原文视听

Scientists believed they knew the answer.
科学家曾以为他们找到了答案
It was all down to our unique anatomy.
原因在于我们独特的生理结构
We have a larynx, or voice box,
我们拥有喉 或者说声匣
that's fixed low down in our throat.
它在我们喉咙的底部
This makes the vocal tract longer
这使得我们拥有更长的声道
and gives us the physical ability to produce a wide variety of sounds.
从而赋予我们发出更多不同声音的能力
The voice box of all other animals
其它动物的声匣
was found to be high in the throat,
在喉咙中所处的位置较高
leaving them incapable of making the complicated sounds of speech
这使得它们无法在自己的短声道中
in their short vocal tract.
发出复杂的声音
But nobody had actually ever seen
但没人真正见过
inside the throat of an animal as it vocalised.
动物发声时其喉咙的状态
Tecumseh Fitch had a unique piece of equipment
特库姆塞·菲奇有种独特的仪器
to solve the problem,
来解决这一问题
a video X-ray machine that had been developed
那就是为了研究动物吞咽
to study animals swallowing.
而研发的视频X光机
What we found was really astounding.
我们的发现真是令人震惊
It wasn't anything we were prepared for by reading the literature
结果与我们准备时阅读的文献大相径庭
and here's what we saw.
这就是我们观察到的

重点解释

gives us the physical ability to produce a wide variety of sounds.从而赋予我们发出更多不同声音的能力

ability to有 ... 的能力

She has the ability to keep calm in an emergency.

她有处变不惊的本事。

I don't doubt your ability to do the work.

我不怀疑你有能力担任这项工作。

variety of各种的

A variety of food is sold at a supermarket.

超级市场各式各样的食物均有出售。

A great variety of flowers were shown in the park.

公园里展出了很多品种的花。

leaving them incapable of making the complicated sounds of speech这使得它们无法在自己的短声道中

incapable of 无能力的(不能的)

A child is considered legally incapable of committ a crime.

一个孩子在法律上是被看作无能力犯罪的。

His honesty made him incapable of lying.

他的诚实使他不能撒谎。