： There aren't many vacancies at my company, but I might be able to put in a good word for you.

(我公司現(xiàn)在不缺人，但我可以替你美言幾句。)

(B) location n. 位置，地點(diǎn)

(C) scenery n. 風(fēng)景(不可數(shù))

(D) habitat n. 棲息地

b. 空格前為形容詞 natural(自然的)，得知此處應(yīng)是指鴕鳥的『自然棲息地』，故選 (D) habitat。

3. Though flightless, they are incredibly fast runners.

理由：

a. 本句原為：

Though they are flightless, they are incredibly fast runners.

b. 本空格在測試副詞子句化簡為副詞詞組的用法：

though, if, when, while, once 和 unless 等副詞連接詞所引導(dǎo)的副詞子句，若其主詞與主要子句中的主詞相同時(shí)，可化簡為副詞詞組?；喸瓌t如下：

1) 刪除副詞子句之主詞;

2) 其后動詞化為現(xiàn)在分詞;

3) 若該動詞為 be 動詞時(shí)，變成現(xiàn)在分詞 being 之后，通常予以省略。

例： Though (he is) intelligent, he's not bright when it comes to relationships.

(他雖然很聰明，但說到男女關(guān)系，就不太靈光了。)

c. 根據(jù)上述分析，可知應(yīng)選 (C)。

4. This female puts her eggs in the middle of the nest to ensure their survival over the other hens' eggs.

理由：

a. (A) ensure vt. 確保

注意:

使用 ensure 時(shí)，通常不以人作主詞，而以表?xiàng)l件的名詞作主詞。

ensure (sb) sth　　(向某人)確保某事

例： The company took many measures to ensure its product's success.

(該公司采取了很多措施以確保其產(chǎn)品大賣。)

(B) insure vt. 為……投保，保險(xiǎn)

注意:

使用 insure 時(shí)，主詞必須是『人』，受詞必須是『物』，尤用于下列詞組中：

insure sth against...　　為某物投保……之險(xiǎn)

例： Have you insured your house against fire?

(你有為房子投?；痣U(xiǎn)嗎?)

(C) assure vt. 擔(dān)保，保證

注意:

使用 assure 時(shí)，通常以人作主詞，受詞也必須是『人』。

assure sb of sth　　向某人保證某事

assure sb + that 子句　　向某人保證……

例： I can assure you of his innocence.

= I can assure you that he is innocent.

(我可以向你保證他是無辜的。)

(D) sure [ SUr ] a. 有把握的，確定的

b. 本空格位于不定詞 to 之后，可知此處應(yīng)置入原形動詞，故 (D) 不可選。而根據(jù)上述 ensure, insure 及 assure 之用法，可知應(yīng)選 (A)。

5. Contrary to popular belief, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand.

理由：

a.(A) owing to N/V-ing　　由于……

(B) contrary to N/V-ing　　和……相反的是

例： Contrary to popular belief, chocolate doesn't cause acne.

(和一般想法相反的是，吃巧克力并不會讓你長粉刺。)

(C) in addition to N/V-ing　　除了……之外

(D) with regard(s) to N/V-ing　　關(guān)于……

= in regard(s) to N/V-ing

例： I have no comments with regards to the matter.

(對于這件事情我沒有任何評論。)

b. 根據(jù)前后語意，可知此處應(yīng)指和一般想法『相反的是』，故選 (B)。

6. Both males and females incubate eggs, which can weigh up to 1.5 kg...

理由：

a.(A) such as...

諸如∕像……(置于復(fù)數(shù)名詞之后使用)

例： Vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli have cancer-fighting abilities.

(花椰菜和甘藍(lán)菜等蔬菜都有抗癌功效。)

(B) as wide as... 　　和……一樣寬

(C) up to... 　　多達(dá)……(之后接數(shù)字)

例： Apples from that orchard can weigh up to one kilogram.

(那個(gè)果園的蘋果可重達(dá)一公斤。)

(D) much less...　　更不用說……

= let alone...

例： I'm so full I can't even eat a snack, much less a whole meal.

(我飽得連點(diǎn)心都吃不下，更別說一整餐了。)

b. 空格后有數(shù)字 1.5 kg，而根據(jù)上述，可知 up to 之后與數(shù)字并用，故應(yīng)選 (C)。

7. ...ostrich parents can be a bit absent-minded when it comes to watching over their eggs.

理由：

a. 空格前后皆為完整子句，可知此處應(yīng)置入連接詞。

b. 四個(gè)選項(xiàng)皆可作連接詞，但唯有 when 置入后符合語意，且形成下列固定用法：

When it comes to N/V-ing, S + V　　談到∕說到……，……

例： When it comes to politics, I try to stay as informed as I possibly can.

