The Past Life of the Earth

But even in the most favourable circumstances 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. After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive, and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided. The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved, for there is seldom anything to cover them over. When you think of the innumerable birds that one sees flying about, not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see, it is very rarely that one comes across a dead body, except, of course, on the roads. They decompose and are quickly destroyed by the weather or eaten by some other creature.

It is almost always due to some very special circumstances that traces of land animals survive, as by falling into inaccessible caves, or into an ice crevasse, like the Siberian mammoths, when the whole animal is sometimes preserved, as in a refrigerator. This is what happened to the famous Beresovka mammoth which was found preserved and in good condition. In his mouth were the remains of fir trees--the last meal that he had before he fell into the crevasse and broke his back. The mammoth has now been restored in the Palaeontological Museum in Leningrad. Other animals were trapped in tar pits, like the elephants, sabretoothed cats, and numerous other creatures that are found at Rancho la Brea, which is now just a suburb of Los Angeles. Apparently what happened was that water collected on these tar pits, and the bigger animals like the elephants ventured out on to the apparently firm surface to drink, and were promptly boggedin the tar. And then, when they were dead, the carnivores, like the sabre-toothed cats and the giant wolves, came out to feed and suffered exactly the same fate. There are also endless numbers of birds in the tar as well.

New words and expressions

remains: 更多指人；body：（人和动物）都可以

to pay the last respects to his remains 向遗体告别

preservation n.保存

preserved vegetable 腌菜 preserved bean curd

She is well-preserved. 她保养得非常好。poorly/badly preserved

set in vi. 开始

Winter has set in early this year. Fatigue sets in when one grows old.

scavenger n.食尸动物

metaphorically: 1. dustman 清道夫，清洁工 2. obscene writer

vegetarian: 吃素的 He is a vegetable. (乏味之人) carnivorous: 吃肉的

numerous a. 许多的(数量多)

numeric （about number）关于数字的numbered a. 1.编号的 numbered card  2.时日无多的

mouse: n.

as poor as a church mouse

to play cat and mouse with sb.  e.g. The policeman played cat and mouse with the thief. 欲擒故纵

She is a mouse. (胆小的)/He is a chicken.

rat:

cat n.猫科动物 feline: 猫科的

They live a cat and dog life. (水火不容)

rain cats and dogs (北欧神话中，猫是风神，狗是雷神)

I cat a nap only 15 minutes.打个盹  cat's paw: 牺牲品，受人利用；cat walk

vole: 野鼠，鼹鼠

decompose vt. 腐烂

decay: 逐渐哀老；decompose: 分解；rot: 腐烂

inaccessible a.不能到达的 accessible

The book is accessible to beginners. /The goal is inaccessible.

access n.

Students should have access to a wide range of readings.  attain: attainable/unattainable

approach: approachable/unapproachable

Siberia: 西伯得亚 Siberian a. cold currents 寒流 warm currents 暖流

mammoth n. 猛玛 mammoth parade 盛大游行

palaeontological a.古生物学的 pal(a)e=old palaeoanthropology 古人类学

ontology: 物种起源学 palaeolith 旧石器时代 neolith: 新石器时代

palaeography 古文书，古文书学

Leningrad  Stalingrad: Volgograd

pit n.坑

A fall in the pit, a gain in the wit. (吃一堑，长一智)

pitfall: 意外的挫折或困难 pit (casino) boss: 赌场老板

saber: 马刀 saber-toothed

NY(New York) LA (Los Angeles) Chicago

venture vi. 冒险

I venture to buy some stocks.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing gained. (不入虎穴，焉得虎子)

joint venture 合资企业

bog vt.&vi.

I'm bogged/troubled/plunged/sunk.

Notes on the text

deposited=saved=piled up 堆积

mud (from the seashore)

the man and the like: 就他那样的人（否定意义）

cover over: 全部覆盖

第一段：强调句1. 加原因状语 2. 加地点状语

favourable=good=ideal

small fraction 小部分

that die 已死的或将要死的

likely=possibly

feed on: 靠……为生 I feed on rice./I feed rice. (False) I feed the baby.

live by: 通过 live by the hands 自力更生 live by the mountains靠山吃山 live on=feed on

dead or alive 连缀形容词要做后置定语

ecological chain: 生物链 the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest

chance=accidental 偶尔 chance meeting 邂逅 chance company 萍水相逢

on land 陆路  seldom=hardly

innumerable=numerous

see sb doing sth.

fly about: 四外飞翔 go about: 转一转

not to mention: 更不用说 = let alone= not to speak of

it is very rarely…(强调句，强调状语)

come across=run into

带other，一般用单数词，any(some)other: 任何一个

traces=remains

as…as…并列比较

when: 时间状语（接by falling into inaccessible caves, or into an ice crevasse…）

refrigerator: refrige

preserved: 做主语的宾语补足语

in good condition: 完好状态

tar pits: 焦油坑 collected=assembled 汇集 the carnivores: 肉食动物