节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-02-19
难易度:High
关键字:rebound, encroachment, rumbling, cavity, bulbous-nosed, jackhammer
Well, we're talking about these bulbous-nosed cutie-pies, the elephant seals.
And we know that so far, they used to be close to extinction, but now they have
rebounded.
But scientists are still trying to figure out how we can know that we don't have
a human impact, a bad human impact on these elephant seals.
They're trying to figure out how we can stop encroaching on their territory.
Well, we have a lot more to learn in the next part of our reading for today.
(Music).
Scientists Hope to Protect Seals by Understanding Their Sound.
And as winter ends it might seem quiet during a visit to Ano Nuevo because most
of the seals have left this favored breeding ground.
Make no mistake, though, they are among the loudest animals on land.
Their calls can be as loud as a jackhammer, with frequencies low enough to
vibrate the sand around them.
To understand what all the fuss is about, Southall has been recording their
rumblings from 3 feet away.
"It's kind of crazy to think you're so close to 4,000-pound males while they're
trying to fight," he said.
"You can feel it resonating in your chest and sinus cavities." The team found
that each male has a unique call.
Well, it sounds like they can be quite loud.
But if we see the first sentence of this section, it says:
And as winter ends It might seem quiet during a visit to Ano Nuevo because most
of the seals have left this favored breeding ground.
So there aren't very many seals there even though this is one of their favorite
places to go because it's winter, and they go somewhere else.
Now Nathanael, how does the next sentence begin?
Make no mistake, though, they are among the loudest animals on land.
Wow, loudest animals on land.
"Make no mistake," though, this is a very interesting phrase.
Make no mistake.
You might often say it at the beginning of a sentence; and we do want to look at
it today.
How would you use that phrase, Gabe?
Well, if you have to leave, but you want to let people know you might come back,
you could say:
Make no mistake, I'll be coming back so you all better behave.
Make no mistake, I'll be back.
What about you, Carolyn?
Well, you could say: Make no mistake, English is not an easy language to learn,
but if you practice, it is possible.
And make no mistake, elephant seals may look cute, but they could be quite
dangerous.
All right, moving on in the article it says next:
Their calls can be as loud as a jackhammer, with frequencies low enough to
vibrate the sand around them.
Wow! I would like to see that.
But a jackhammer, I think most of us have probably seen a jackhammar.
What do they use them for, Carolyn?
Well, jackhammers are usually used for road construction.
And I frequently hear jackhammers... hmm, all the time, actually, because
there's always construction near my apartment,
and they're always doing road work with their jackhammers.
Oh, man, I hate jackhammers.
Yeah, they're very loud.
If you're working with a jackhammer, of course, you need to protect your ears.
You need to put ear plugs in your years as the other construction workers around
you should as well.
So a jackhammer is a very loud thing.
And I guess elephant seals can sound as loud as jackhammers.
Yes, and that is very, very loud.
You can even feel the sound, apparently.
Next the article says: To understand what all the fuss is about, Southall has
been recording their rumblings from 3 feet away.
OK. We had an interesting phrase at the beginning of the sentence: what the fuss
is about.
We want to look at that as an extra phrase today: What's all the fuss about?
How could you use this, Carolyn?
Well, if you're a little bit confused about why people are so excited about
something, you might say: Uh, what's all the fuss about?
Or you could say, "What's all the fuss about? Why are you guys fighting?" What's
all the fuss about?
That's right.
Or what's the fuss about Twilight?
It doesn't seem that great to me.
Oh, man.
Or there's a big crowd outside your office, and you don't know why, and you say:
What is all the fuss about out there?
It's a very useful phrase.
But this sentence also has another word that we need to look at today:
rumblings.
"Rumblings" is a key word today, Word Bank word: rumblings.
And it refers to a kind of sound or noise.
How would you use this word, Gabe?
Well, this word kind of looks like it could be a verb, but it's actually a noun,
a rumbling.
So this kind of reminds me of the word "grumbling" actually because it's the
kind of noise that a jackhammer might make - a rumble.
