书城外语课外英语-科学知识小贴士(双语版)
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第8章 动物小知识(2)

Honeybees build their honeycombs out of the wax that comes from special wax pockets in their bodies.To make its wax,the bee first eats lots of honey.The wax oozes from the wax pockets and dries into tiny flakes.The bee picks the wax off and chews it until the wax is soft and pliable.The bee then shapes and moulds the wax into many sixsided wax cell in which the honey is stored.

蜜蜂是怎样制作蜂蜡的

蜜蜂要用蜂蜡来制造蜂窝,而这些蜂蜡来自蜜蜂身上的特殊的蜡囊里。要制造这些蜂蜡,蜜蜂首先要吃很多蜜。蜂蜡从蜡囊里分泌出来,变干后形成小薄片,蜜蜂把这些小薄片摘下并细嚼,直到蜂蜡变得柔软和柔韧。然后,蜜蜂把蜂蜡制成许多六边形的蜡壳以便储存蜂蜜。

Why Do Zebras Have Stripes

The zebra’s stripes are a form of camouflage that help hide it from enemies.The stripe pattern breaks up the outline of the zebra’s body into deceptive shapes.When seen from a distance on the African plains,the zebra is difficult to recognize as an animal,making it more easily overlooked by lions and other enemies.

为什么斑马身上有斑纹

斑马身上的斑纹是帮助它躲避敌人的一种伪装。这些斑纹图案,把斑马躯体的轮廓变成支离破碎使人看不出来。在美洲平原上,从远处看去,斑马很难被认出是个动物。因而,斑马比较容易地躲过狮子和其他的敌人。

Why Do a Cat’s Eyes Shine at Night

The cat’s eyes shine because they reflect light.A cat has a special mirrorlike lining inside its eyes that helps it to see in the dark.This shiny material reflects the light of your flashlight or the headlights of a car,and makes the cat’s eyes shine brightly.

猫的眼睛为什么在夜里会发光

猫的眼睛发光是因为它能反射光线。猫的眼睛里有一种像镜子一样的特殊覆盖层,它使得猫在黑暗中能看清东西。这种闪光物质能反射出像手电筒的光或像汽车前灯的光,从而使猫的眼睛闪闪发。

Does a Robin Cock Its Head to Listen

When searching for worms,the robin doesn’t cock its head to listen.It does so in order to see better.Like most birds,the robin’s eyes are on the sides of its head.It cannot look straight ahead as people do.It must cock its head in the direction it wants to see in order to focus one eye on the worm.

知更鸟翘起头来在听什么

当知更鸟搜捕虫子时,它翘起头来并不是为了听什么,而是为了看得更清楚。像大多数的鸟一样,知更鸟的眼睛也是长在头的两边。它不能像人的眼睛那样直接向前看。它必须翘起它的头朝着它想看的那个方向看去,以便使一只眼睛能看准虫子。

What Does the Walrus Use Its Tusks For

A walrus can easily be recognized by its ivory tusks,which may grow 3feet long.The tusks are really two overgrown teeth.The walrus uses its long tusks to dig out its meal of clam sand other food from the sea bottom.The tusks are also used as grappling hooks when the big animal pulls itself upon the ice,and as weapons against enemies.

海象的长牙有什么用处

海象可以很容易被人们认出来,因为它有一副长牙。这副长牙可以长到3英尺。这的确是两根特长的牙齿。海象用它的长牙挖出哈肉和海底其他的食物来吃。当这个大动物往冰上爬时,这牙又可当作抓钩来用,同时还可以作为武器对付敌人。

Do Hyenas Really Laugh

No.Hyenas don’t really laugh.It is laughter like bark they make,usually when they are frightened or excited.Hyenas also make other sounds resembling whoops,cackles,grunts,and squeals.All these sounds have meanings to hyenas.Laughing,for example,is usually heard when hyenas fight over food.When a hyena laughs,it may be telling a bigger hyena“I give up!Don’t hurt me!”

