原文视听

As the water level falls,birds begin to gather.
随着水位下降 鸟儿们开始聚集
Herons, egrets and cormorants
苍鹭 白鹭和鸬鹚
mingle with a far rarer visitor,
和另一种稀有的动物混在一起
the black-faced spoonbill.
这就是黑脸琵鹭
These endangered migrants
这些濒危的候鸟们
have travelled the length of the Chinese coastline
从中国北部和朝鲜半岛
from Northern China and Korea.
沿着中国的海岸线一路飞来
Mai Po marks the end of a 2,000 kilometre journey
米埔标志着这长达2000多公里旅途的结束
during which the birds may have lost up to a third of their body weight.
鸟儿在飞行中甚至可能消耗掉体重的三分之一
Four hundred black-faced spoonbills,
400多只黑脸琵鹭
a quarter of the world's population,
占了世界数量的四分之一
pass the winter here.
会在这里过冬
At low water,
在浅水中
trapped shrimps and fish become easy prey,
被困的鱼虾易于捕食
a life saver for these endangered birds.
成为了这些濒危鸟儿们的救命粮草

重点解释

妙语佳句:

the birds may have lost up to a third of their body weight.鸟儿在飞行中甚至可能消耗掉体重的三分之一

lost to:不再为...所占有

My son was lost to me when he married.

我儿子结婚以后，就不再听我的了。

The opportunity was lost to them.

他们已失去了这个机会。

Four hundred black-faced spoonbills,a quarter of the world's population,400多只黑脸琵鹭占了世界数量的四分之一

a quarter of:...的1/4

A quarter of the area is covered with virgin forest.

四分之一的地区都是原始森林。

No more than a quarter of your income should go in rent.

你的收入用于房租不应超过四分之一。

a life saver for these endangered birds.成为了这些濒危鸟儿们的救命粮草

save for:保存

You should save for a rainy day.

你该存点钱,以备不时之需。

考考你:

鸟儿在飞行中甚至可能消耗掉体重的三分之一。

随着水位下降 鸟儿们开始聚集。

上期答案:

The distinctive rigging of the junk's sails allows easy handling in bad weather,

coastal trade in China has depended on a remarkable and pioneering type of ship,