英语听力：2013-06-16 《恐龙的战争》3 顽强防御—1

 In a prehistoric¹ world, there’s a war waging between herbivores and carnivores, and the plant-eaters are winning. They seem to break all of the rules. There’s nothing like them around today. 

 

For these plant-eating giants, survival relies on a battery of weapons and defenses as impressive on the inside as they are on the outside. A single blow from those horns could kill you.

 

Now, 65 million years, on, cutting-edge imaging technology takes us inside their minds to reveal what the world’s toughest defenders² are made of.

 

America during the Cretaceous Period, stalking the landscape are some of the most ferocious³ predators⁴ ever to inhabit the earth. Carnivores have evolved into formidable hunters. It’s the only way they can survive in this brutal⁵ world. The prey⁶ they hunt are the most well-armed, best-protected animals in history. 

 

Herbivores of the Cretaceous are built to take on the biggest teeth and sharpest claws nature has ever produced. Ankylosaurus has armor designed like a bulletproof vest. Triceratops’ horns can pierce he skins of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Parasaurolophus can detect a threat miles away. And a full-grown Sauroposeidon is a colossus to big to overcome.

1 prehistoric   

adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的

参考例句：

• They have found prehistoric remains.他们发现了史前遗迹。
• It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。

2 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 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》

5 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。

6 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。