L54-2: Instinct or cleverness?
We enjoy reading about them, especially when we find that, like the praying mantis, they lead perfectly horrible lives. We enjoy staring at them, entranced as they go about their business, unaware (we hope) of our presence. Who has not stood in awe at the sight of a spider pouncing on a fly, or a column of ants triumphantly bearing home an enormous dead beetle?
Last summer I spent days in the garden watching thousands of ants crawling up the trunk of my prize peach tree. The tree has grown against a warm wall on a sheltered side of the house. I am especially proud of it, not only because it has survived several severe winters, but because it occasionally produces luscious peaches. During the summer, I noticed tat the leaves of the tree were beginning to wither. Clusters of tin insects called aphids were to be found on the underside of the leaves.
praying mantis 螳螂
entranced /ɪnˈtrænst/ 出神的，着迷的;狂喜的
go about 做。。。
presence /ˈprezns/ 在场;出席;存在;出现
awe /ɔː/ 敬畏;惊叹
stand in awe 肃然起敬
pounce /paʊns/ 突袭;猛扑
column /ˈkɑːləm/ 长列，纵队, 圆形石柱;纪念柱
triumphant /traɪˈʌmfənt/ 胜利的;高奏凯歌的;大获全胜的;
beetle 甲虫
sheltered /ˈʃeltərd/ 受庇护的;有遮蔽物
severe winter 严冬
luscious /ˈlʌʃəs/ 美味的;甘美的;可口的;
wither /ˈwɪðər/ 枯萎，萎缩;凋谢;
cluster /ˈklʌstər/ 一簇，团，束，串
aphid /ˈeɪfɪd/ 蚜虫
underside 背面、底面
colony /ˈkɑːləni/ 一群，殖民地;殖民地定居者群体
今天把整篇课文学完了，再回头来读第二部分，就容易些。
网友评论