2007-08-16, Daredevil Birds 海雀版勇敢者游戏

We are here in the Svalbard Islands of Norway to observe one of the most astonishing breathtaking daredevil initiation¹ rites² on the planet.

Thousands of guillemots are nesting on the sheer rock cliffs, far beyond the reach of predators³. Now here is the daredevil part. The guillemots are more at home in the ocean than on the cliffs. The chicks have hatched, and they have to fly to that ocean. Only, they have never flown before, ever.

Imagine you are this guillemot chick, you've never flown. You don't even know what it’s like to fly or if you can fly. Below you, jagged cliffs ready to impale⁴ you if you fail. Several hundred feet down in the water, adults squawk encouragement to you. Remember your very first time up on that high dive, alone, with everyone watching? Multiply that by a thousand. You are never really ready, you will just have to, well, you know, take the plunge⁵. You plummet⁶ down at first, toward your death on the rocks. But other adults are following you, guiding you, showing you the way. You don't fly exactly, but you do glide⁷. You use those wings just enough to stay with the adults and clear the rocks. You made it! You skip like a pebble⁸ on the water. And then exhilaration! Other chicks follow your lead and take the plunge too, until your whole water-loving species is where it belongs.

1 initiation   

n.开始

参考例句：

• her initiation into the world of marketing 她的初次涉足营销界
• It was my initiation into the world of high fashion. 这是我初次涉足高级时装界。

2 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。

3 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 impale   

v.用尖物刺某人、某物

参考例句：

• Do not push me,or I wil impale you on my horns!别推我，要不我会用我的角顶你。
• I poisoned him,but I did not impale him on a spear!我毒死了他，但是我没有把他插在长矛上！

5 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

6 plummet   

vi.(价格、水平等)骤然下跌；n.铅坠；重压物

参考例句：

• Mengniu and Yili have seen their shares plummet since the incident broke.自事件发生以来，蒙牛和伊利的股票大幅下跌。
• Even if rice prices were to plummet,other brakes on poverty alleviation remain.就算大米价格下跌，其它阻止导致贫困的因素仍然存在。

7 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

8 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。