Sea Otters: Cuteness Overload　海獭：超萌的啦

Sea Otters: Cuteness Overload海獭∶超萌的啦！

by Brian Foden

Do you know some interesting facts about sea otters?
你知道海獭的一些趣事吗？

When most people think of sea otters, they just think of cute creatures, but they are neater than you think. _(1)_ This helps them keep warm in the cold temperatures of the northern Pacific Ocean. Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal, approximately one million strands per square inch, and it consists of long, waterproof guard hairs with short fur underneath. _(2)_
A remarkable aspect of sea otters' behavior is their use of rocks to pry open the shells of their prey. _(3)_ They also employ stones to dislodge abalones clinging to rocks so that they can eat them. This use of rocks makes sea otters one of only a few mammals to use tools. Sea otters also have intriguing habits related to sleeping. _(4)_ Another way they avoid floating away while resting is holding the paws of other otters in large groups. Furthermore, a truly interesting fact about sea otters is that they have been called global warming warriors because they eat sea urchins, which in turn feed on kelp. _(5)_ While sea otters may be extremely cute when they are swimming or lounging around, they are also very helpful to our oceans.

(A) In order to stay from drifting too far while asleep, the small marine animals wrap themselves in kelp.
(B) This combination keeps the cold ocean away from their skin, which is important because sea otters do not have blubber.
(C) Sea otters are mostly seen on the coasts of the northern and eastern Pacific Ocean.
(D) They do this by using both of their paws to pound shells against rocks that they support on their chests.
(E) Since kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that increases global warming, sea otters are helping to protect the environment by eating urchins.
(F) This is because they spend a lot of time grooming every part of their bodies, so they are extremely clean.

1. 第一题空格应选 (F)
   理由:
   a. 空格前一句提及 "...they just think of cute creatures, but they are neater than you think."（……他们只会想到可爱的生物，不过它们比你想像中还要整洁。），而 (F) 项的句子进一步说明 "This is because..., so they are extremely clean."（这是因为……，所以它们非常乾净。），前後两句以 neat（整洁的）以及 clean（乾净的）两个关键字形成关联。
   b. 根据上述，(F) 项应为正选。
   大补丸:
   groom vt. 清理；使整洁
2. 第二题空格应选 (B)
   理由:
   a. 空格前一句提及 "Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal,..., and it consists of long, waterproof guard hairs with short fur underneath."（海獭是所有动物之中毛最浓密的，……，这包括了防水的长针毛与内层的短毛。），(B) 项的句子则进一步说明 "This combination keeps the cold ocean away from their skin, which is important..."（这种绒毛的结合能将寒冷的海水和自己的皮肤区隔开来，这点相当重要……），後一句的 combination（结合）指的即是前一句的 guard hairs with short fur（长针毛与短毛），故产生关联。
   b. 根据上述，(B) 项应为正选。
   大补丸:
   a. combination n. 结合
   This accident resulted from a combination of errors.
   许多错误的结合导致了这场意外。
   b. blubber n. 脂肪层
3. 第三题空格应选 (D)
   理由:
   a. 空格前一句提及 "...their use of rocks to pry open the shells of their prey."（……它们会使用岩石来撬开其猎物的壳。），而 (D) 项的句子进一步对如何使用岩石取食作说明 "...using both of their paws to pound shells against rocks that they support on their chests."（……利用双掌将猎物的壳对著以胸膛作支撑的岩石敲击。），前後语意连贯，且皆有提及 rocks（石头）及 shells（壳）等关键字，故形成关联。
   b. 根据上述，(D) 项应为正选。
   大补丸:
   pound vt. 敲打
4. 第四题空格应选 (A)
   理由:
   a. 空格前一句提及 "Sea otters also have intriguing habits related to sleeping."（海獭也有和睡眠相关的有趣习惯。），而 (A) 项句子补充说明 "In order to stay from drifting too far while asleep, the small marine animals wrap themselves in kelp."（为了在熟睡时不会漂流到太远的地方，这些小型的海洋动物会用海藻把自己包覆起来。），前後两句以 sleeping（睡眠）以及 asleep（睡著的）产生连结，故形成关联。
   b. 根据上述，(A) 项应为正选。
   大补丸:
   a. drift vi. 漂流
   b. kelp n. 海藻
5. 第五题空格应选 (E)
   理由:
   a. 空格前一句提及 "...they eat sea urchins, which in turn feed on kelp."（……它们会捕食海胆，而海胆又是吃海藻为生。），而 (E) 项句子进一步说明海藻的作用 "Since kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that increases global warming..."（由於海藻森林会吸取加速全球暖化的二氧化碳……），前後两句以 kelp（海藻）一字产生连结，故形成关联。
   b. 根据上述，(E) 项应为正选。
   大补丸:
   a. absorb vt. 吸收
   We put some old towels on the floor to absorb the water leaking through the wall.
   我们在地板上放了几条旧毛巾来吸取从墙壁渗出的水。
   b. carbon dioxide n. 二氧化碳

