外刊阅读：Snakes used to have legs
我们都听过“画蛇添足”的故事。因为蛇没有脚，所以给蛇画上脚是不对的。但是科学研究表明，在很久很久以前，蛇真的是长了脚的。
Snakes used to have legs
by Ashley Strickland
Snake evolution has intrigued scientists for years because they knew that these complex vertebrates（脊椎动物） once had limbs and adapted over time to live without them in dramatic fashion. But a limited fossil record didn't reflect how that transition happened since snakes first appeared between 163 to 174 million years ago.
evolution /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n/ n. 进化
intrigue /ɪnˈtriːɡ/ v. 激起…的兴趣
complex /ˈkɒmpleks/ adj. 复杂的
limb /lɪm/ n. 肢
adapt /əˈdæpt/ v. 改变、使适应
over time 随着时间的推移
dramatic /drəˈmætɪk/ adj. 急剧的、戏剧性的
fashion /ˈfæʃ(ə)n/ n. 方式
fossil /ˈfɒs(ə)l/ n. 化石
record /ˈrekɔːd/ n. 记录
reflect /rɪˈflekt/ v. 反映
transition /trænˈzɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 转变、过渡
Over the years, theories have suggested that these limbs were merely a transient（短暂的） phase before snakes quickly adapted to their current limbless form. But newly discovered and well-preserved fossils of snakes, particularly snake skulls, suggest they had back legs for an extended period, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
theory /ˈθɪəri/ n. 理论
suggest /səˈdʒest/ v. 提出、表明
merely /ˈmɪəli/ adv. 仅仅（表示强调）
phase /feɪz/ n. 阶段
current /ˈkʌr(ə)nt/ adj. 现在的
limbless /ˈlɪmləs/ adj. 无四肢的（由limb加上表示否定的后缀-less并变成形容词）
form /fɔːm/ n. 形式
newly /ˈnjuːli/ adv. 新近地、最近
preserve /prɪˈzɜːv/ v. 保存
skull /skʌl/ n. 颅骨、头盖骨
back leg 后腿
extend /ɪkˈstend/ v. 扩展、延长
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 发表
journal /ˈdʒɜːn(ə)l/ n. 期刊
Najash rionegrina was a type of early snake with hindlimbs. Researchers uncovered eight skulls, including one that was almost perfectly intact, as well as other fossils in the La Buitrera Palaeontological Area of northern Patagonia in Argentina.
hindlimb /ˈhaɪndlɪm/ n. 后肢、后腿
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
uncover /ʌnˈkʌvə(r)/ v. 发现
intact /ɪnˈtækt/ adj. 完好无损的
as well as = and also
Argentina /ˌɑːdʒ(ə)nˈtiːnə/ n. 阿根廷（南美洲国家）
"Our findings support the idea that the ancestors of modern snakes were big-bodied and big-mouthed – instead of small burrowing（穴居的） forms as previously thought," said Fernando Garberoglio, lead author at the Fundación Azara at Universidad Maimónides, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. "The study also reveals that early snakes retained their hindlimbs for an extended period of time before the origin of modern snakes which are for the most part, completely limbless."
ancestor /ˈænsestə(r)/ n. 祖先
big-bodied 体格大的
big-mouthed 嘴巴大的
Buenos Aires /ˌbweɪnəs ˈaɪriːz/ 布宜诺斯艾利斯（阿根廷首都）
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ v. 揭示
retain /rɪˈteɪn/ v. 保留、保有
origin /ˈɒrɪdʒɪn/ n. 起源
for the most part 在大多数情况下
For 70 million years, the Najash snakes lived with back legs in a successful and stable way. This suggests that the hindlimbs were useful to the snakes and weren't just part of a transitional phase before they adapted to live without them.
stable /ˈsteɪb(ə)l/ adj. 稳定的
transitional /trænˈzɪʃ(ə)nəl/ adj. 过渡的（由transition加后缀-al变成形容词）
Light microscopy（显微镜检查） and tomography（断层摄影） scanning allowed the researchers to see Najash in 3D and better understand the early stages of evolution that led to modern snakes. This also provided the researchers with a closer look at the pathways for nerves and blood vessels within the snake skeleton.
scan /skæn/ v. 扫描
stage /steɪdʒ/ n. 阶段
lead to 导致、带来
pathway /ˈpɑːθweɪ/ n. 通道
nerve /nɜːv/ n. 神经
vessel /ˈves(ə)l/ n. 血管
skeleton /ˈskelət(ə)n/ n. 骨架
"This research revolutionizes our understanding of the jugal bone in snake and non-snake lizards（蜥蜴）," said Michael Caldwell, study co-author and professor at the University of Alberta. "After 160 years of getting it wrong, this paper corrects this very important feature based not on guesswork, but on empirical evidence. This research is critical to understanding the evolution of the skulls of modern and ancient snakes."
revolutionize /ˌrevəˈluːʃ(ə)naɪz/ v. 革命化、带来革命（由revolution加后缀-ize变成动词）
jugal bone 颧骨
co- 前缀，意思是共同
paper /ˈpeɪpə(r)/ n. 论文
correct /kəˈrekt/ v. 纠正
feature /ˈfiːtʃə(r)/ n. 特点、特性
based on 基于
guesswork /ˈɡeswɜːk/ n. 猜测
empirical /ɪmˈpɪrɪk(ə)l/ adj. 实证的
evidence /ˈevɪd(ə)ns/ n. 证据
critical /ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l/ adj. 至关重要的
ancient /ˈeɪnʃ(ə)nt/ adj. 古老的、远古的
Overall, their research provided an in-depth look at the snake body plan. Due to the lack of forelimbs, the researchers believe they disappeared much earlier before hindlimbs.
overall /ˌəʊvəˈrɔːl/ adv. 总体而言
in-depth 深入的
body plan 身体平面图
forelimb /ˈfɔːlɪm/ n. 前肢、前腿
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