晨读伴侣Passage17：海龟成长也不易

本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试（CET-6）的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释，对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果，对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读：

海龟，虽然寿命很长，但并不是每只都有机会活这么长。能够出生已经不简单了，而这还得靠志愿者的帮助，接下来在海中的成长才是挑战。原来，人类以为的长寿动物也如此不易。对于海龟是这样，其实对于我们来说更是这样的。来看看这篇文章是如何把“丑陋”的海龟与长盛不衰的环保话题联系起来的吧。

[For hundreds of millions of years], turtles have struggled out of the sea [to lay their eggs] [on sandy beaches], [long before there were nature documentaries 1to celebrate them, or GPS satellites 2 and marine biologists to track them, or volunteers to hand-carry the hatchlings down to the water’s edge] [lest they become disoriented 3 [by headlights] and crawl 4 towards a motel parking lot [instead].] A formidable 5 wall (of bureaucracy 6) has been erected 7 to protect their prime 8nesting [on the Atlantic coastlines]. [With all that attention paid to them], you’d think these creatures would [at least] have the gratitude 9 [not] (to go extinct 10).

亿万年以来，海龟们为了到沙滩上产卵都挣扎着从海里爬出来。那时候还没有自然记录片来记录它们的活动，没有GPS卫星和海洋生物学家跟踪它们，也没有志愿者用手把幼龟放到水边，以防它们被照明灯弄得迷失方向，反而爬进旅馆的停车场。官方已经发布命令给海龟在大西洋沿岸的筑巢地竖起了保护屏障。在这么多的关注下，你可能会认为海龟们至少该为自己免于灭绝而表示感激。

注：1. documentary adj. 文献的。例：

The importance of documentary veracity cannot be ignored.

文献精确的重要性不能被忽略。

n. 纪录片。文中此意。例：

He had accused a man of murdering his two sons after seeing a TV documentary.

他指控一个人在看了电视纪录片后谋杀了他的两个儿子。

[选自:BBC: NEWS | Health | Clark doctor decision challenged]

2. satellite  n.卫星，人造卫星。例：

Since the advent of satellite and cable TV, viewers have been turning away from traditional broadcasters.

由于卫星和有线电视的出现，观众渐渐的不用传统广播了。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | Business | Q&A: What lies ahead for ITV?]

v. 通过卫星传播

3. disoriented adj. 迷失方向的；感到糊涂的。例：

But that day I was totally disoriented even though I was standing right in front of the shop windows.

但是那一天我完全迷失了方向，即使我正站在商店橱窗前。

[选自: FORBES: The Day We Lost Our Innocence]

4. crawl vi. 蠕动，爬行；缓慢地行进。文中此意。例：

The lovely baby crawl towards his father.

可爱的小宝宝向他的爸爸爬去。

When he was learning to crawl, the boy began developing ugly, purple bruises around his joints.

学习爬行时,男孩开始变得愈发丑陋，关节周围都是紫色的瘀伤。

[选自: CNN: MAGAZINE | ASIANMOW | Asiaweek | Profiles In Courage]

n. 蠕动，爬行；缓慢地行进。例：

Traffic on this road was moving at a crawl.

这条路傻瓜的车辆缓慢地行进着。

5. formidable adj.可怕的，令人敬畏的，强大的（文中此意），难以应付的。例：

But Corley has more experience at the highest level than Witter and represents a formidable hurdle.

但是科里比维特在最高级别赛事上有着更多经验，这意味着他是一个强大的障碍。

[选自: BBC: SPORT | Boxing | Witter ready for final world shot]

The enemy surrendered to our formidable army.

敌军向我们强大的军队投降了。

6. bureaucracy n. 官僚，官僚主义，官僚作风；（公司的）管理人员。例：

The bureaucracy is usually inefficient form of government.

官僚主义往往是政府效率低下的一种形式。

7. erect vt. 树立，建立，使竖立。文中此意。例：

But plans to erect 127 wind turbines have split the community and the candidates.

但是建立127个风力发电机的计划分裂了社区人员和候选者。

[选自: BBC: Scottish election: Energy issues drive island voters]

adj. 直立的，垂直的。例：

Erect trees lined both sides of the road

道路两旁笔直的树排成行。

8. prime adj. 主要的，首要的；最好的，一流的。文中此意。例：

Mr Berlusconi has been prime minister three times since he first took office in 1994.

