讲解人 · Ronan
原文
Mischievous mealtime
Fun is on the menu for narwhals.
The Arctic whales brandish their iconic tusks to poke, prod and possibly play with their prey.
Researchers captured the underwater unicorns apparently amusing themselves with soon-to-be appetizers.
Aerial video reveals narwhals softly swooshing their spiraled tooth against the bodies of Arctic chars, bumping the fish off course.
They also flipped the sea life.
Researchers think it’s for entertainment.
It seems the whales may crave whimsy.
Thirst-quenching claws
Australian cockatoos invented a new drinking culture: Streams are out.
Water fountains are in.
On scorching days in Sydney, clever sulfur-crested cockatoos flock to local drinking fountains to slurp down fresh water.
They clasp the side of the basin with one foot, while expertly twisting the handle with the other.
Then, the birds lean to one side, activate the spout’s steady flow, and quickly snap upright to snag a sip.
Surprisingly, there’s no need for a bouncer at the popular watering hole.
The parrots patiently wait up to 10 minutes for their turn to drink.
Woolly mice
This mouse is so woolly mammoth coded — literally.
Scientists edited seven genes to give mice thick shaggy fur resembling that of a woolly mammoth.
The team also tinkered with traits so that the mouse became more resilient to frigid conditions.
Some say it’s a big step in the effort to resurrect the mammoth.
But there’s still a long way to go before the giant woollies walk among us.
带着问题听讲解
如何理解 on the menu 这个词？
根据文章，科学家认为独角鲸“玩弄”猎物行为是出于什么目的？
文章中哪些细节体现了凤头鹦鹉在喝水时表现出的“秩序感”？
讲解
重点词汇
narwhal
/ˈnɑːr.wəl/
n. 一角鲸，独角鲸
cockatoo
/ˈkɑː.kə.tuː/
n. 凤头鹦鹉，葵花鹦鹉（产于澳大利亚，头顶有羽冠，喙强大有力）
tale
/teɪl/
n.（尤指包含离奇内容的）故事
- 搭配短语：a touching tale搭配短语：A Tale of Two Cities（《双城记》）
mischievous
/ˈmɪs.tʃə.vəs/
adj.（人、行为等）爱恶作剧的，好捣乱的，顽皮的，淘气的
- 搭配短语：mischievous behavior
on the menu
即将发生的事，可供选择的项目；在菜单上
- 例句：What's on the menu for tonight?
brandish
/ˈbræn.dɪʃ/
v. 威胁（或兴奋）地挥舞
- 搭配短语：brandish a sword
tusk
/tʌsk/
n.（大象等动物的）长牙
- 相关词汇：ivory（n. 象牙；乳白色）
- 搭配短语：ivory tower
poke
/poʊk/
v. 戳，刺，捅
prod
/prɑːd/
v.（用手指、尖物等）刺，捅；戳
prey
/preɪ/
n. 被捕食的动物，猎物
- 相关词汇：pray（v. 祈祷）
appetizer
/ˈæp.ə.taɪ.zɚ/
n. 开胃菜，前菜
- 相关词汇：appetite（n. 胃口）
swoosh
/swuːʃ/
v. 嗖嗖（或哗哗）地快速移动；发出嗖嗖（或哗哗）的声音
- 词性拓展：swoosh（n. 嗖嗖（或哗哗）的声音）
- 搭配短语：The Nike Swoosh
flip
/flɪp/
v.（使）快速翻转；迅速翻动
- 搭配短语：flip a pancake
whimsy
/ˈwɪm.zi/
n. 离奇古怪；异想天开；古怪可笑
- 英文释义：a playful or amusing quality: a sense of humor or playfulness相关词汇：whim（n. 一时的兴致；突然的念头；突然的决定）
quench
/kwentʃ/
v. 解渴；扑灭，熄灭
- 搭配短语：quench your thirst
scorching
/ˈskɔːr.tʃɪŋ/
adj. 灼热的；极热的
- 近义词：hot相关词汇：scorch（v. 烧焦，烤焦）例句：It's a scorching day!
sulfur
/ˈsʌl.fɚ/
n. 硫磺
crest
/krest/
n.（动物的）羽冠，肉冠；（浪、山等的）峰，顶，尖
slurp
/slɝːp/
v. 咕嘟咕嘟地喝，出声地喝
- 例句：He always slurps his soup.例句：He slurped down his coffee.
clasp
/klæsp/
v. 抓紧，握紧
- 例句：She clasped the bracelet around her wrist.
spout
/spaʊt/
n.（容器的）嘴
snap
/snæp/
v. 啪地突然移动；拍照
- 搭配短语：to snap fingers搭配短语：to snap a photo
snag
/snæɡ/
v. 抓到，抢到；钩破
- 英文释义：to succeed in getting sth quickly, often before other people例句：I snagged a bargain.（抢到）例句：I snagged my sweater on a nail yesterday.（钩破）
sip
/sɪp/
n. 一小口的量
- 例句：She took a sip of the red wine.
bouncer
/ˈbaʊn.sɚ/
n.（酒吧、聚会等雇佣的）保安，保镖
watering hole
酒吧，酒馆
- 例句：Heading to the local watering hole?
mammoth
/ˈmæm.əθ/
n. 猛犸象
shaggy
/ˈʃæɡ.i/
adj. 毛发长而蓬乱的
- 英文释义：long and untidy搭配短语：a huge shaggy yellow dog
tinker
/ˈtɪŋ.kɚ/
v. 修补，改进，摆弄
frigid
/ˈfrɪdʒ.ɪd/
adj. 寒冷的；冷淡的
- 词义辨析：frigid, cold, freezing
- cold 是普通用词，frigid 程度更甚，指极度寒冷的、严寒的，且 frigid 比 freezing 更正式书面。
搭配短语：a frigid voice
resurrect
/ˌrez.əˈrekt/
v. 使复活，使起死回生
- 词源：resurrection（耶稣复活）英文释义：raising from the dead
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