纪录片《恐龙的战争》 繁衍生息（16）

All around the world, birds, like dinosaurs¹, fill just about every habitat in every environment, from the rainforest to the mountains to the seacoast.

全世界范围内，如同恐龙一样，鸟类居住在各式各样的环境当中，从雨林到山地，再到海岸。

An ostrich², nearly 3 meters tall and over 135 kilos, is the largest modern bird.

鸵鸟，几乎高达三米，重达一百三十五公斤是现今最大的鸟类。

That may pale in comparison to a Tyrannosaurus rex or the giant Sauroposeidon.

这与霸王龙或者巨型的波塞东龙相比可能苍白无力。

But the biodesigns which give birds their ability to get up in the air, to maneuver³ in flight, and to reproduce are clearly found in dinosaurs...genetic⁴ traits that once allowed dinosaurs to grow to mammoth⁵ proportions or survive in a world of brutal⁶ killers⁷.

但是使鸟类能够飞行翱翔的身体设计以及繁殖方式都有恐龙的影子，这些遗传性状曾经一度帮助恐龙长成庞然大物或在杀手林立的世界里生存。

Features honed by 165 million years of evolution simply never went away.

这些经过一亿六千五百万年进化洗礼的特征不会轻易消失。

Tools that once served dinosaurs so well have adapted to serve new functions in modern birds.

那些曾经服务于恐龙的工具继续为现代鸟类服务。

Dinosaurs used hollow bones to grow very large. Birds use them to save weight.

恐龙利用中空的骨骼成长。鸟类用它减轻重量。

Dinosaurs used air sacs to move air along their massive necks. Birds use air sacs to stay aloft for long periods.

恐龙利用气囊使空气在庞大的颈部流动。鸟类利用气囊保持长期高空飞行。

So in many ways the only difference between dinosaurs and birds is scale.

所以从很多方面讲恐龙和鸟类的唯一区别就在于体积。

And there's even evidence that many terrestrial dinosaurs nearly had what it takes to fly.

甚至有证据表明很多陆生恐龙几乎具备飞行的条件。

In fact, the arms and hands of Deinonychus worked remarkably⁸ like a bird's wings.

事实上，恐爪龙的前臂和爪子与鸟类的翅膀非常相似。

For Deinonychus, this high-speed motion creates a grasping claw able to dig deep into flesh.

对于恐爪龙，高速运动造就了深深刺入血肉的利爪。

In a bird, this same feature allows its wings to flap at those same high speeds...the key to flight.

而对于鸟类，同样的因素使翅膀能够告诉拍打，这是飞行的关键。

Deinonychus' arms were very specialized⁹, much like modern birds.

恐爪龙的前臂非常专一化，酷似现代鸟类。

In fact, like a modern bird, they have the ability to fold their arms, or their wings, if you will, to the side.

事实上，如同现代鸟类，它们有能力将前臂或者说两翼弯曲到一侧。

This is the same folding ability that allows birds to fly today.

这与今天鸟类飞行的折翅能力如出一辙。

The wings of a bird in flight are a living example of Deinonychus' claw in action. Look at a bird out in nature.

鸟类飞行时的翅膀就是恐爪龙利爪运动时的翻版。看看自然界的鸟类。

As it's moving its wings back and forth¹⁰, the pattern of the joints¹¹ and the angle of the joints in the wings of birds closely match the pattern we see in Deinonychus.

随着它们来回拍打翅膀，其关节模式以及两翼关节的角度与恐爪龙的十分吻合。

And there's one final clue... A clue that all but definitively¹² connects birds and dinosaurs, and it's something you'd least expect... Something scientists call the furcula. Or wishbone.

还有一个终极线索...能够充分证明鸟类和恐爪龙的联系，这也是最让人感到意外的...科学家称之为叉突。或是叉骨。

Wishbones today only exist in birds, yet virtually every one of the most ferocious¹³ carnivorous dinosaurs had one.

现今，叉骨只存在于鸟类之中，然而所有凶残的肉食恐龙也都具有叉骨。

In the end, the evidence points to one single conclusion...the mighty¹⁴ T. Rex...the wily Deinonychus...the graceful¹⁵ Quetzalcoatlus...the giant Sauroposeidon...were all just supersized birds.

最终，所有证据指向同一结论...强大的雷克斯霸王龙...狡猾的恐爪龙...优雅的披羽蛇翼龙...还有巨大的波塞东龙...都是巨型鸟类。

So, next time you sit down, ready to carve that Thanksgiving turkey, just imagine what that bird's great-great-great-great grandparents could do to you.

所以当你下次在餐桌前准备切开感恩节火鸡时，想想这只鸡的曾曾曾曾祖父母会把你怎么样吧。

1 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ostrich   

n.鸵鸟

参考例句：

• Ostrich is the fastest animal on two legs.驼鸟是双腿跑得最快的动物。
• The ostrich indeed inhabits continents.鸵鸟确实是生活在大陆上的。

3 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

4 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

5 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

6 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

7 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

8 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

9 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

11 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

12 definitively   

adv.决定性地，最后地

参考例句：

• None of the three super-states could be definitively conquered even by the other two in combination. 三个超级国家中的任何一国都不可能被任何两国的联盟所绝对打败。 来自英汉文学
• Therefore, nothing can ever be definitively proved with a photograph. 因此，没有什么可以明确了一张照片。 来自互联网

13 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。

14 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

15 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。