本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试(CET-6)的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释,对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果,对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读:

海龟,虽然寿命很长,但并不是每只都有机会活这么长。能够出生已经不简单了,而这还得靠志愿者的帮助,接下来在海中的成长才是挑战。原来,人类以为的长寿动物也如此不易。对于海龟是这样,其实对于我们来说更是这样的。来看看这篇文章是如何把“丑陋”的海龟与长盛不衰的环保话题联系起来的吧。

[For hundreds of millions of years], turtles have struggled out of the sea [to lay their eggs] [on sandy beaches], [long before there were nature documentaries 1to celebrate them, or GPS satellites 2 and marine biologists to track them, or volunteers to hand-carry the hatchlings down to the water’s edge] [lest they become disoriented 3 [by headlights] and crawl 4 towards a motel parking lot [instead].] A formidable 5 wall (of bureaucracy 6) has been erected 7 to protect their prime 8nesting [on the Atlantic coastlines]. [With all that attention paid to them], youd think these creatures would [at least] have the gratitude 9 [not] (to go extinct 10).
亿万年以来,海龟们为了到沙滩上产卵都挣扎着从海里爬出来。那时候还没有自然记录片来记录它们的活动,没有GPS卫星和海洋生物学家跟踪它们,也没有志愿者用手把幼龟放到水边,以防它们被照明灯弄得迷失方向,反而爬进旅馆的停车场。官方已经发布命令给海龟在大西洋沿岸的筑巢地竖起了保护屏障。在这么多的关注下,你可能会认为海龟们至少该为自己免于灭绝而表示感激。

注:1. documentary adj. 文献的。例:

The importance of documentary veracity cannot be ignored.
文献精确的重要性不能被忽略。

n. 纪录片。文中此意。例:

He had accused a man of murdering his two sons after seeing a TV documentary.
他指控一个人在看了电视纪录片后谋杀了他的两个儿子。

[选自:BBC: NEWS | Health | Clark doctor decision challenged]

2. satellite  n.卫星,人造卫星。例:

Since the advent of satellite and cable TV, viewers have been turning away from traditional broadcasters.
由于卫星和有线电视的出现,观众渐渐的不用传统广播了。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | Business | Q&A: What lies ahead for ITV?]

v. 通过卫星传播

3. disoriented adj. 迷失方向的;感到糊涂的。例:

But that day I was totally disoriented even though I was standing right in front of the shop windows.
但是那一天我完全迷失了方向,即使我正站在商店橱窗前。

[选自: FORBES: The Day We Lost Our Innocence]

4. crawl vi. 蠕动,爬行;缓慢地行进。文中此意。例:

The lovely baby crawl towards his father.
可爱的小宝宝向他的爸爸爬去。

When he was learning to crawl, the boy began developing ugly, purple bruises around his joints.
学习爬行时,男孩开始变得愈发丑陋,关节周围都是紫色的瘀伤。

[选自: CNN: MAGAZINE | ASIANMOW | Asiaweek | Profiles In Courage]

n. 蠕动,爬行;缓慢地行进。例:

Traffic on this road was moving at a crawl.
这条路傻瓜的车辆缓慢地行进着。

5. formidable adj.可怕的,令人敬畏的,强大的(文中此意),难以应付的。例:

But Corley has more experience at the highest level than Witter and represents a formidable hurdle.
但是科里比维特在最高级别赛事上有着更多经验,这意味着他是一个强大的障碍。

[选自: BBC: SPORT | Boxing | Witter ready for final world shot]

The enemy surrendered to our formidable army.
敌军向我们强大的军队投降了。

6. bureaucracy n. 官僚,官僚主义,官僚作风;(公司的)管理人员。例:

The bureaucracy is usually inefficient form of government.
官僚主义往往是政府效率低下的一种形式。

7. erect vt. 树立,建立,使竖立。文中此意。例:

But plans to erect 127 wind turbines have split the community and the candidates.
但是建立127个风力发电机的计划分裂了社区人员和候选者。

[选自: BBC: Scottish election: Energy issues drive island voters]

adj. 直立的,垂直的。例:

Erect trees lined both sides of the road
道路两旁笔直的树排成行。

8. prime adj. 主要的,首要的;最好的,一流的。文中此意。例:

