新概念一冊在線教學

新概念英語第四冊課文原文：地球上的昔日生命

461. But even in the most favourable circumstances

即使是在最有利的環(huán)境中，

462. 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.

死去的生物中也只有一小部分能在開始腐爛前，或更可能在被食腐動物吃掉之前，被這樣保存下來。

463. After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else,

因為一切生物都是靠吃別的東西來活命的，

464. whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive,

不管這種東西是植物還是動物，死的還是活的，

465. and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided.

因此，生物偶爾才能避免被吃掉的命運。

466. The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved,

曾在陸地上生活過的動植物的遺體被保存下來的更為罕見，

467. for there is seldom anything to cover them over.

因為陸地上幾乎沒有什么東西覆蓋它們。

468. When you think of the innumerable birds that one sees flying bout,

你可以想象出天上有看得見的飛來飛去、數(shù)不清的鳥，

469. not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see,

地上有不顯眼的無數(shù)的老鼠和田鼠之類的小動物，

470. it is very rarely that one comes across a dead body, except, of course, on the roads.

但是，除非在路上，很少有人遇到這些動物的尸體，