Lily的Scalers Talk第八轮新概念朗读持续力训练Da

Lesson 20-2      Snake poison

 In fact, it would be an assistance to all carnivores though it would be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other. But, of the vertebrates, unpredictable Nature selected only snakes(and one lizard). One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes, concocted poison of such extreme potency.

In the conversion of saliva into poison, one might suppose that a fixed process took place. It did not; some snakes manufacture a poison different in every respect from that of others, as different as arsenic is from strychnine, and having different effects. One poison acts on the nerves, the other on the blood.

The makers of the nerve poison include the mambas and the cobras and their venom is called neurotoxic.

carnivore  /ˈkɑːrnɪvɔːr/  食肉动物

vertebrate /ˈvɜːrtɪbrət/  脊椎动物

a two-edged weapon 一把双刃剑

unpredictable /ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl/  不可预测的;不可预知的;难以预料的

lizard /ˈlɪzərd/  蜥蜴

concoct  /kənˈkɑːkt/  调制;配制

potency /ˈpoʊtnsi/  效力;影响力

conversion /kənˈvɜːrʒn/   转换;转化;转变;

respect  （事物的）某方面;

arsenic /ˈɑːrsnɪk/  砒霜

strychnine /ˈstrɪkniːn/  马钱子碱

nerve  /nɜːrv/  神经;勇气;

mamba  /ˈmæmbə/  树眼镜蛇

cobra /ˈkoʊbrə/ 眼镜蛇

venom /ˈvenəm/ 毒液

neurotoxic    毒害神经的

viper /ˈvaɪpər/  毒蛇;蝰蛇

adder  蝮蛇

rattlesnake /ˈrætlsneɪk/  响尾蛇

haemolytic  溶血的

by far the more unpleasant  更难受得多

primitive /ˈprɪmətɪv/  原始的;

so to speak  可以这样说，打个比方说

formula /ˈfɔːrmjələ/  公式;配方，处方

does its business with man  在人的身上发挥作用

viperine  毒蛇的