Mr Berlusconi has been prime minister three times since he first took office in 1994.
这已是总理贝卢斯科尼自1994年第一次就职以来的第三次连任。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | World | Europe | Italy crisis: Silvio Berlusconi resigns as PM]

prime minister 首相

a prime example

最好的例证

n. 青春,全盛期,青壮年时期。例:

In the prime of life
正直盛年

We should do what you want to do in the prime of life
趁年轻我们应该做自己想做的事情。

9. gratitude n. 感谢,感激。例:

 Do your best, Pivnick suggests, and hope that her gratitude will get you a promotion.
做到最好,帕瓦尼克建议到,希望她的感激能让你升职。

[选自: FORBES: How To Deal With A Younger Boss]

10. extinct adj.灭绝的;熄灭了的。例:

an extinct species
已灭绝的物种

The species was made extinct in Ireland in the 18th century, mainly due to human persecution.
由于人类的迫害,这个物种于18世纪在爱尔兰灭绝。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | N. Ireland | Northern Ireland Red Kite project hailed success]

But Nature is indifferent [to human notions 1] (of fairness), and a report [by the Fish and Wildlife Service] showed a worrisome drop [in the populations of several species] (of North Atlantic turtles), ^notably 2 loggerheads 3^, (which can grow to [as much as 4] 400 pounds.) The South Florida nesting 5 population, ^the largest^, has declined [by 50%] [in the last decade], [according to Elizabeth Griffin], {a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana}. The figures prompted 6 Oceana [to petition 7 the government to upgrade the level of protection for the North Atlantic loggerheads from “threatened” to “endangered”] – [meaning they are in danger of disappearing without additional help].  
但是自然对人们的平等观念却非常冷淡。渔业以及野生动物组织的一项报告显示,北大西洋里有好几种海龟的数量都在下降,实在令人担忧。尤其是一种能够长到400磅的大海龟,据环境保护组织Oceana的海洋生物学家Elizabeth Griffin说,南弗罗里达海岸数量最多的海龟在过去的十年里锐减了50%。这些数字迫使Oceana向政府请求将对北大西洋大海龟的保护程度由“受到威胁”提升到“濒临灭绝”——这意味着如果没有额外的保护,它们将面临消失的危险。

注:1. notion n. 概念,意念;看法,想法,观点。例:

The President pushed back strongly on the notion of there being any linkage with missile defense.
总统强烈驳回与导弹防御系统有关联的看法。

[选自: WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]

Kenny’s notion of rural life is a lot of sunshine and fun.
肯尼心目中的乡村生活应该是充满阳光和欢乐的。

y adv. 显著地,特别地。例:

This idea has been adopted by other managers as well, most notably superstar CEO Andrew Grove.
这个想法得到了其他管理人员,特别是明星首席执行官安德鲁•格罗夫的采纳。

[选自: FORBES: Most Popular | Managers: If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, Broadcast It]

The organization had many enemies, most notably among feminists.  
这个组织有许多敌人,特别是在男女平等主义者中。

3. loggerhead n. 红海龟,笨蛋

4. as much as

①表示数量 “多达”,文中此意。

We can take as much as our buyer can supply.   
买主能提供多少我们就能要多少。

②表示程度 “尽量”

You ought to rest as much as possible.
你应当尽量多休息

③表示经常性

Do you dine out as much as you did in London?
你还想在伦敦那样经常在外面吃饭吗?

5. nest n. 窝,巢

vi. 筑巢。例:

The seabirds nest on rocks off the coast.
鸟在靠近海岸的岩石上筑巢。

6. prompt adj. 敏捷的,迅速的;即刻的。例:

Our new manager is prompt on the job.
我们新来的经历工作很敏捷

These bills on your desk need prompt payment.
你桌上的这些账单需要立即支付。

vt. 激起;促进,推动。文中此意。例:

The Ohio-California split could prompt the nation's high court to take up the issue.
俄亥俄州-加利福尼亚分裂可能促使美国最高法院接手来解决这一问题。

[选自: CNN: NEWS | Tech | Ruling lets California police search your phone without a warrant]

The traffic accident prompt the driver to renew his insurance.
这起交通事故促使这位司机为自己的保险续期了。

