趣味英語聽力材料《地松鼠與響尾蛇》

當地松鼠遇上響尾蛇，我們理所應當地認為弱小會被邪惡所戰勝，但是也許事實會讓你大吃一驚。不信就來走進下面這篇英語聽力的世界，讓你知道地松鼠是如何戰勝響尾蛇的。

So let's say you're a common ground squirrel. Just for a moment, pretend you're minding your own business, searching for seeds, doing whatever it is that squirrels like to do. Then, suddenly, out from behind a bush slithers a huge, sinister rattlesnake, coiled and ready to strike. What do you do?

假如你是一隻普通的地松鼠，在專注於自己的事情，尋找種子吃，或者在做任何松鼠喜歡做的事。突然，從你身後的灌木叢中爬出了一條巨大的、兇惡的響尾蛇，它盤繞起身體，準備好了對你進行攻擊。你該怎麼辦呢?

Obviously, you run away, play dead, or perhaps negotiate a deal of some sort. In any case, given that you're a furry, gentle squirrel and the snake is a deadly, rattling killer, whatever you do, you don't stand your ground and fight. Right?

顯然，你會選擇逃跑，裝死，也可能會與它談談條件。鑑於自己是一隻毛茸茸的，温順的松鼠，而響尾蛇則是致命的殺手，無論如何你都不會站在原地與之進行搏鬥，對吧?

Wrong! Calling upon the instincts passed down from your ancient squirrel ancestors, you rush at the snake, kick sand in its face, try to bite its tail, and then turn your back on it and whip your tail around.

你錯了!從祖先那裏繼承的本能會讓松鼠衝向響尾蛇，向它的臉上踢沙子，試圖咬它的尾巴，接着轉過身來，搖動自己的尾巴。

Now why on earth, you might be wondering, would my squirrel self take such suicidal measures? Kicking sand and biting might do some good, but tail waving? Why further taunt a venom-fanged snake already bent on violence?

你可能會感到不解，為何松鼠會選擇這種以雞蛋碰石頭的做法?踢沙子和咬尾巴可能還管點用，但搖尾巴又是意欲為何呢?面對已經俯身做好攻擊準備的、帶有毒牙的蛇，松鼠為何還要進行挑釁呢?

As you may have guessed, there is a method to such madness. When confronted by a rattlesnake, squirrels' tails heat up, getting hotter by almost four degrees Fahrenheit. The infra-red sensors built into rattlesnakes' eye sockets sense this increase in temperature as a big, waving, fiery blotch.

可能你也猜到了，松鼠的這種看似瘋狂的做法其實是有它的`道理的。當遇到響尾蛇時，松鼠的尾巴會變熱，温度上升大約4度(華氏)。而通過眼睛窩中的紅外線感應組織，響尾蛇感受到的則是一個大的，擺動的紅點。

This alarming display, plus the fact that squirrels are partially immune to rattlesnake venom, actually gives the squirrel a distinct advantage when it confronts a rattlesnake. More often than not, the rattlesnake will slither away in search of a less intimidating foe.

這種讓蛇方寸大亂的表演，再加上松鼠對響尾蛇的毒液有一定的免疫力，讓松鼠在遇到響尾蛇的時候具有了本能優勢。多數情況下，響尾蛇會爬開，去尋找不這麼嚇人的獵物。

　　Notes:

ground squirrel: 地松鼠

negotiate a deal: 商議一筆交易;談談條件

stand your ground: 堅持到底(堅守陣地，堅持立場，固執己見)