Mysteries of Nature 1

There are many mysteries in nature.

Mysteries are things we don't understand, such as how the Egyptian pyramids were built.

In fact, we are surrounded by mysteries.

What we know about the world seems like very little.

译文：自然界有许多奥秘。神秘事物是我们不理解的事情，比如埃及金字塔是如何建造的。事实上，我们被未解之谜所包围。我们对世界所知甚少。

Exercise:

1. Mysteries are things we don't understand, such as how the Egyptian pyramids were built.

Scientists tell us that what we see in the universe is only a small part of what is there.

The rest is invisible, including dark matter and dark energy.

These two unknowns make up around 95% of the universe.

Evidence for their existence comes from their effects on what we can observe, such as the motion and positions of distant galaxies.

译文：科学家告诉我们，我们在宇宙中看到的只是其中的一小部分，其余的是看不见的，包括暗物质和暗能量。这两个未知领域约占宇宙的95%。它们存在的证据来自于它们对我们所能观察到的事物的影响，例如遥远星系的运动和位置。

Exercise:

1. Put the sentences below in order:

(1) Evidence for their existence comes fromtheir effects on what we can observe, such as the motion and positions ofdistant galaxies.

(2) These two unknowns make up around 95% of the universe.

(3) Scientists tell us that what we see in the universe is only a small part of what is there.

(4) The rest is invisible, including dark matter and dark energy.

Correct Order: (3) (4) (2) (1)

2. The rest is invisible, including dark matter and dark energy.

Yet, though we know very little, we are able to build airplanes and communicate with smartphones.

In some ways we humans are very smart, or at least we think we are.

We still need to face big issues, like climate change, and that is going to be a huge challenge.

The challenge for humans will be our ability to adapt to our changing environment.

译文：然而，尽管我们知之甚少，我们还是能制造飞机并且用智能手机交流。在某些方面，我们人类非常聪明，或者至少我们认为自己很聪明。但是我们仍然需要面对重大问题，比如气候变化，这将是一个巨大的挑战。人类面临的挑战将是我们适应不断变化的环境的能力。

Exercise:

1. The challenge for humans will be our ability to adapt to our changing environment.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. There are many mysteries in nature.

2. What we know about the world seems like very little.

3. In some ways we humans are very smart, or at least we think we are.

4. Mysteries are things we don't understand, such as how the Egyptian pyramids were built.

5. We still need to face big issues, like climate change, and that is going to be a huge challenge.

What about other forms of life?

How do they adapt?

Seasonal variations, for example, can be one of the greatest challenges for animals to overcome.

Overcoming such challenges is a great achievement, but hardly easy.

Some birds migrate thousands of kilometers each year to deal with seasonal changes.

These migrations are amazing.

译文：其他形式的生命呢？他们如何适应？例如，季节变化可能是动物要克服的最大挑战之一。克服这些挑战是一项伟大的成就，但绝非易事。有些鸟每年迁徙数千公里以应对季节变化，这些迁徙是惊人的。

Exercise:

1. Overcoming such challenges is a great achievement, but hardly easy.

Birds don't carry maps or compasses, yet they know where to go.

They have developed the ability to see the Earth's magnetic field.

This ability is a wonder of nature.

It takes advantage of the fact that the Earth is like a huge bar magnet.

It has a north pole, which is positive, and a south pole, which is negative.

Somehow the birds are able to see this magnetic field and use it to their advantage.

译文：鸟不带地图或罗盘，但它们知道去哪里。它们已经培养了观察地球磁场的能力，这种能力堪称大自然的奇迹。它利用了地球就像一个巨大条形磁铁的事实，北极是正的，南极是负的。不知怎么的，鸟能够看到这个磁场并使其成为它们的优势。

Exercise:

1. Somehow the birds are able to see this magnetic field and use it to their advantage.

And even the way birds fly together is amazing.

Many migrating birds fly in a V formation.

They do this to conserve energy.

In a V formation, birds can use the energy of the birds in front of them.

This energy comes from the air currents generated by the wings.

Conserving energy is necessary for the birds to survive the long journey.

How do the birds know this?

It's truly amazing how the birds know this.

译文：甚至连鸟儿一起飞翔的方式也令人惊叹。许多候鸟以V字形队形飞行，他们这样做是为了保存能量。在V形队伍中，鸟可以利用它们前面的鸟的能量。这种能量来自翅膀产生的气流。保存能量是鸟类在长途旅行中生存所必需的。鸟是怎么知道的？鸟类是如何知道这些的真是令人惊讶。

Exercises:

1. Conserving energy is necessary for the birds to survive the long journey.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. Some birds migrate thousands of kilometers each year to deal with seasonal changes.

