2018年商务英语初级口语测试：循环大自然

They’re over 60 centimetres long,

already big enough to be a threat to the smaller inhabitants of the forest.

But they are themselves vulnerable.

Particularly to other snakes.

But this one is their mother.

Unusually for snakes, her maternal instincts continue for days after her eggs hatch.

Even so, the forest is such a dangerous place

that only one in 100 of her youngsters is likely to reach adulthood.

Just occasionally, the competition eases.

A tree suddenly produces fruit.

It’s a magnet for the creatures of the canopy, and they, in turn, as they feed,

create a bonanza for those on the ground below.

他们身长60多厘米足以对森林里

比他们小的居民构成威胁

但是他们自身也是很脆弱的

尤其是对其它蛇来说

但这是它母亲

超乎寻常的

蛇宝宝出壳后她的母性本能仍持续了几天

即便如此森林是个危险遍布的地方

蛇宝宝长大成年的概率只有1%

森林里偶尔也会有竞争缓和的时候

有棵树突然结果了

那非常吸引在树冠层上生存的生物

他们在自己吃的同时

也给地面生存的生物带来了福利

vulnerable [’vʌlnərəbl]adj. 易受伤害的，有弱点的

hatch [hætʃ]n. 孵化，舱口

vt.孵，孵出

competition [kɔmpi’tiʃən]n. 比赛，竞争，竞赛

threat [θret]n. 威胁，凶兆

vt.威胁, 恐吓

reap [ri:p]vt.收割，收获，获得

vi. 收割

occasionally [ə’keiʒənəli]adv. 偶尔地

magnet [’mægnit]n. 磁体，磁铁，有强大吸引力的人或物

canopy [’kænəpi]n. 天篷，遮篷，苍穹

hatch [hætʃ]n. 孵化，舱口