(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good horror movie story. However, scientists from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, there could really be giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh up to 80kg. Rats are spreading all over the Earth. They are now the strongest animals on many small islands. One of the reasons for this is that they travel on ships and relocate to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming extinct, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest rodent."
Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have spread around the world, and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and ferocious rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on." After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct. This will have a big impact on food chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running around everywhere.
词汇学习
1.horror n.恐怖，可怕的事物
Somehow he tells these stories without a note of horror.
不知为什么他讲这些故事时一点都不害怕。
2.relocate vt.& vi.迁移；重新安置
If the company was to relocate, most employees would move.
如果这个公司要搬迁，多数员工也要搬家。
3.extinct adj.灭绝的；绝种的
Herbalism had become an all but extinct skill in the Western world.
草药医术在西方已经成了一门几乎绝迹的技艺。
4.rodent n.[动]啮齿目动物
Researchers observed one bird impale a rodent on a cactus.
研究人员观察到一只鸟把一只啮齿动物钉在一棵仙人掌上。
内容解析
1.Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest rodent."
given引导条件句
given与provided意思一样,表示“如果有……,则……”,
但两者的区别是provided后面只能跟that引导从句,而不能跟名词或名词性短语。而given后既可跟从句,又可跟名词性短语。
2.Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have spread around the world, and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments.
adapt to变得习惯于…，使适应于
Chung has tried to adapt to local customs.
钟努力去适应当地的风俗习惯。
3.After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger.
die out（指物种、家族、习惯、观念等）绝迹，消失；绝种
How did the dinosaurs die out?
恐龙是如何灭绝的？
参考翻译
像绵羊那么大的老鼠或许是很好的恐怖电影主题。然而，来自英格兰莱斯特大学的科学家表示，未来地球上确实会出现这种巨型老鼠。这些老鼠的体型像绵羊那么大，体重达80千克。目前老鼠在全球各地肆虐，是许多小岛上最强大的动物。其中一个原因就是它们搭乘船只迁移到以前从来没有老鼠的地方。另外一个原因是许多更大的动物灭绝，可以消灭老鼠的动物减少。研究人员Jan Zalasiewicz博士表示：“如果有足够的时间，老鼠可能会成为世界上最大的啮齿动物。”
Zalasiewicz博士表示，老鼠是物种在世界各地传播，并成功适应诸多新环境的最佳案例之一。他表示：“未来会有比较瘦的老鼠，比较胖的老鼠，行动迟缓，身材笨重的老鼠，行动迅速，性情凶猛的老鼠，也可能有适合水中生活的老鼠，各种各样的老鼠都有可能。”恐龙灭绝以后，许多小型动物慢慢地越长越大。如果没有动物猎捕老鼠，老鼠的体型也会越来越大。Zalasiewicz博士还相信，“超级老鼠”将会开始消灭其他动物，致使它们灭绝。这会对食物链产生重大影响。他没有言明人类应该怎样如何在世界各地肆虐的巨型老鼠。