2. Conserving energy is necessary for the birds to survive the long journey.

3. This energy comes from the air currents generated by the wings.

4. Seasonal variations, for example, can be one of the greatest challenges for animals to overcome.

5. Overcoming such challenges is a great achievement, but hardly easy.

Mysteries of Nature 2

Another amazing example of survival is the salmon.

Salmon spend most of their lives in the ocean, which is saltwater.

Yet, when it's time to breed, they do so in freshwater rivers.

Salmon can adapt their bodies to survive in both saltwater and freshwater.

When it's breeding time, they return to the same river where they were born.

It seems as if they have a built-in map that guides them for hundreds of miles.

译文：另一个令人惊叹的生存例子是三文鱼。 三文鱼一生大部分时间生活在海水中。然而，到了繁殖的时候，它们就会在淡水河中繁殖。 三文鱼能适应盐水和淡水这两种生存环境。当繁殖的时候，它们回到它们出生的那条河。他们似乎有一个内置的地图，可以指引他们数百英里。

Exercises:

1.— Where do salmon spend most of their lives?

   — in the ocean

2. Put the sentences below in order:

(1) Another amazing example of survival is the salmon.

(2) Salmon spend most of their lives in the ocean, which is saltwater.

(4) Yet, when it's time to breed, they do so in freshwater rivers.

(3) Salmon can adapt their bodies to survive in both saltwater and freshwater.

Correct Order: (1) (2) (4) (3)

Once they leave the saltwater, they don't eat.

They are determined to finish their journey, despite the many obstacles.

They swim against strong currents, jump over waterfalls and try to escape the claws of hungry bears.

Many die along the way, but enough of them survive to breed and produce the next generation.

Once they have laid their eggs, they die, having completed their journey.

It seems that their purpose in life is just to reproduce.

译文：一旦离开盐水，它们就不吃东西了。尽管有许多障碍，他们决心完成他们的洄游旅程。他们逆流而上，跳过瀑布，试图逃脱饿熊的魔爪。许多鱼在死于途中，但有足够多的鱼幸存下来繁衍下一代。一旦它们产卵，它们就会在旅程结束后死去。似乎它们的生存目的就是繁殖后代。

Exercises:

1.— What do they do after laying the eggs?

   — they die

2. They swim against strong currents, jump over waterfalls and try to escape the claws of hungry bears.

Migration takes animals to new, more favorable environments when the seasons change.

Some of these journeys are long and dangerous, along routes with no obvious landmarks.

The longest migration is that of the Arctic tern.

It flies from pole to pole, twice a year.

If a tern achieves its average lifespan of 20 years, the distance it has flown will be equivalent to a journey to the moon and back.

译文：随着季节的变化，动物迁徙到更适宜的新环境。其中一些旅程漫长而危险，沿途没有明显的地标。最长的迁徙是北极燕鸥。它从一个极点飞到另一个极点，一年两次。如果燕鸥的平均寿命达到20年，它飞行的距离将相当于往返月球的旅程。

Exercises:

1. A landmark is something easy to see and remember, like a river or bay.

2. Some of these journeys are long and dangerous, along routes with no obvious landmarks.

Humans also migrate, but seldom if ever for seasonal variations.

Unfortunately, human migrations are often due to human activities.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, large scale migrations have become a global problem.

Millions of migrants have had to leave their countries and look for new homes.

Many have died along the way or lived as refugees in camps until they are admitted into a new country.

So the question remains as to how our global community will face these challenges.

译文：人类也会迁移，但很少会因为季节变化而迁移。不幸的是，人类迁徙往往是由于人类活动。进入21世纪以来，大规模移民已经成为一个全球性问题。数以百万计的移民不得不离开他们的国家去寻找新的家园。许多人在被准许进入一个新国家之前，要么在途中死去，要么在难民营里生活。因此，问题仍然是我们的地球村将如何面对这些挑战。

Exercise:

1. Most human migrations are due to human activities.

Fill in the blanks in the following passage:

Humans also migrate, but seldom if ever for seasonal variations.

Unfortunately, human migrations are often due to human activities.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, large scale migrations have become a global problem.

Millions of migrants have had to leave their countries and look for new homes.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. Salmon spend most of their lives in the ocean, which is saltwater.

2. It seems that their purpose in life is just to reproduce.

3. Unfortunately, human migrations are often due to human activities.

4. Since the beginning of the 21st century, large scale migrations have become a global problem.

5. Some of these journeys are long and dangerous, along routes with no obvious landmarks.