纪录片《卧底企鹅帮》 第40期 成长的烦恼(5)

The chicks are all learning to grow up.

小企鹅都要学会成长

Like the emperors, the rockhopper adolescents

和帝企鹅一样，未成年的跳岩企鹅

spend most of their time waiting for their parents to return.

无时无刻不在等待着爸爸妈妈的归来

It's easy for them to get bored and that's when predators² take them by surprise.

它们很容易变得烦躁不堪，捕食者也会出其不意，攻其无备

Fortunately, they're now quite a challenge for gulls³ and skuas.

幸运的是，它们现在应经可以应付海鸥和贼鸥了

And there are always a few adults standing⁴ guard.

并且还有少数的成年企鹅在站岗放哨

With time to kill, a chick starts exploring.

闲极无聊，一只小企鹅开始了探险

For a social bird, being alone is never a good idea.

对于群居的鸟类来说，离开大部队可能不是一个好主意

A giant petrel - a predator¹ still to be feared.

一只硕大的海燕，这样的捕食者仍然是让人畏惧的

And an adventurous⁵ chick is just what he's after.

这只勇于冒险的小企鹅身后，危险正在逼近

He's grabbed by his feathers!

它咬住了小企鹅的羽毛

The petrel loses its grip and the guardians⁶ pile in.

海燕并没能够咬紧它，趁此机会，卫兵们一拥而上

Together, they overpower the most feared predator of penguin⁷ colonies.

它们团结一致，共御外敌，赶走了最令企鹅胆战的捕食者

The petrel must accept defeat.

海燕必须愿赌服输

The chick may have escaped, but he can't expect sympathy.

小企鹅或许逃过一劫，但是这并不能换取到成年企鹅的同情心

With a few pecks, he's unceremoniously dispatched back to the creche.

被啄了几下后，它狼狈不堪地回到小企鹅群中

Even though emperors live over 4,000 miles away,

尽管帝企鹅生活的地方远在4000英里之外

they face the same penguin predator.

它们却面临着同一个天敌

The petrel's arrival causes a wave of anxiety through the colony.

海燕的到来在企鹅群中激起了一波紧张情绪

But dividing the group was exactly what he was after.

把企鹅群驱散正是它想要的

1 predator   

n.捕食其它动物的动物；捕食者

参考例句：

• The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
• Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴，它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。

2 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》

3 gulls   

n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A flock of sea gulls are hovering over the deck. 一群海鸥在甲板上空飞翔。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The gulls which haunted the outlying rocks in a prodigious number. 数不清的海鸥在遥远的岩石上栖息。 来自辞典例句

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

6 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

7 penguin   

n.企鹅

参考例句：

• The penguin is a flightless bird.企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟。
• He walked with an awkward gait like a penguin.他走路的步子难看得就像企鹅。