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Sea Otters: Cuteness Overload 海獺：超萌的啦！
by Brian Foden |
Do you know some interesting facts about sea otters?
你知道海獺的一些趣事嗎？ |
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.
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- 第一題空格應選 (F)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "...they just think of cute creatures, but they are neater than you think."（……他們只會想到可愛的生物，不過牠們比你想像中還要整潔。），而 (F) 項的句子進一步說明 "This is because..., so they are extremely clean."（這是因為……，所以牠們非常乾淨。），前後兩句以 neat（整潔的）以及 clean（乾淨的）兩個關鍵字形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(F) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
groom vt. 清理；使整潔
- 第二題空格應選 (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."（海獺是所有動物之中毛最濃密的，……，這包括了防水的長針毛與內層的短毛。），(B) 項的句子則進一步說明 "This combination keeps the cold ocean away from their skin, which is important..."（這種絨毛的結合能將寒冷的海水和自己的皮膚區隔開來，這點相當重要……），後一句的 combination（結合）指的即是前一句的 guard hairs with short fur（長針毛與短毛），故產生關聯。
b. 根據上述，(B) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. combination n. 結合
This accident resulted from a combination of errors.
許多錯誤的結合導致了這場意外。
b. blubber n. 脂肪層
- 第三題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "...their use of rocks to pry open the shells of their prey."（……牠們會使用岩石來撬開其獵物的殼。），而 (D) 項的句子進一步對如何使用岩石取食作說明 "...using both of their paws to pound shells against rocks that they support on their chests."（……利用雙掌將獵物的殼對著以胸膛作支撐的岩石敲擊。），前後語意連貫，且皆有提及 rocks（石頭）及 shells（殼）等關鍵字，故形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(D) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
pound vt. 敲打
- 第四題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "Sea otters also have intriguing habits related to sleeping."（海獺也有和睡眠相關的有趣習慣。），而 (A) 項句子補充說明 "In order to stay from drifting too far while asleep, the small marine animals wrap themselves in kelp."（為了在熟睡時不會漂流到太遠的地方，這些小型的海洋動物會用海藻把自己包覆起來。），前後兩句以 sleeping（睡眠）以及 asleep（睡著的）產生連結，故形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(A) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. drift vi. 漂流
b. kelp n. 海藻
- 第五題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提及 "...they eat sea urchins, which in turn feed on kelp."（……牠們會捕食海膽，而海膽又是吃海藻為生。），而 (E) 項句子進一步說明海藻的作用 "Since kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide, a gas that increases global warming..."（由於海藻森林會吸取加速全球暖化的二氧化碳……），前後兩句以 kelp（海藻）一字產生連結，故形成關聯。
b. 根據上述，(E) 項應為正選。
大補丸:
a. absorb vt. 吸收
We put some old towels on the floor to absorb the water leaking through the wall.
我們在地板上放了幾條舊毛巾來吸取從牆壁滲出的水。
b. carbon dioxide n. 二氧化碳
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- overload n. 過多；超載
The multimedia overload is a headache for carmakers, too.
多媒體所帶來的負擔對汽車製造商來說也很讓人頭痛。
- remarkable a. 了不起的，非凡的
This remarkable film only took three weeks to shoot.
這部了不起的電影只花了三個星期拍攝。
- aspect n. 方面
The feature report examines every aspect of the education system in the US.
這篇專題報導檢視了美國教育體制的各個層面。
- prey n. 獵物（集合名詞，不可數）
A hawk hovered over the prairie, searching for prey.
一隻老鷹在大草原上盤旋，尋找獵物。
＊prairie n. 大草原
- employ vt. 運用，使用
Our company employs the latest graphic design software.
我們公司使用最新的繪圖設計軟體。
- cling to... 緊抓住……
cling vi. 緊抓
Whatever I do, I cling to my principles.
不管做什麼事，我都會緊守原則。
- intriguing a. 令人感興趣的
intrigue vt. 使感興趣，吸引
These discoveries raise intriguing questions.
這些發現引起了一些令人感興趣的問題。
Science intrigues Phillip, so he plans to study it more in graduate school.
菲利普深深被科學吸引，因此他打算上研究所繼續深造。
- feed on... （動物）以……為生
Some animals feed on grass, while others feed on raw meat.
有些動物以草為生，有些則以肉為生。
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- consist of... 由……組成；包含……
= be composed of...
- be related to... 與……有關
- in turn 接著，然後
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- strand n.（頭髮、繩子的）一根
- waterproof a. 防水的
- underneath prep. 在……之下
- pry vt. 撬開
pry open the shells of their prey
= pry the shells of their prey open 撬開其獵物的殼
- dislodge vt. 移出，推開
- abalone n. 鮑魚
- mammal n. 哺乳動物
- warrior n. 勇士，戰士
- sea urchin n. 海膽
- lounge vi. 懶散地躺／坐／站著
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海獺：超萌的啦！
你知道海獺的一些趣事嗎？
大多數人想到海獺時，他們只會想到可愛的生物，不過牠們比你想像中還要整潔。這是因為牠們會花很多時間去梳理自己身體的每一個部份，所以牠們非常乾淨。這有助於牠們在北太平洋的寒冷氣溫中保持溫暖。海獺是所有動物之中毛最濃密的，每平方英寸大約有一百萬根，這包括了防水的長針毛（編按：針毛是用以保護下層細密絨毛的粗長外毛）與內層的短毛。這種絨毛的結合能將寒冷的海水和自己的皮膚區隔開來，這點相當重要，因為海獺的身上並沒有脂肪層。
海獺的行為中有一項很了不起的特點，那就是牠們會用石頭來撬開其獵物的殼。牠們會利用雙掌將獵物的殼對著以胸膛作支撐的岩石敲擊。牠們還會運用石頭把緊黏在石頭上的鮑魚取下，如此牠們便可以大快朵頤了。這種使用岩石取食的方式讓海獺成了哺乳動物中極少數會運用工具的動物之一。海獺也有和睡眠相關的有趣習慣。為了在睡覺時不會漂流到太遠的地方，這些小型的海洋動物會用海藻把自己包覆起來。牠們還有另外一項可避免在休息時漂走的方法，那就是成群結隊地握住其他海獺的手掌。此外，關於海獺，還有一項相當有趣的事情，那就是牠們被稱作全球暖化的勇士，因為牠們會捕食海膽，而海膽又是吃海藻為生。由於海藻森林會吸取加速全球暖化的二氧化碳，因此海獺藉由食用海膽以協助保護環境。海獺不只在游泳或懶洋洋地閒蕩時可能相當可愛，牠們對我們的海洋也非常有幫助。
答案： 1. F 2. B 3. D 4. A 5. E |
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