Lily的Scalers Talk第八轮新概念朗读持续力训练Da

L54-2: Instinct or cleverness?

We enjoy reading about them, especially when we find that, like the praying mantis, they lead perfectly horrible lives. We enjoy staring at them, entranced as they go about their business, unaware (we hope) of our presence. Who has not stood in awe at the sight of a spider pouncing on a fly, or a column of ants triumphantly bearing home an enormous dead beetle?

Last summer I spent days in the garden watching thousands of ants crawling up the trunk of my prize peach tree. The tree has grown against a warm wall on a sheltered side of the house. I am especially proud of it, not only because it has survived several severe winters, but because it occasionally produces luscious peaches. During the summer, I noticed tat the leaves of the tree were beginning to wither. Clusters of tin insects called aphids were to be found on the underside of the leaves.

praying mantis  螳螂

entranced /ɪnˈtrænst/ 出神的，着迷的;狂喜的

go about  做。。。

presence /ˈprezns/ 在场;出席;存在;出现

awe  /ɔː/  敬畏;惊叹

stand in awe  肃然起敬

pounce /paʊns/ 突袭;猛扑

column /ˈkɑːləm/  长列，纵队,     圆形石柱;纪念柱

triumphant /traɪˈʌmfənt/  胜利的;高奏凯歌的;大获全胜的;

beetle  甲虫

sheltered  /ˈʃeltərd/   受庇护的;有遮蔽物

severe winter 严冬

luscious  /ˈlʌʃəs/ 美味的;甘美的;可口的;

wither /ˈwɪðər/ 枯萎，萎缩;凋谢;

cluster /ˈklʌstər/ 一簇，团，束，串

aphid /ˈeɪfɪd/ 蚜虫

underside  背面、底面

colony /ˈkɑːləni/  一群，殖民地;殖民地定居者群体

今天把整篇课文学完了，再回头来读第二部分，就容易些。