英语听力：自然百科 北极熊 冰上间谍 Spy_Bear—11

 Back on Svalbard, it's high summer. Barnacle geese that had overwintered in Scotland have started to breed. Their calls bring hope to hungry bears. The cub¹ stays back as his mother explores the possibilities.

 

Bears have only recently discovered this new source of food, seeking out colonies that nest on the ground rather than on cliffs. The eggs are a rich source of protein. Just 250 are as nutritious² as one ringed seal. She carefully picks up an egg in her jaws³ before swallowing its contents. The geese launch an attack. 

 

Some have goslings, a bite-size snack for a bear. In just one day, one bear can devour⁴ over 1,000 eggs and hatchlings, destroying a whole colony. But as the threat escalates⁵, so does the defense⁶.

 

Arctic skuas join the attack. A skua lands a direct hit. She's had enough.

 

In future, the birds will have to start nesting on cliffs to avoid polar bear attacks.

 

Skuas may have saved the colony this time, but they've made the bears' lives a lot more difficult. 

 

Further north from Svalbard, other landlocked bears have found a more reliable meal, a carcass of a stranded⁷ fin⁸ whale. Icebergcam investigates the happy gathering⁹. The whale is 24 meters long and weighs 60 tons, an once-in-a-lifetime feeding opportunity. An adolescent eats confidently alongside four adult bears.

1 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

2 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。

3 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

4 devour   

v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷

参考例句：

• Larger fish devour the smaller ones.大鱼吃小鱼。
• Beauty is but a flower which wrinkle will devour.美只不过是一朵，终会被皱纹所吞噬。

5 escalates   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的第三人称单数 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. 面临的挑战越大，越需要团队协同合作。 来自互联网
• I cannot understand why a minor disagreement escalates into a fist-fight. 我真不明白为什么一点意见不合就变成了拳头相见。 来自互联网

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

8 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。