英語聽力小短文走遍全世界56: 美國黑熊
英語聽力原文：
American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In th eastern part of their range, most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red, or even yellow coats. To the north, the black bear is actually gray or white in color. Even in the same litter, both brown and black furred bears may be born.
美國黑熊雖然被叫做黑熊但卻有各種各樣的顏色。在它們生活區(qū)域的東部，大部分黑熊長有富有光澤的黑毛，但在西部，他們則長著棕色、紅色甚至是黃色的毛。在北部，黑熊其實長著灰色或白色的毛。就是在一胎所生的小熊中，都可能混雜棕毛和黑毛。
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from five to six feet, weighing from three hundred to five hundred pounds. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of smell. Like all bears, the black bear is timid, clumsy, and rarely dangerous, but if attacked, most can climb trees and cover ground at great speeds. When angry or frightened, it is a formidable enemy.
黑熊是所有美洲熊中最小的，5—6英尺長，300—500磅重。它們的眼睛和耳朵都很小，他們的視力和聽覺不如嗅覺那樣好。像所有的熊一樣，黑熊膽小，笨拙，很少具有危險性。但如果受到攻擊，大部分黑熊會以很快的速度爬上樹和奔跑。當(dāng)發(fā)怒或受驚嚇時，黑熊會成為可怕的對手。
Black bears feed on leaves, herbs, roots, fruit, berries, insects, fish, and even larger animals. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep. Unlike squirrels, woodchucks, and many other woodland animals, bears do not actually hibernate. Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, sustaining itself from body fat, its temperature remains alomost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
黑熊以樹葉、草、樹根、水果、漿果、昆蟲、魚，甚至更大的動物為食。熊類，包括黑熊的最有趣的一個特點是它們的冬眠。與松鼠、旱獺和其他別的林地動物不同，熊并不真正地冬眠。雖然熊在冬天的幾個月中不吃東西，靠體內(nèi)脂肪維持生命，但它們的體溫保持正常，并有規(guī)律地一分鐘呼吸4或5次。
Most black bears live alone, except during mating season. They prefer to live in caves, hollow logs, or dense thickets. A litter of one to four cubs is born in January or February after a gestation period of six to nine months, and they remain with their mother until they are fully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in game preserves set aside for them.
隨交配季節(jié)外，大多數(shù)黑熊獨自生活。它們喜歡住在洞里、空心的大木頭里或茂密的樹叢里。經(jīng)過6到9個月的懷孕期后一胎1—4個小熊在1月或2月出生。它們同母熊住在一起，直到它們完全長大，即1歲半左右。黑熊在野外可以活到長達(dá)30年，在專門的保護(hù)區(qū)中甚至能活得更長。
英語詞匯整理：
1. frightened adj. 受驚的
eg: A cry came from the frightened child.
哭聲來自受驚的孩子
相關(guān)短語：
frightened to death 嚇?biāo)懒?/p>
be frightened at 對
be frightened of 害怕
2. formidable adj. 強(qiáng)大的，可怕的，難對付的
eg: There's no formidable obstacles in the world.
世上沒有無法逾越的障礙。
相關(guān)短語：
formidable challenge 可怕的挑戰(zhàn)
formidable adversaries 強(qiáng)大對手
3. characteristic n. 特點，特性，特色 adj. 典型的，特有的
eg: Kindness is one of his characteristics.
和善是他的特性之一。
相關(guān)短語：
characteristic of 特有的;表示……特性的
characteristic feature 性能特點
4. squirrel n. 松鼠
eg: The squirrel is a lovely small animal.
松鼠是一種可愛的小動物。
相關(guān)短語：
squirrel away 貯存
ground squirrel 地松鼠
flying squirrel 鼯鼠
5. hibernate v. 冬眠，蟄伏
eg: Black bears hibernate in winters.
黑熊在冬季蟄居過冬。
6. hollow adj. 空的，空洞的，凹陷的，虛偽的，(聲音)沉悶的 n. 山谷，洞，窟窿
eg: He looked young, dark and sharp-featured, with hollow cheeks.
他看起來很年輕，膚色黝黑，面部棱角分明，雙頰凹陷。
相關(guān)短語：
beat all hollow 把(某人)完全打敗;使……大為失色
in the hollow of someone's hand 在某人的手掌心里
ring hollow (話語)聽著空洞
7. gestation n. 懷孕，孕育時期
eg: Human gestation is a nine month period.
人類妊娠期為九個月。
相關(guān)短語：
gestation period 妊娠期;懷孕期;懷孕期間
ectopic gestation 異位妊娠
8. preserve vt. 保護(hù)，維持;保存，保藏;腌制
eg: It is highly important to preserve the environment.
保護(hù)自然環(huán)境至關(guān)重要。
相關(guān)短語：
preserve from 防止;保護(hù)……不……
preserve against 使免受污染
preserve in/ with 用……保存
佳句采摘：
Like all bears, the black bear is timid, clumsy, and rarely dangerous, but if attacked, most can climb trees and cover ground at great speeds. When angry or frightened, it is a formidable enemy.
像所有的熊一樣，黑熊膽小，笨拙，很少具有危險性。但如果受到攻擊，大部分黑熊會以很快的速度爬上樹和奔跑。當(dāng)發(fā)怒或受驚嚇時，黑熊會成為可怕的對手。
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