7. petition n. 请愿书,申请书;诉状。例:

A petition was signed by hundreds of local residents.
数百名当地居民在请愿书上签字了。

The court denied Mark’s petition.
法院拒绝了马克的诉状。

vt. (向...)情愿,正是请求。文中此意。例:

Thompson will have to petition for an exemption of the 18-year-old age requirement.
汤普森将为免除(满足)18岁的年龄要求而请愿。

[选自:NPR: 16-Year-Old Lexi Thompson Gets Historic LPGA Win]

Which raises the obvious question: what [else] do these turtles want [from us], ^anyway^? It turns out, ^according to Griffin^, that [while we have done a good job (of protecting the turtles) [for the weeks they spend on land (as egg-laying females, as eggs and as hatchlings)原],] we have neglected 1 the years (they spend [in the ocean].) “The threat is from commercial 2 fishing,” says Griffin. Trawlers (which drag large nets through the water and along the ocean floor)原and long line fishers (which can deploy 3 thousands of hooks on lines that can stretch 4 for miles)原take a heavy toll 5 [on turtles].
以上的事实引起了一个明显的问题:海龟们到底想从我们这得到些别的什么?按照Griffin的说法:我们对保护海龟们在岸上度过的几个星期做得非常好(照顾产卵的母海龟,照顾龟卵,照顾幼龟),但是我们却忽略了它们在海里度过的时光。Griffin说,“威胁主要来自商业捕捞”。拖捞船(那些拖着从水里或沿着海底前进的大网的船)和长线捕鱼(在延绵数里的渔网上布满上千个鱼钩)使海龟伤亡惨重。

注:1. neglect vt. 忽视,疏忽,忽略;漏做。文中此意。例:

People today often neglect the consequences of sleep deficit.
当今的人们经常忽视睡眠不足带来的后果。

Many users neglect take this simple precaution because it feels like a repetitive hassle.
许多用户忽视这个简单的预防措施,因为它感觉就像一个重复的麻烦。

[选自: CNN: Work-issued mobile devices emerging as key security risk]

n. 忽视,疏忽,漏做

Frank was fired because of the neglect of duty.
弗兰克因玩忽职守被开除了。

2. commercial adj. 商业的,商务的,贸易的。短语:

commercial intercourse 通商

the commercial venture 商业投资

a commercial center 商业中心。例:

They say the problem will damage tourism and the UK's reputation as a commercial centre.
他们说这个问题将损害旅游业和英国作为商业中心的声誉。

[选自: BBC: Newspaper review: Papers question immigration checks][centre英国媒体习惯这么用,美国习惯用center。]

3. deploy vt. 部署,调度(军队或武器);有效地利用,调动。例:

Within this report I hope to incorporate some recommendations that would deploy money smarter.
我希望在这个报告中能涵盖一些优化资金部署的建议。

[选自: FORBES: Getting Our Ducks in a Row]

to deploy arguments/resources 利用论据/资源

4. stretch vt. 拉长。例:

Do you known why my sweaters are always stretched?
你知道为什么我的毛衣总是被拉长吗?

vi. 伸, 延。文中此意。例:

But the speed limit for most of that stretch with revert to 70mph on Friday.
但是速度限制在星期五恢复到了每小时70公里。

[选自: BBC: M80 roadworks speed restrictions to be lifted]

n. 一段时间,一段路程;拉长,延伸。例:

We have waited for a stretch of two hours.
我们已经等了两个小时了。

He is driving on a stretch of open field.
他正在一片开阔的原野上飞驰。

5. toll n. 过路(桥)费;代价,伤亡数(文中此意)。例:

You should pay the toll.
你应该付过路费。

Another 32 people were missing, the report added, suggesting the death toll could rise.
报道补充道,另有32人失踪,这也预示着死亡人数可能进一步增加。

[选自:MSN: China floods kill 52, force 100,000 to evacuate]

vt. 征收(过路费);(缓慢而有规律地)敲(钟)。例:

The government set up stations to toll fees.
政府征收过路费。

Church bells tolled the death of the bishop.
教堂为主教的去世鸣钟。

[Of course], [like every other environmental issue today], this is playing out [against the background of global warming and human interference 1 with natural ecosystems]. The narrow strips 2 (of beach) (on which the turtles lay their eggs) are being squeezed 3 [on one side by development and on the other by the threat of rising sea levels] [as the oceans warm.] [Ultimately 4] we must get a handle [on those issues] [as well], or a creature (that outlived 5 the dinosaurs) will meet its end [at the hands of humans], [leaving our descendants 6 to wonder how creature so ugly could have won so much affection 7].
当然,和其他环境一样,这些都是发生在全球变暖和人类对生态系统干涉的背景下。一方面人类开发,另一方面因海水变暖海平面上升,使得海龟们产卵的那些沙滩缩小。最终,我们必须着手处理这些问题,否则,这比恐龙寿命还要长的生物将会灭绝于人类手中,只给我们的后代留下疑问:为什么这么丑的生物会获得人们如此多的关注?

注:1. interference n.干涉,干预,文中此意。例:

Other claims asserted by Oracle against HP include defamation and intentional interference with contractual relations.
甲骨文针对惠普的另一些索赔包括诽谤和故意干扰合同关系。

[选自: MSN: Oracle brings new claims against HP in Itanium case]

相关词汇:interfere  

vi. interfere (in) 干涉,干预

interfere (with) 妨碍,打扰。例:

I’ve always tried not to interfere in your affairs.
我一直尽量不干涉你的事。

Skyscrapers may interfere with television reception.
摩天大楼可能会干扰电视的接受效果。

2. strip vi.剥,剥去。例:

The officer was stripped of the rank.
那位军官被免去了军衔。

n. 窄条,带状物。文中此意。例:

I’m told the man I’m looking for lives near the cemetery, beside the landing strip.
我被告知我正在找的那个人住在墓地附近,跑道旁边。

[选自: CNN: NEWS | Travel | Exploring Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula]

3. squeeze vt. 压榨,挤。文中此意。例:

squeeze toothpaste 挤牙膏

And who wants to try to squeeze their seat into space decreed to be “standard”?  
那谁又愿意按照法定的“标准”来挤压各自的位置呢?

[选自:BBC: NEWS | UK | Magazine | Chaos in the changing room]

n. 榨取,勒索。例:

The farmers were driven to rebel by the squeeze of the landlords.
农民们在地主的压榨下被迫起来反抗了。

形近词:sneeze vi.打喷嚏

4. ultimate

ultimately adv.最后,最终,根本(文中此意)例:

This, ultimately, paves the way for maximising the repayment of debt to the taxpayer over time.
最终,这为最大化的将应偿还债务转移给纳税人铺平了道路。

[选自: FORBES: Former Billionaire Loses Company, Owes $4 Billion]

词根 ultimate adj. 最后的,最终的;根本的。例:

in ultimate 到最后,结果

the ultimate authority 最高当局

an ultimate principle 基本原理

Hard work is the ultimate source of success.
努力工作是成功的之本。

5. outlive v. 比(某人)长寿  (文中此意),活到(某事)已被遗忘。例:

In birds, the reverse is true - and male birds generally outlive the females.
在鸟类中,相反的情况是真实存在的——雄鸟大致说来比雌鸟寿命长。

[选自:BBC: Women grow old genetically]

6. descendant n. 后代,后裔(文中此意);(由过去类似物发展来的)派生物。例:

This is where Juan's forebears repose, and where he, as a direct descendant is entitled to be buried.
这就是胡安祖先安葬的地方,在这里,他作为直接后裔有权安葬。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | From Our Own Correspondent | From Cornwall to Mexico ]

They are descendants of the original English and Scottish settlers.
他们是最初的英格兰和苏格兰定居者的后代。

His design was a descendant of a 1956device.
他的设计是从一个1956年的装置衍生而来的。

adv. 下降的;祖传的。例:

Those tradition is descendant.
这些都是祖传下来的。

7. affection n.爱,慈爱;感情;影响。例:

The orphans need more care and affection.
孤儿们需要更多的照顾和关爱。

David completely ignored his wife’s affections.
大卫完全忽视了他妻子的感情。

Why is there a sudden affection for the Post World War II period in the US?
为什么对于二战后的美国有如此突然的影响。

[选自:FORBES: A Young World is No Place for Old Corporations]