But I also think about earthquakes because when there's an earthquake, you might
also sense or feel or hear some rumbling from the earth.
But how would you use that word, Carolyn?
Well, when I think of rumbling, I think of something that is shaking.
So the ground could be rumbling during an earthquake.
But it could also be a loud sound like thunder, makes a very loud rumbling sound
during a storm.
Sometimes I think we also use this word in a different way.
You might say something like: I hear rumblings of a new project that we're
starting.
You're not actually hearing a sound, but maybe you're hearing people talk a
little bit about something new that's happening.
And you might say: I hear rumblings of something like that.
OK. Continuing in the article it says:
"It's kind of crazy to think you're so close to 4,000-pound males while trying
to fight," he said.
How would you feel being that close to 4,000-pound elephant seals, Gabe?
Oh, man, I don't know.
I mean, I think it would be really cool to be that close to these huge animals,
but I know as well it would be really dangerous, or it would seem dangerous.
I know they're not fighting me, but it still seems like it might be kind of
scary.
OK. He actually gives us a little bit of an idea of what this would feel like.
What does he say next, Carolyn?
He says you can feel it resonating in your chest and sinus cavities.
And if something is resonating, it's kind of vibrating.
It's inside you here in your chest and sinus cavities.
And "cavity" is another key word from the Word Bank that we need to talk about.
What is a cavity, Gabe?
Well, a cavity is a kind of hole.
And usually you use this word to talk about... when you go to the dentist and he
tells you you have a cavity.
If you hear it just like that, then you know it's talking about inside your
tooth.
That's not a good thing.
You need to get your cavity filled.
But how else can you use that word, Nathanael?
Well, in this case it's talking about open areas inside your body.
You have your sinus cavities up here around your nose inside your head.
But it's a kind of open area or hole, like a hole in your tooth is a cavity, as
Gabe said.
Now I think it is time to go see a review skit, and we hope that you enjoy it.
What are you doing here on these windy dunes?
I'm learning a snorty language of northern elephant seals.
Uh, you're learning the language of the seals?
That's right.
I'm collecting grumbling grunts and growls.
Why are you studying elephant seal communication?
These fascinating animals use sounds to show who's boss.
When two males fight, it's bloody and violent.
Can understanding their language help prevent fights?
I hope so.
I want to help protect these bulbous-nosed cutie-pies.
Cutie-pies?
Yes. They're adorable.
Whatever. Oh...
The earth is moving!
What is that?
Shh! It's the call of the elephant seal.
It makes the sand vibrate.
I could feel it resonating in my chest and sinus cavities.
Yes. It's a unique sound, isn't it?
Yes, like a loud jackhammer.
They are the loudest animals on land.
And elephant seals weigh 4,000 pounds.
So what do you think?
Uh, I think it's kind of crazy that you would get so close, especially when
they're ready to fight.
I think it's exciting.
I love these elephant seals.
They're such cutie-pies.
Come on, let's listen.
No! Let's get out of here.
I love those review skits.
Well, in the last sentence of our article today we see: The team found that each
male has a unique call.
And now let's go visit Michelle in the Language Lab.
All right.
(Chinese).
And let's get back to our teachers.
We've been learning a lot about elephant seals and maybe how we can protect
them.
Well, I do wonder: When have you felt sound?
We talk about feeling sound because you're so close to one of these elephant
seals fighting.
But when have you ever felt found? Nathanael?
Well, my grandparents go to a big church, and my grandfather always says:
After church that I think something is wrong when I can feel my inside shaking
when I listen to the music at church.
That's pretty funny.
That's a great observation about some music at churches.
Well, Carolyn, when have you felt sound?
Well, I have felt it when music was too loud.
But I've also felt it at a sporting event.
I went to a football game with thousands of people, and everyone was cheering
and stomping their feet.
And you could feel the energy, and it was very, very exciting.
Sometimes it can be exciting to feel that kind of energy.
I also think of concerts if the speakers are blaring very loud.
You can especially hear the bass, and you can feel that sound.
Well, right now it's time for us to say goodbye.
But we'll see you next time right here on StudioClassroom. Goodbye.