https://online2.tingclass.net/lesson/shi0529/0008/8713/68.mp3
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From its northern border with Peru, Chile stretches some 2,700 miles to the bottom of South America, longer than the distance from New York City to Los Angeles.
Strung out along its entire length are the Andes Mountains. Here among these rocky peaks, life goes civilized and wild has learnt to thrive.
In Torres Del Paine National Park, pumas have found a refuge. A young female stakes out her territory. She'll range over 60 square miles in search of food.
The puma's main prey is the guanaco, the camel of the Andes. Catching one is not easy. The herd keeps alert while grazing, ready to flee at a moment’s notice.
Even after a successful hunt, repeat meals aren't guaranteed. While the puma sleeps, grey foxes discover her catch, and snatch a bite. It attracts the attention of condors gliding overhead. Outweighed and out-numbered, the foxes scamper away, leaving the carcass to be stripped clean by the condors.
When times are lean, pumas will take their chances with other prey. Most of Chile's agriculture is centered around the coastal low lands, but these wild open spaces make excellent ranching.
The puma has yet to learn that hunting sheep can make herself the hunted. Though protected by law within the park, they are fair game outside. Ranchers place large bounties on pumas, and will shoot on sight.
She manages to escape, reappearing in a few days later. This female has learned an important lesson about surviving in the Andes. In time, she will develop her hunting skills, she will use them to feed her cubs, and continue the puma’s role in a rugged, majestic environment of the Chilean Andes.
Vocabulary Mix:
string (sb/sth) out: (cause sb/sth to) be spread out in a long, thin line.
guanaco: A reddish-brown South American ruminant mammal(Lama guanicoe) related to and resembling the domesticated llama. 原駝:產(chǎn)于南美洲的一種反芻性哺乳動(dòng)物(栗色羊駝 羊駝屬) ,與家養(yǎng)駝羊相關(guān)且近似
condor: Either of two New World vultures,Vultur gryphus of the Andes or Gymnogyps californianus, a nearly extinct vulture of the mountains of California, having a bare head and neck and dull black plumage containing variable amounts of white. With a wingspan of about three meters (ten feet), they are the largest birds in the Western Hemisphere. 神鷹,禿鷲,兀鷲:西半球的兩種兀鷲之一,即安第斯山區(qū)的康多兀鷲 或加利福尼亞山區(qū)瀕于滅絕的 加州兀鷲 ,其頭部與頸部無(wú)毛,羽毛呈暗黑色并帶有些許白色,雙翅展開長(zhǎng)約3米(10英尺),它們是西半球最大的鳥類
參考中文翻譯:
從北部的秘魯?shù)侥喜康哪厦乐薜撞?,智利?guó)境綿延長(zhǎng)達(dá)2,700英里,比紐約到洛杉磯的距離還長(zhǎng)。
安第斯山脈縱穿整個(gè)智利。在山頂上,生命逐漸進(jìn)化的文明,野生動(dòng)物學(xué)會(huì)了怎樣繁衍。
在Torres Del Paine國(guó)家公園,美洲獅找到了避難所。一頭雌性美洲獅監(jiān)管著她的領(lǐng)地。她將在60平方英里的范圍內(nèi)尋找獵物。
美洲獅的主要獵物是guanaco,一種生長(zhǎng)在安第斯山的駱馬。想捕獲一頭駱馬并不容易。駱馬群吃草的時(shí)候非常機(jī)警,遇到緊急狀況隨時(shí)逃走。
即使成功的捕獲了獵物,也不能保證每餐都有食物。美洲獅睡覺的時(shí)候,灰狐貍可能會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)她的獵物,跑來(lái)?yè)屪咭豢凇M瑫r(shí)也會(huì)吸引在周圍盤旋的大兀鷹的注意。美餐一頓之后,灰狐貍蹦蹦跳跳的跑開了,尸體則被兀鷹啄食干凈。
食物匱乏的時(shí)候,美洲獅也會(huì)尋找機(jī)會(huì)捕捉其他獵物。智利的大部分農(nóng)業(yè)集中在海岸的低地上,但是這篇廣闊的開闊地則孕育了優(yōu)質(zhì)的牧場(chǎng)。
美洲獅還不明白,在她捕捉獵物的時(shí)候,她自己也有可能成為獵物。雖然在公園內(nèi)有法律保護(hù),但是在公園外面,幾率是平等的。牧場(chǎng)工人給美洲獅很大的誘餌,然后可以在視野范圍內(nèi)射擊。
她成功的逃脫了,幾天之后又重新出現(xiàn)。這頭雌獅學(xué)會(huì)了在安第斯山生存的重要一課。遲早,她會(huì)學(xué)習(xí)捕獵技能,她利用這項(xiàng)技能來(lái)哺育后代,使美洲獅在崎嶇,巍峨的安第斯山生存繁衍下去。