英语听力：2013-07-28 《恐龙的战争》3 顽强防御—19

… populated by millions of odor receptors.

 

Complicated, crazy-straw, tortuous¹ nasal passageway that went from the nostrils², made several loops through the snout before it went down into the throat. 

 

Ankylosaurus’ supersensitive nose can pick up a carnivore over 3 kilometers away. 

 

If it could smell a Tyrannosaurus coming, it’s got an early warning, and so it can begin to react appropriately. 

 

For a hungry T-Rex, it means a meal has simply vanished into thin air. Never underestimate a vegetarian³. 

 

Parasaurolophus and Sauroposeidon rely on the numbers to spot predators⁴ before they attack. Ankylosaurus has an armory⁵ of senses to keep carnivores at bay. But no matter how clever a herbivore may be or how many tools they have at the ready, sometimes their time is up. 

 

For herbivores, keeping one step ahead of the competition is a never ending struggle. 

 

T-Rex was designed by natural selection to overcome those formidable defenses. 

 

Under the cover of darkness, a Tyrannosaurus Rex is on the hunt. Its prey⁶ is Triceratops, 6 tons of muscle loaded with deadly defensive⁷ weapons all mounted on an armored skull⁸ that can turn instantly. But Triceratops has one major disadvantage. Its night vision is no match for a Tyrannosaur. T-Rex goes for the kill. Even so, taking on a healthy adult Triceratops is a huge risk. That is, if a T-Rex …

1 tortuous   

adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的

参考例句：

• We have travelled a tortuous road.我们走过了曲折的道路。
• They walked through the tortuous streets of the old city.他们步行穿过老城区中心弯弯曲曲的街道。

2 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

3 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

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 armory   

n.纹章，兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Nuclear weapons will play a less prominent part in NATO's armory in the future.核武器将来在北约的军械中会起较次要的作用。
• Every March the Armory Show sets up shop in New York.每年三月，军械博览会都会在纽约设置展场。

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。

7 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

8 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。