英国学生科学读本 第79期:扎人的刺猬(1)

 　　Lesson 79 The Prickly Hedgehog

　　第79课 扎人的刺猬

　　The hedgehog is a common animal in every part of Great Britain where he can find suitable food and lodgings³ . We can easily see how he has got his name. He is often found at the bottom of our hedges, and he has a nose somewhat like that of a pig or hog². In some districts he is also called the "hedge-pig, " and in others the "urchin⁴. "

　　刺猬是一种常见的动物, 英国各地都有它们的踪迹, 因为这里总有它们需要的食物与住所。刺猬之所以得到这样一个名字（hedgehog）, 其原因显而易见。它经常栖身在树篱（hedge）的底下, 它的鼻子与猪（hog）有几分相似。某些地区, 它也叫hedge-pig或urchin。

　　The length of the full-grown hedgehog is about ten inches. His back and sides are covered with strong prickles or spines⁵, each of which is about an inch in length. These spines are curved, and have a little bend at the end which is buried in the skin. His nose is black, and the under side of his body is covered with short yellow or white hairs. His tail is very short.

　　完全发育成熟的刺猬身长大约为十英寸。它的背部与侧面都覆盖着坚硬的刺, 长度为一英寸左右。这些刺呈曲线状, 埋在皮肤下面的末端则有一点弯曲。它的鼻子为黑色, 身体腹部是一层黄色或白色短毛。尾巴很短。

　　This animal has a splendid way of protecting himself from the dogs, foxes, or cats which may try to kill him. He rolls himself up into a ball, with his nose inside. All his sharp spines then stand straight up, ready to prick¹ the nose of any enemy that attacks him.

　　这种动物能够通过一种奇妙的方式来保护自己不受狗、狐狸或猫的伤害或捕杀。它把自己蜷曲成一个圆球, 鼻子埋在里面, 全身锋利的尖刺直立起来, 随时准备刺向试图攻击它的动物的鼻子。

　　The hedgehog's spiny⁶ armour⁷ is also very useful in keeping him from getting hurt when he falls down from a height, as from the top of a wall. He rolls himself into a ball while he is falling, and the elastic⁸ spines break the force of the blow against the ground.

　　当刺猬从高处——比如墙顶上——掉下来时, 一身锋利的盔甲还能够保护它们不会摔伤。当它掉下来时就会把身子蜷曲成一个圆球, 那些柔韧性很好的尖刺便能够抵消掉撞击地面而产生的冲击力。

　　His legs are so short that as he runs his body nearly touches the ground. Each of his feet has five toes, and each toe is armed with a claw.

　　刺猬的腿特别短, 当它奔跑起来时, 身体几乎就要碰着地面了。它每只脚上长有五个脚趾, 每个脚趾都有一个利爪。

1 prick   

v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛

参考例句：

• He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时，他感到剧烈的疼痛。
• He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳，气球就爆了。

2 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。

3 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

4 urchin   

n.顽童；海胆

参考例句：

• You should sheer off the urchin.你应该躲避这顽童。
• He is a most wicked urchin.他是个非常调皮的顽童。

5 spines   

n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊

参考例句：

• Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。
• The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 spiny   

adj.多刺的，刺状的；n.多刺的东西

参考例句：

• This is the Asiatic ornamental shrub with spiny branches and pink blossoms.这就是亚洲的一种观赏灌木，具有多刺的枝和粉红色的花。
• Stay away from a spiny cactus.远离多刺仙人掌。

7 armour   

（=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队

参考例句：

• His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
• Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。

8 elastic   

n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的

参考例句：

• Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。
• These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。