(談到政治，我盡量讓自己消息靈通。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，可知應(yīng)選 (D)。

精解字詞詞組

1. blur vt. 使模糊

例： The reporter blurred the lines between the facts and fiction.

(那名記者模糊了事實(shí)和虛構(gòu)的界線。)

2. survive vi. 存活 & vt. 熬過;生還

survive sth　　熬過……;從……生還

survive sb　　活得比某人久

例： Only a baby survived the plane crash.

(那場空難中只有一名嬰兒幸免于難。)

例： The woman survived her husband by 10 years.

(那個(gè)女人比丈夫多活了十年。)

3. incredibly adv. 不可思議地

例： Incredibly, no one was killed in the horrible explosion.

(不可思議的是，沒有人在那場恐怖的爆炸中身亡。)

4. counterpart n. 相對應(yīng)的人或物

例： The president's counterparts from Europe will meet with him next week.

(歐洲國家的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人將在下星期和總統(tǒng)會面。)

5. flock n. 鳥群 & vi. 聚集

Birds of a feather flock together.　　同種類的鳥兒會聚集在一起。∕喻：物以類聚。

例：Those guys do the same job, play the same video games, and go to the same bar. No wonder people say birds of a feather flock together.

(那些家伙做同樣的工作，打同樣的電玩，去同一間酒吧。難怪人家說物以類聚。)

6. bury one's head in the sand　　把頭埋進(jìn)沙里面;(引申為)逃避現(xiàn)實(shí)

例： Don't try to bury your head in the sand when faced with problems. They won't go away.

(面對問題時(shí)不要逃避現(xiàn)實(shí)。這樣無法解決問題。)

7. absent-minded a. 心不在焉的

例： My absent-minded husband has left our daughter in a store three times.

(我那神經(jīng)很大條的丈夫曾經(jīng)三次把女兒忘在店里。)

單字小鋪

1. exotic a. 異國情調(diào)的

2. commercial a. 商業(yè)的

3. farming n. 養(yǎng)殖

4. ostrich n. 鴕鳥

5. trend n. 趨勢

6. savannah n. 大草原

7. sufficient a. 足夠的

8. supply n. 供應(yīng)(量)

9. flightless a. 無法飛行的

10. grayish a. 略帶灰色的

11. survival n. 存活

12. atop prep. 在……上面

13. incubate vt. 孵(蛋)

14. observer n. 觀察者

15. unattended a. 無人看管∕照料的

詞組小鋪

1. move over　　讓開

2. in the middle of...　　在……中間

3. watch over...　　看守……，照顧……

中文翻譯&標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案

過去你在動物園里看到的是異國動物。到農(nóng)場時(shí)，你看到的則是可能成為桌上佳肴的一般動物。現(xiàn)在，這兩種動物的界線變得模糊，過去被視為野生的動物現(xiàn)在成了人類吃的和穿的商品。飼養(yǎng)鴕鳥現(xiàn)在已是風(fēng)行全球的新潮流。雖然鴕鳥的棲息地在非洲的大草原和沙漠，但只要食物供應(yīng)充足的地方，牠們就能生存。

鴕鳥是全世界最大最重的鳥類。雖然不會飛，牠們卻是速度驚人的跑者。雄鴕鳥呈黑白色，而雌鴕鳥則是灰棕色，且體型較小。在野外，雄鴕鳥會和六只雌鳥共組一個(gè)家庭。雖然牠都會和這些雌鳥交配，但只會選擇一只做為元配。這只雌鳥會把產(chǎn)下的蛋放在鳥巢中央，以確保它們比其它雌鳥的蛋更有存活的機(jī)率。

鳥巢事實(shí)上是在土里挖出的洞。和一般想法相反的是，鴕鳥并不會把頭埋進(jìn)沙里。相反地，牠們坐在蛋上面，并把脖子貼在地上。雄鳥和雌鳥都會孵蛋，每顆重達(dá) 1.5 公斤，是全世界最大的蛋。雄鴕鳥也會幫忙照顧孵出來的小鴕鳥。然而，觀察者注意到鴕鳥爸媽在看顧鴕鳥蛋時(shí)會有點(diǎn)心不在焉。要是一不留神，其它成年鴕鳥可能會把蛋從鳥巢里滾出去，甚至當(dāng)作點(diǎn)心享用。

標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案:

1. (B)　2. (D)　3. (C)　4. (A)　5. (B)　6. (C)　7. (D)