1. overload n. 过多；超载
   The multimedia overload is a headache for carmakers, too.
   多媒体所带来的负担对汽车制造商来说也很让人头痛。
2. remarkable a. 了不起的，非凡的
   This remarkable film only took three weeks to shoot.
   这部了不起的电影只花了三个星期拍摄。
3. aspect n. 方面
   The feature report examines every aspect of the education system in the US.
   这篇专题报导检视了美国教育体制的各个层面。
4. prey n. 猎物（集合名词，不可数）
   A hawk hovered over the prairie, searching for prey.
   一苹老鹰在大草原上盘旋，寻找猎物。
   ＊prairie n. 大草原
5. employ vt. 运用，使用
   Our company employs the latest graphic design software.
   我们公司使用最新的绘图设计软体。
6. cling to...紧抓住……
   cling vi. 紧抓
   Whatever I do, I cling to my principles.
   不管做什麽事，我都会紧守原则。
7. intriguing a. 令人感兴趣的
   intrigue vt. 使感兴趣，吸引
   These discoveries raise intriguing questions.
   这些发现引起了一些令人感兴趣的问题。
   Science intrigues Phillip, so he plans to study it more in graduate school.
   菲利普深深被科学吸引，因此他打算上研究所继续深造。
8. feed on...（动物）以……为生
   Some animals feed on grass, while others feed on raw meat.
   有些动物以草为生，有些则以肉为生。

1. consist of...由……组成；包含……
   = be composed of...
2. be related to...与……有关
3. in turn接著，然後

1. strand n.（头发、绳子的）一根
2. waterproof a. 防水的
3. underneath prep. 在……之下
4. pry vt. 撬开
   pry open the shells of their prey
   = pry the shells of their prey open 撬开其猎物的壳
5. dislodge vt. 移出，推开
6. abalone n. 鲍鱼
7. mammal n. 哺乳动物
8. warrior n. 勇士，战士
9. sea urchin n. 海胆
10. lounge vi. 懒散地躺　坐　站著

海獭∶超萌的啦！
你知道海獭的一些趣事吗？
大多数人想到海獭时，他们只会想到可爱的生物，

不过它们比你想像中还要整洁。这是因为它们会花很多时间去梳理自己身体的每一个部份，所以它们非常乾净。这有助於它们在北太平洋的寒冷气温中保持温暖。海獭是所有动物之中毛最浓密的，每平方英寸大约有一百万根，这包括了防水的长针毛（编按∶针毛是用以保护下层细密绒毛的粗长外毛）与内层的短毛。这种绒毛的结合能将寒冷的海水和自己的皮肤区隔开来，这点相当重要，因为海獭的身上并没有脂肪层。
海獭的行为中有一项很了不起的特点，那就是它们会用石头来撬开其猎物的壳。它们会利用双掌将猎物的壳对著以胸膛作支撑的岩石敲击。它们还会运用石头把紧黏在石头上的鲍鱼取下，如此它们便可以大快朵颐了。这种使用岩石取食的方式让海獭成了哺乳动物中极少数会运用工具的动物之一。海獭也有和睡眠相关的有趣习惯。为了在睡觉时不会漂流到太远的地方，这些小型的海洋动物会用海藻把自己包覆起来。它们还有另外一项可避免在休息时漂走的方法，那就是成群结队地握住其他海獭的手掌。此外，关於海獭，还有一项相当有趣的事情，那就是它们被称作全球暖化的勇士，因为它们会捕食海胆，而海胆又是吃海藻为生。由於海藻森林会吸取加速全球暖化的二氧化碳，因此海獭藉由食用海胆以协助保护环境。海獭不只在游泳或懒洋洋地闲荡时可能相当可爱，它们对我们的海洋也非常有帮助。
答案∶1. F2. B3. D4. A5. E