Lesson 26 The past life of the earth 地球上的昔日生命

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

What is the main condition for the preservation of the remains of any living creature?

It is animals and plants which lived in or near water whose remains are most likely to be preserved, for one of the necessary conditions of preservation is quick burial, and it is only in the seas and rivers, and sometimes lakes, where mud and silt have been continuously deposited, that bodies and the like can be rapidly covered over and preserved.

But even in the most favourable circumstances only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved in this way before decay sets in or, even more likely, before scavengers eat them. After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive, and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided. The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved, for there is seldom anything to cover them over. When you think of the innumerable birds 10 that one sees flying about, not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see, it is very rarely that one comes across a dead body, except, of course, on the roads. They decompose and are quickly destroyed by the weather or eaten by some other creature.

It is almost always due to some very special circumstances that traces of land animals survive, as by falling into inaccessible caves, or into an ice crevasse, like the Siberian mammoths, when the whole animal 15 is sometimes preserved, as in a refrigerator. This is what happened to the famous Beresovka mammoth which was found preserved and in good condition. In his mouth were the remains of fir trees-the last meal that he had before he fell into the crevasse and broke his back. The mammoth has now been restored in the Palaeontological Museum in St. Petersburg. Other animals were trapped in tar pits, like the elephants, sabre-toothed cats, and numerous other creatures that are found at Rancho la Brea, which is now just a suburb of 20 Los Angeles. Apparently what happened was that water collected on these tar pits, and the bigger animals like the elephants ventured out on to the apparently firm surface to drink, and were promptly bogged in the tar. And then, when they were dead, the carnivores, like the sabre-toothed cats and the giant wolves, came out to feed and suffered exactly the same fate. There are also endless numbers of birds in the tar as well.

ERROL WHITE The past life of the earth from Discovery

New words and expressions 生词和短语

preservation (1.2) ${/}_{1}$ prezə veɪʃən $/n$ . 保存

silt (1.3) / sɪlt/n. 淤泥

scavenger (1.6) $/\prime$ skævIndʒə/ n. 食腐动物

vole (1.10) $/v = U/n$ . 野鼠,鼹鼠

decompose (1.12) ${/}_{1}$ diːkəmˈpəʊz/v. 腐烂

inaccessible (1.14) $/n$ nək'sesəbəl/adj. 不能到达的

crevasse (1.14) $/\mathrm$ roes $/n$ . 缝隙

Siberian (I.14) /saɪ'bɪərɪən/ adj. 西伯利亚的

palaeontological (1.18) $/$ pælɪˌɒntəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ adj. 古生物学的

St. Petersburg (1.18)/seint-’piːtəzb3:g/ $n$ . 圣彼得堡 sabre-toothed (ll.18-19)/'seɪbətuːθd/ adj. 长着锐利的长犬牙的

venture (1.21)/’ventfә/v. 冒险

bogged (1.21) /bogd/ adj. 陷入泥沼的, 陷于困境的 Unit 4 Lesson 26

The mammoth in the Palaeontological Museum in St. Petersburg. Photographed in 1860

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 第 1 段中有两个由 it is... 引导的强调句。一个是 It is animals and plants which lived in or near water whose remains are most likely to be preserved, 被强调部分是 animals and plants which lived in or near water. 另一个强调句是 it is only in the seas and rivers, and sometimes lakes, ... that bodies and the like can be ..., 这一句中强调的是地点状语。

2 set in, 到来, 开始。

3 whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive,

这是让步状语从句, 用的是虚拟语气形式。

参考译文

只有生活在水中或水边的动植物尸体最有可能被保存下来, 因为保存的必要条件之一是迅速掩埋, 所以只有在泥沙不停淤积的海洋和江河里,有时在湖泊里,尸体之类的东西才能被迅速地覆盖而保存下来。

即使是在最有利的环境中, 死去的生物中也只有一小部分能在开始腐烂前, 或更可能在被食腐动物吃掉之前, 被这样保存下来。因为一切生物都是靠吃别的东西来活命的, 不管这种东西是植物还是动物, 死的还是活的, 因此, 生物偶尔才能避免被吃掉的命运。曾在陆地上生活过的动植物的遗体被保存下来的更为罕见, 因为陆地上几乎没有什么东西覆盖它们。你可以想像出天上有看得见的飞来飞去、数不清的鸟,地上有不显眼的无数的老鼠和田鼠之类的小动物, 但是, 除非在路上, 很少有人遇到这些动物的尸体, 因为它们腐败之后很快就被风化掉, 或被别的动物吃掉了。

几乎总是由于某些特殊的条件, 陆地动物的遗体才被保存下来, 如掉进难以到达的洞穴, 或掉进冰河裂缝里, 或者像西伯利亚长毛象那样掉进冰窟中, 有时整个动物像被放在冰箱里一样被保存下来。著名的别林索夫卡长毛象就是这样被保存下来的,而且保存得很好。它嘴里还留着冷杉 — 它掉进冰河裂隙折断脊柱之前的最后一顿饭。这头长毛象已被修复,现存于圣彼得堡古生物学博物馆。有的动物掉进天然沥青坑里被保存了下来, 如在兰桥 · 拉 · 布里——现在是洛杉矶的郊区发现的大象、剑齿虎和许多其他动物。显然, 事情的经过是这样:沥青坑里积存了水,大象那样的大动物冒险到似乎坚固的水面上去饮水,立即掉进了沥青坑。大象死后, 一些食肉动物,如剑齿虎和大灰狼就来吃大象,结果遭到了同样的命运。沥青坑里还有无数只鸟的尸体。

Unit 4 Lesson 26

Comprehension 理解

Answer these questions:

1 Why are animals or plants which lived in or near water most likely to be preserved?

2 What usually happens to the dead bodies of animals?

3 How were the remains of the Beresovka mammoth accidentally preserved?

Vocabulary 词汇

Refer to the text to see how the following words have been used, then write sentences of your own using these words: preservation (1.2); the like (1.3); a small fraction (1.5); scavengers (1.6); innumerable (1.9); decompose (1.12); inaccessible (1.14); restored (1.17); promptly bogged (1.21).

