英语听力：探索发现 2012-09-16 长毛象王国 Mammoth—4

 Of all these creatures, the woolly mammoth¹ is the undisputed symbol of the Ice Age. But what do we really know about how this giant lived. How did it use its massive spiral tusks²? Modern-day elephants, the mammoth’s closest living relatives, may provide some answers. They use tusks to break and lever branches in their search for food, and also to dig for minerals, which all leaves telltale scratches on their tusks. Similar marks found on mammoth’s tusks suggest they too were use as tools. But these tusks are huge. They reach 4 metres long and can weigh more than 80 kilos, equal to a full grown man. So why were mammoth’s tusks so big? Bull elephants fight for the right to mate. The strongest males win access to females and pass on their genes³. It was the same for mammoth’s bulls, and over time, this competition led to the development of the ever-larger tusks. Sheer size didn’t save mammoth from extinction⁴. But another of Beringia’s woolly beasts is still around today, the musk⁵ ox.

1 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。

2 tusks   

n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头

参考例句：

• The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。
• Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

3 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

4 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

5 musk   

n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫

参考例句：

• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
• She scented her clothes with musk.她用麝香使衣服充满了香味。