这已是总理贝卢斯科尼自1994年第一次就职以来的第三次连任。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | World | Europe | Italy crisis: Silvio Berlusconi resigns as PM]

prime minister 首相

a prime example

最好的例证

n. 青春，全盛期，青壮年时期。例：

In the prime of life

正直盛年

We should do what you want to do in the prime of life

趁年轻我们应该做自己想做的事情。

9. gratitude n. 感谢，感激。例：

 Do your best, Pivnick suggests, and hope that her gratitude will get you a promotion.

做到最好，帕瓦尼克建议到，希望她的感激能让你升职。

[选自: FORBES: How To Deal With A Younger Boss]

10. extinct adj.灭绝的；熄灭了的。例：

an extinct species

已灭绝的物种

The species was made extinct in Ireland in the 18th century, mainly due to human persecution.

由于人类的迫害，这个物种于18世纪在爱尔兰灭绝。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | N. Ireland | Northern Ireland Red Kite project hailed success]

But Nature is indifferent [to human notions 1] (of fairness), and a report [by the Fish and Wildlife Service] showed a worrisome drop [in the populations of several species] (of North Atlantic turtles), ^notably 2 loggerheads 3^, (which can grow to [as much as 4] 400 pounds.) The South Florida nesting 5 population, ^the largest^, has declined [by 50%] [in the last decade], [according to Elizabeth Griffin], {a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana}. The figures prompted 6 Oceana [to petition 7 the government to upgrade the level of protection for the North Atlantic loggerheads from “threatened” to “endangered”] – [meaning they are in danger of disappearing without additional help].  

但是自然对人们的平等观念却非常冷淡。渔业以及野生动物组织的一项报告显示，北大西洋里有好几种海龟的数量都在下降，实在令人担忧。尤其是一种能够长到400磅的大海龟，据环境保护组织Oceana的海洋生物学家Elizabeth Griffin说，南弗罗里达海岸数量最多的海龟在过去的十年里锐减了50%。这些数字迫使Oceana向政府请求将对北大西洋大海龟的保护程度由“受到威胁”提升到“濒临灭绝”——这意味着如果没有额外的保护，它们将面临消失的危险。

注：1. notion n. 概念，意念；看法，想法，观点。例：

The President pushed back strongly on the notion of there being any linkage with missile defense.

总统强烈驳回与导弹防御系统有关联的看法。

[选自: WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]

Kenny’s notion of rural life is a lot of sunshine and fun.

肯尼心目中的乡村生活应该是充满阳光和欢乐的。

2.notably adv. 显著地，特别地。例：

This idea has been adopted by other managers as well, most notably superstar CEO Andrew Grove.

这个想法得到了其他管理人员，特别是明星首席执行官安德鲁•格罗夫的采纳。

[选自: FORBES: Most Popular | Managers: If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, Broadcast It]

The organization had many enemies, most notably among feminists.  

这个组织有许多敌人,特别是在男女平等主义者中。

3. loggerhead n. 红海龟，笨蛋

4. as much as

①表示数量 “多达”，文中此意。

We can take as much as our buyer can supply.   

买主能提供多少我们就能要多少。

②表示程度 “尽量”

You ought to rest as much as possible.

你应当尽量多休息

③表示经常性

Do you dine out as much as you did in London?

你还想在伦敦那样经常在外面吃饭吗？

5. nest n. 窝，巢

vi. 筑巢。例：

The seabirds nest on rocks off the coast.

鸟在靠近海岸的岩石上筑巢。

6. prompt adj. 敏捷的，迅速的；即刻的。例：

Our new manager is prompt on the job.

我们新来的经历工作很敏捷

These bills on your desk need prompt payment.

你桌上的这些账单需要立即支付。

vt. 激起；促进，推动。文中此意。例：

The Ohio-California split could prompt the nation's high court to take up the issue.

俄亥俄州-加利福尼亚分裂可能促使美国最高法院接手来解决这一问题。

[选自: CNN: NEWS | Tech | Ruling lets California police search your phone without a warrant]

The traffic accident prompt the driver to renew his insurance.