鬣狗真的在笑吗

不是的,鬣狗不是真的在笑。这是它们经常在害怕或受到刺激时所发出的一种笑声似的吠叫声。鬣狗也可以发出其他声音,诸如类似呼喊声、呼噜声和尖叫声。所有这些声音对鬣狗来说都有一定的意思。比如鬣狗争食时,经常可以听到笑声。当一只鬣狗笑时,这大概是告诉大一些的鬣狗说:“我让你!别伤害我!”

Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet

Cats do fall to land on all four feet.This is because a cat manages to twist and land safely on its feet if it falls.The cat is actually a talented acrobat.Its body is long and flexible,with powerful muscles.Its perfect body control and keen balancing sense enable the cat to make high leaps and land safely.

猫总是四脚同时落地的吗

猫的确总是四脚落地。这是因为当猫摔下时,它总是设法扭转身体以便用脚安全着地。实际上猫是天才的杂技演员。它身体长而灵活,并且有发达的肌肉。猫具有完美的控制身体功能和敏捷的平衡感,这使它能够跳得很高,并能安全落地。

How Do Butterflies Get Their Colour

With the help of a magnifying glass,you can see that the wings of a butterfly are covered with fine dustlike scales which overlap each other like shingles on a roof.These tiny scales give the insect its colour and form the beautiful pattenson the wings.The soft scales easily rub off as a powdery “butterfly,dust”when something touches the wings.

蝴蝶的彩色是怎样来的

借助于放大镜,你可以看到蝴蝶的翅膀上覆盖着细末似的鳞状物。这些鳞状物就像屋顶上的瓦片一样,互相重叠着。就是这些鳞状物使蝴蝶有了色彩,并在它的翅膀上组成了美丽的图案。当有东西碰到蝴蝶翅膀时,这种松软的鳞状物很容易被擦掉,而成为“蝴蝶粉”。

How Does a Fly Eat

An adult housefly cannot eat solid food.Its mouth parts are not made for chewing.Extending down in front of a fly’s head is a tube called a proboscis.A fly uses its proboscis as a straw to sip liquids.A fly feeding on a lump of sugar spreads saliva on the sugar,which dissolves some of the sugar.The sugary liquid is then sucked up and swallowed.

苍蝇是怎样进食的

成熟的家蝇不会吃固体食物。它的嘴生来就不会嚼东西。在苍蝇头部的前端,有一根可以向下伸展的管子,这根管子称为喙。苍蝇就用它的喙来吸液体。当苍蝇落在糖块上进食时,它先将唾液喷在糖块上,唾液使一部分糖溶化,然后,这些含糖的液体被苍蝇吮吸和吞吃。

Why Don’t Kangaroo Rats Need toDrink Water

The little kangaroo rat of the American desert can go longer without water than the legendary camel.It seldom,if ever,drinks water.Most of the moisture it needs is produced within its own body from the food it eats.

为什么袋鼠不需要喝水

美洲沙漠中的袋鼠,不需要水而能比传说中的骆驼走的更远。这种袋鼠很少喝或简直从不喝水,这是因为它所需要的大部分水分都产生于体内,来自于它所吃的食物。

Why Do Birds Have Gizzards

Birds must swallow their food whole because they have no teeth to shew with.The work of “chewing”is done by the gizzard,a special part of a bird’s stomach.After the bird swallows its food,the food is crushed and ground up by the grinding movements of the gizzard’s muscular walls.Birds that eat seeds and other hard food swallow grit and gravel along with the food to aid the grinding process.

为什么鸟有砂囊

鸟必须把食物整个吞下去,因为它们没有牙齿嚼。“嚼”这项工作就得由砂囊来完成。砂囊乃是鸟胃的一个特殊部分。鸟把食物吞下以后,这些食物就由砂囊肌壁的摩擦运动来压碎和磨细。吃种子和其他硬食物的鸟类常把砂砾和食物一起吞吃下去,就是为了帮助碾磨。

Why Does a Cow Chew Its Cud