Summary 摘要

A Drawing your information from the first two paragraphs (lines 1-12), write a list of points in note form outlining the author's main ideas on the preservation of animals.

B Using this list of points, reconstruct the author's account in not more than 80 words. Your answer should be in one paragraph.

Composition 作文

Write a composition of about 300 words on the following subject: Extinct forms of animal life.

You may use some or all of the ideas given below if you wish:

1 Fascination of a natural history museum where the skeletons and fossils of extinct forms of life are on display.

2 The sort of thing one can see: remains of animals that existed in pre-historic times. E.g. Reptiles: dinosaurs, tyrannosaurs. Birds: pterodactyls. Fish: early sharks; fossilized crustaceans. Mammals: perhaps the most fascinating: Neanderthal man.

3 The remains of animals which became extinct recently: e.g. the dodo. Many forms of animal life are in danger of becoming extinct today.

4 A reference to 'living fossils' - primitive forms of life which have surprisingly survived: e.g. the coelacanth; the platypus.

Key structures 关键句型

A Note the form of the verbs in italics:

Only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved in this way before decay sets in or, even more likely, before scavengers eat them. (ll.5-6)

Write sentences using the same construction with these words: until; after; as soon as; when.

B Compare the use of for in these two sentences:

1 The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved, for there is seldom anything to cover them over. (11.8-9)

2 I think this letter is for you.

Write two sentences using for in the ways illustrated above.

Unit 4 Lesson 26

C Supply the correct form of the verbs in the following. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

It is almost always due to some very special circumstances that traces of land animals survive, as by _____ (fall) into inaccessible caves, or into an ice crevasse, like the Siberian mammoths, when the whole animal sometimes _____ (preserve) as in a refrigerator. This is what _____ (happen) to the famous Beresovka mammoth which _____ (find) (preserve) and in good condition. In his mouth _____ (be) the remains of fir trees - the last meal that he _____ (have) before he _____ (fall) into the crevasse and _____(break) his back. The mammoth now _____ (restore) in the Palaeontological Museum in St. Petersburg. Other animals _____ (trap) in tar pits, like the elephants, sabre-toothed cats, and numerous other creatures that _____(find) at Rancho la Brea. (ll.13-19)

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference.

1 favourable (1.5) - favourite

The new film received favourable reviews.

What is your favourite dish?

2 alive (1.7) - living

Be careful! That lobster is alive.

All living creatures need air and water.

3 avoid (1.8) - prevent

Avoid travelling during the rush hour.

I can't prevent your going if you want to.

B Note the phrase in italics: Only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved in this way. (II.5-6) Write sentences using the following phrases: in the way; on the way; in a way; by the way.

C Explain the meaning of due to and due in these sentences:

1 It is almost always due to some very special circumstances that traces of land animals survive. (1.13)

2 The train is due to arrive in three minutes.

3 Give the man his due, even if you dislike him.

4 Halifax lies due North from here.

D Study the use of as and like in this sentence:

It is due to some very special circumstances ... as by falling into inaccessible caves, like the Siberian mammoths ... (ll.13-14)

Supply like or as in the following sentences:

1 Please do _____ I say.

2 He was white _____ a sheet.

3 He left _____ suddenly _____ he came.

4 Don't act _____ a baby.

5 The carnivores, _____ the sabre-toothed cats, came out to feed and suffered exactly the same fate. (II.22-23) Unit 4 Lesson 26

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 The remains of life forms can only survive intact if they are _____.

(a) in seas and rivers

(b) under the ground

(c) covered up quickly in the right conditions

(d) preserved near water

2 Inland conditions ensure that the preservation of life forms _____

(a) is quite common

(b) is relatively rare

(c) occurs where there are great numbers of species

(d) is always possible in favourable circumstances

3 Unusual circumstances for the preservation of life forms can be provided by _____

(a) mammoths (b) crevasses (c) freezing conditions (d) fir trees

4 Animals were trapped in tar because they _____ .

(a) wanted to drink the tar

(b) were deceived by the appearance of the pits

(c) were extremely heavy

(d) were chasing birds

Structure 句型

5 The remains of plants are _____ more rarely preserved. (ll.8-9)

(a) far (b) very (c) quite (d) many

anything to cover them over. (1.9)

(a) ever (b) never (c) rarely (d) hardly

7 It is almost always _____ special circumstances that traces of land animals survive. (1.13)

(a) as a result (b) owing (c) on account (d) because of

8 In his mouth were the remains of fir trees—the last meal he _____ before he fell. (1.17)

(a) was eaten (b) is eating (c) has eaten (d) ate

Vocabulary 词汇

9 When you think of the _____ birds that one sees ... (ll.9-10)

(a) countless (b) uncountable (c) uncounted (d) unnumbered

10 They_____and are quickly destroyed by the weather. (II.11-12)

(a) die (b) decay (c) fall away (d) are buried

11 _____ what happened was that ... (1.20)

(a) It seems that (b) It looks (c) He appears (d) It shows

12 They were _____ bogged in the tar. (1.21)

(a) apparently (b) finally (c) quickly (d) eventually