这起交通事故促使这位司机为自己的保险续期了。

7. petition n. 请愿书，申请书；诉状。例：

A petition was signed by hundreds of local residents.

数百名当地居民在请愿书上签字了。

The court denied Mark’s petition.

法院拒绝了马克的诉状。

vt. (向...)情愿，正是请求。文中此意。例：

Thompson will have to petition for an exemption of the 18-year-old age requirement.

汤普森将为免除（满足）18岁的年龄要求而请愿。

[选自：NPR: 16-Year-Old Lexi Thompson Gets Historic LPGA Win]

Which raises the obvious question: what [else] do these turtles want [from us], ^anyway^? It turns out, ^according to Griffin^, that [while we have done a good job (of protecting the turtles) [for the weeks they spend on land (as egg-laying females, as eggs and as hatchlings)原],] we have neglected 1 the years (they spend [in the ocean].) “The threat is from commercial 2 fishing,” says Griffin. Trawlers (which drag large nets through the water and along the ocean floor)原and long line fishers (which can deploy 3 thousands of hooks on lines that can stretch 4 for miles)原take a heavy toll 5 [on turtles].

以上的事实引起了一个明显的问题：海龟们到底想从我们这得到些别的什么？按照Griffin的说法：我们对保护海龟们在岸上度过的几个星期做得非常好（照顾产卵的母海龟，照顾龟卵，照顾幼龟），但是我们却忽略了它们在海里度过的时光。Griffin说，“威胁主要来自商业捕捞”。拖捞船（那些拖着从水里或沿着海底前进的大网的船）和长线捕鱼（在延绵数里的渔网上布满上千个鱼钩）使海龟伤亡惨重。

注：1. neglect vt. 忽视，疏忽，忽略；漏做。文中此意。例：

People today often neglect the consequences of sleep deficit.

当今的人们经常忽视睡眠不足带来的后果。

Many users neglect take this simple precaution because it feels like a repetitive hassle.

许多用户忽视这个简单的预防措施，因为它感觉就像一个重复的麻烦。

[选自: CNN: Work-issued mobile devices emerging as key security risk]

n. 忽视,疏忽，漏做

Frank was fired because of the neglect of duty.

弗兰克因玩忽职守被开除了。

2. commercial adj. 商业的，商务的，贸易的。短语：

commercial intercourse 通商

the commercial venture 商业投资

a commercial center 商业中心。例：

They say the problem will damage tourism and the UK's reputation as a commercial centre.

他们说这个问题将损害旅游业和英国作为商业中心的声誉。

[选自: BBC: Newspaper review: Papers question immigration checks][centre英国媒体习惯这么用，美国习惯用center。]

3. deploy vt. 部署，调度（军队或武器）;有效地利用，调动。例：

Within this report I hope to incorporate some recommendations that would deploy money smarter.

我希望在这个报告中能涵盖一些优化资金部署的建议。

[选自: FORBES: Getting Our Ducks in a Row]

to deploy arguments/resources 利用论据/资源

4. stretch vt. 拉长。例：

Do you known why my sweaters are always stretched?

你知道为什么我的毛衣总是被拉长吗？

vi. 伸, 延。文中此意。例：

But the speed limit for most of that stretch with revert to 70mph on Friday.

但是速度限制在星期五恢复到了每小时70公里。

[选自: BBC: M80 roadworks speed restrictions to be lifted]

n. 一段时间，一段路程；拉长，延伸。例：

We have waited for a stretch of two hours.

我们已经等了两个小时了。

He is driving on a stretch of open field.

他正在一片开阔的原野上飞驰。

5. toll n. 过路（桥）费；代价，伤亡数（文中此意）。例：

You should pay the toll.

你应该付过路费。

Another 32 people were missing, the report added, suggesting the death toll could rise.

报道补充道，另有32人失踪，这也预示着死亡人数可能进一步增加。

[选自：MSN: China floods kill 52, force 100,000 to evacuate]

vt. 征收（过路费）；（缓慢而有规律地）敲（钟）。例：

The government set up stations to toll fees.

政府征收过路费。

Church bells tolled the death of the bishop.

