节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-06-07
难易度:Medium
关键字:poinsonous,venom, infection, massive, set in
If you're just joining us today, we are reading an article on snakebites and the
dangers of snakebites.
Snakes around the world can be poisonous or venomous.
Those two words we often use in the same way though they can mean slightly
different things.
Encourage you to read about that some more.
Well, we find that snakebites can be very dangerous especially if infection sets
in.
Now let's learn some more about the different kinds of snakes that you might
want to avoid.
(Music).
Snakebites.
King cobra.
The largest of all poisonous snakes, king cobras can reach 5.5 meters in length.
Each king cobra bite contains enough poison to kill an elephant - or 20 people.
But these massive snakes usually avoid people.
They live throughout India, southern China and Southeast Asia.
Inland taipan.
A bite from Australia's inland taipan, the world's most poisonous snake,
releases enough venom to kill 100 men.
The good news is that people rarely come in contact with this snake, and a
treatment for its venom exists.
Wow! Do stay away from this snake, the king cobra.
We are learning all about this largest of all poisonous snakes.
King cobras can reach 5.5 meters in length.
Carolyn, that's really long.
Actually, I think that's almost three times longer than I am tall.
I think you are right.
And well, this is the longest of all snakes.
And I bet it might be why they are called the king cobra.
They are the king of the snakes because they are so big.
Well, reading on.
Each king cobra bite contains enough poison to kill an elephant - or 20 people.
That's just one bite, Gabe.
That's just one bite.
OK, I'm going to stay away from the king cobra.
But we found out something here.
One bite can kill 20 people or kill an elephant.
Well, let's take a look at a phrase there: It's enough poison to kill an
elephant.
It's enough something to do something else.
You can use that phrase in other ways.
Do you have enough money to keep your business going?
Or we have enough food to feed the world, but only the rich people are eating.
We have enough things to do something else.
How else can you use that phrase?
Well, you might say that "Oh, I have enough time to finish my homework." It's a
great way to use this.
There are many different ways you can use this structure,
not just talking about snakes or your business but many other things that you
can have enough of something to do some task.
That's right.
Well, continuing on:
But these massive snakes usually avoid people.
Oh. So Gabe, it sounds like you don't need to worry about avoiding the king
cobra because they usually avoid people.
Well, that is definitely good to know.
And I probably won't be seeing any in the city where I'm living anyway.
But we do find out that these snakes are massive.
Of course, they're 5.5 meters or they can to reach that length.
That is a massive snake.
Well, let's take a look at that word "massive." Massive is another word for huge
or great or big.
It's massive.
I think of like a really big truck when I think of the word "massive." That is a
massive truck.
That's right.
I also think of another animal that might be massive - the elephant.
The elephant is a massive animal.
It's huge.
And elephants are massive.
But the massive king cobra, all it needs to do is take one bite out of that
elephant, and it could kill it.
So these snakes are pretty dangerous.
But the snakes usually avoid people.
That is good news.
That is good news.
And we also find out they live throughout India, southern China and Southeast
Asia.
So if you live in another part of the world, you might not have to worry too
much about encountering a king cobra because they live in a very limited area.
That's true.
Well, we're going to learn about another kind of snake here.
It's called the inland taipan.
A bite from Australia's inland taipan, the world's most poisonous snake,
releases enough venom to kill 100 men.
Wow. OK, so we saw that phrase again: enough venom to do something.
And this can kill not only 20 men but 100 men.
Well, I guess that's why it is the most poisonous or the most venomous because
one bite has so much venom in it.
The good news is - there is good news, Gabe - the good news is that people
rarely come in contact with this snake, and a treatment for its venom exists.
Well, that does sound like good news.
And that's a good phrase to know: the good news is something.
Maybe you had to share some bad news with somebody or something negative, and
then you can follow up by saying:
"Well, the good news is this..." and then you share your good news.
For example, you were planning on going out and doing something in the nice
weather.
But then it rained that day.
You could say: Well, the good news is we're still together with each other.
We can do something else inside.
That's the good news.
That would be good news.
You could watch a movie inside.
Exactly.
Well, maybe you're at school, and your teacher says: I need you to write a
10-page report.
That sounds like pretty bad news.
But the good news is you have three weeks to do it.
That's good news.
Well, if you do have bad news and good news, usually you want to share the bad
news first so that you can say the good news is this.
Well, there's always good news here at Studio Classroom.
The next good news for you is that we have a review skit to watch.
And then we'll join Michelle in the Language Lab.
(Music).
Before we start hiking, I have something important to talk about.
Yeah? What's that?
Something that adults, children and pets around the world have experience with.
Yeah? What's that?
Something that can result in swelling, bleeding or even death.
What's that?
Something that kills more people in India than tiger attacks.
What? Tell me what!
Snakes.
Ah, snakes!
Oh, no.
But don't worry.
Only 600 kinds of snakes have venom.
Six hundred poisonous snakes?
Of course.
A bite from any snake can be dangerous if infection sets in.
Infection?
Yes. Some types of snakebites become swollen or painful.
Oh, no.
Others cause bleeding or damage to the heart's nerves.
Oh, no.
King cobras are the largest poisonous snakes.
Their poison can kill elephants.
I'm glad I'm not an elephant.
Or 20 people.
Lucky for you, they usually avoid people.
Lucky for me, I usually avoid snakes.
The world's most poisonous snake has enough venom to kill 100 men.
Ah... luckily, I'm not a man.
Well, they kill women, too.
Oh, no.
OK. Well, let's go hiking.
Let's go home.
What, come on!
OK.
(Chinese).
And now let's get back to our teachers.
We've been learning a little bit about snakebites today.
Of course, many snakes have venom.
And we've learned about who sneaks in particular: the king cobra and the inland
taipan.
Now I do wonder if you know anybody who has ever been bitten by a snake.
Or maybe you've been bitten by a snake.
And what happened?
What did you do about it?
Carolyn, has anybody ever been bitten by a snake that you know?
Well, fortunately no, I don't know anyone who has been bitten by a snake.
But where I come from in West Virginia, there are a lot of sneaks.
And so we grow up being very aware of the dangers of which snakes are poisonous
and which snakes aren't.
Well, I'm glad to say that I don't know anybody who's gotten bitten by a snake,
either.
But it is important to know what to do if that does happen.
So please join us for our next lesson about Snakebites tomorrow right here on
Studio Classroom.
See you then.