原文视听

Brunnich's guillemots have spent the summer months
夏季的几个月里 海鸠
packed together on vertical cliffs
聚集在陡峭的悬崖之上
beyond the reach of predators.
远离捕食者的魔爪
They are among the most
它们是北半球
numerous seabirds in the Northern hemisphere.
数量最多的海鸟之一
This colony alone contains 100,000 birds
单是这个鸟群 就有十万只
and there are many more like it all along the Arctic coastline.
而沿北极海岸 类似的鸟群更是不计其数
In just a few weeks these cliffs will empty.
再过几周 这几片悬崖将空空如也
But before the guillemots can leave,
但在幼雏羽翼丰满之前
their chicks must fledge.
海鸠还不能动身
Their feathers are now fully formed,
它们的羽毛已经长成
but their stubby wings are still too short for them
但翅膀还过于粗短
to fly properly -
无法自在飞翔
this will be a challenge.
这是个挑战
It's a 150 metre drop and
这一跳就是一百五十米
they need to make it all the way to the sea.
还得一路跳到海里
Here goes.
起跳
He falls short and survives the crash landing.
他没跳到终点 不过也活着着陆了
The chicks are manna from heaven for an Arctic fox.
对北极狐来说雏鸟可是天赐的佳肴
The next chick is accompanied by a parent.
后面一只雏鸟有父母陪伴

重点解释

妙语佳句:

their stubby wings are still too short for them to fly properly -翅膀还过于粗短无法自在飞翔。

too... to ...:太...以至于不能...

The road is too narrow to allow the passage of gondola.

这条街太窄，大型货车不能通过。

He walked too slowly to catch up with me.

他走得太慢而不能跟上我。

This colony alone contains 100,000 birds单是这个鸟群，就有十万只。

contain:容纳, 包含

Soft drinks contain carbon dioxide.

软饮料中含有二氧化碳。

The cake on analysis was found to contain traces of toxin.

经分析发现蛋糕里含有微量的毒素。

contain, include,这些动词均含有“包括，包含”之意。

contain普通用词，所涉及的物体常常是其组成部分或内容。强调包容关系。既可指具体有形的东西，也可指抽象无形的东西。

include普通用词，指一整体包含着各独立的部分，也指某东西包含另一东西的某一部分。

考考你:

它们的翅膀还过于粗短无法自在飞翔。

对北极狐来说雏鸟可是天赐的佳肴。

上期答案:

the team are keen to see what's happening underwater.

the whales look as if they are about to hunt.