教堂为主教的去世鸣钟。

[Of course], [like every other environmental issue today], this is playing out [against the background of global warming and human interference 1 with natural ecosystems]. The narrow strips 2 (of beach) (on which the turtles lay their eggs) are being squeezed 3 [on one side by development and on the other by the threat of rising sea levels] [as the oceans warm.] [Ultimately 4] we must get a handle [on those issues] [as well], or a creature (that outlived 5 the dinosaurs) will meet its end [at the hands of humans], [leaving our descendants 6 to wonder how creature so ugly could have won so much affection 7].

当然，和其他环境一样，这些都是发生在全球变暖和人类对生态系统干涉的背景下。一方面人类开发，另一方面因海水变暖海平面上升，使得海龟们产卵的那些沙滩缩小。最终，我们必须着手处理这些问题，否则，这比恐龙寿命还要长的生物将会灭绝于人类手中，只给我们的后代留下疑问：为什么这么丑的生物会获得人们如此多的关注？

注：1. interference n.干涉，干预，文中此意。例：

Other claims asserted by Oracle against HP include defamation and intentional interference with contractual relations.

甲骨文针对惠普的另一些索赔包括诽谤和故意干扰合同关系。

[选自: MSN: Oracle brings new claims against HP in Itanium case]

相关词汇：interfere  

vi. interfere (in) 干涉，干预

interfere (with) 妨碍，打扰。例：

I’ve always tried not to interfere in your affairs.

我一直尽量不干涉你的事。

Skyscrapers may interfere with television reception.

摩天大楼可能会干扰电视的接受效果。

2. strip vi.剥，剥去。例：

The officer was stripped of the rank.

那位军官被免去了军衔。

n. 窄条，带状物。文中此意。例：

I’m told the man I’m looking for lives near the cemetery, beside the landing strip.

我被告知我正在找的那个人住在墓地附近，跑道旁边。

[选自: CNN: NEWS | Travel | Exploring Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula]

3. squeeze vt. 压榨，挤。文中此意。例：

squeeze toothpaste 挤牙膏

And who wants to try to squeeze their seat into space decreed to be “standard”?  

那谁又愿意按照法定的“标准”来挤压各自的位置呢？

[选自：BBC: NEWS | UK | Magazine | Chaos in the changing room]

n. 榨取，勒索。例：

The farmers were driven to rebel by the squeeze of the landlords.

农民们在地主的压榨下被迫起来反抗了。

形近词：sneeze vi.打喷嚏

4. ultimate

ultimately adv.最后，最终，根本（文中此意）例：

This, ultimately, paves the way for maximising the repayment of debt to the taxpayer over time.

最终，这为最大化的将应偿还债务转移给纳税人铺平了道路。

[选自: FORBES: Former Billionaire Loses Company, Owes $4 Billion]

词根 ultimate adj. 最后的，最终的；根本的。例：

in ultimate 到最后，结果

the ultimate authority 最高当局

an ultimate principle 基本原理

Hard work is the ultimate source of success.

努力工作是成功的之本。

5. outlive v. 比（某人）长寿  （文中此意），活到（某事）已被遗忘。例：

In birds, the reverse is true - and male birds generally outlive the females.

在鸟类中，相反的情况是真实存在的——雄鸟大致说来比雌鸟寿命长。

[选自：BBC: Women grow old genetically]

6. descendant n. 后代，后裔（文中此意）；（由过去类似物发展来的）派生物。例：

This is where Juan's forebears repose, and where he, as a direct descendant is entitled to be buried.

这就是胡安祖先安葬的地方，在这里，他作为直接后裔有权安葬。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | From Our Own Correspondent | From Cornwall to Mexico ]

They are descendants of the original English and Scottish settlers.

他们是最初的英格兰和苏格兰定居者的后代。

His design was a descendant of a 1956device.

他的设计是从一个1956年的装置衍生而来的。

adv. 下降的；祖传的。例：

Those tradition is descendant.

这些都是祖传下来的。

7. affection n.爱，慈爱；感情；影响。例：

The orphans need more care and affection.

孤儿们需要更多的照顾和关爱。

David completely ignored his wife’s affections.

大卫完全忽视了他妻子的感情。

Why is there a sudden affection for the Post World War II period in the US?

为什么对于二战后的美国有如此突然的影响。

[选自：FORBES: A Young World is No Place for Old Corporations]