英语听力：探索发现 2012-04-11 荒野求生 澳洲金伯利—17

 They are responsible for over 60 unprovoked attacks in Australia every year. Crocodiles very rarely miss a target. And recently there was a guy canoeing in Queensland and a crocodile came up underneath¹ him, turned him over and took him. Never underestimate saltwater crocodiles. They are one of our planet’s most ruthless and efficient killers². 

 

Now you might have to make a difficult choice. In order to find the coast, you’d want to stick close to the river. But the salties can live over 500 feet from the edge of the river. So it’s either risk the crocs or risk losing your way. This area, though, should be safe because there are other animals here like the brolga, a type of crane as well as the iconic wallaby. But it’s just like that everything around here is quicker than me, is smarter than me, just better at surviving than me. 

 

Forced back from the river by the salties, you’ll be at the mercy of the searing heat again. Signs of civilisation³ don’t always mean safety. And finding this fence will give you little comfort. Australia has some of the longest fences in the world. One is over 3,500 miles long. They are 700 miles wider than the U.S.A. The conditions here are really extreme. And it’s extraordinary that anything manages to survive. But those who do, like the Aborigines, have learned to adapt and to work with this unforgiving wilderness⁴. And it’s only then can he hope to survive Australia’s great outback. What I’ve learnt out here is that the Aborigines really are the ultimate outback dwellers⁵. They are also the ultimate guardians⁶ of the land. And in so many ways it’s us that have so much to learn from their understanding of this great wilderness.

1 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

2 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。

3 civilisation   

n.文明，文化，开化，教化

参考例句：

• Energy and ideas are the twin bases of our civilisation.能源和思想是我们文明的两大基石。
• This opera is one of the cultural totems of Western civilisation.这部歌剧是西方文明的文化标志物之一。

4 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

5 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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。