来源：20200307期 《Science & technology》专栏
Wildfires
原文
The role of large browsers, too, is more subtle than might at first appear. Their activities often destroy the lowest branches of a tree and thus create a gap between those branches that remain out of reach and the kindling of undergrowth and leaf litter scattered on the forest floor. These gaps act as fire breaks by stopping small fires climbing trees and turning into big ones that can jump from the crown of one tree to the next.
Animals are also responsible for creating more conventional, horizontal fire breaks. Species like deer frequently stamp trails bare of vegetation as they travel over and over again along the same routes. Though narrow, these trails are surprisingly effective at preventing fires from spreading. Even more surprising is that some of the most striking examples of firebreak trails are created not by mammals but by ant colonies. Vast numbers of tiny feet repeatedly crossing the same ground more than make up, it seems, for the minuscule weight of the creatures doing the treading.
Regrettably, some animal activities fan the flames. A number of herbivores—insects such as lace bugs (pictured) as well as mammals—stimulate plants to increase the amount of lignin in their leaves. This makes those leaves less edible, and thus more likely to end up on the ground. It also makes them slower to degrade if they do end up there, and therefore more likely to build up as fuel.
第四段精读
第四段主要讲述了大型食草动物在阻止火灾方面的作用
① The role of large browsers, too, is more subtle than might at first appear.
语篇分析：①句主要讲述了大型食草动物的作用乍一看更为微妙。
Browser 吃高处草木的动物
[英英解释] An animal which feeds mainly on high-growing vegetation
Subtle 微不足道的
[英英解释] not easy to notice or understand unless you pay careful attention 反义词 obvious
②Their activities often destroy the lowest branches of a tree and thus create a gap between those branches that remain out of reach and the kindling of undergrowth and leaf litter scattered on the forest floor.
语篇分析：②句主要讲述了大型食草动物的活动经常会破坏树木最低的枝干，从而在那些无法够到的枝干与散落在森林地面上的灌木和落叶的引火物之间造成空隙。
Gap 空隙、间隙
[英英解释] a space between two objects or two parts of an object, especially because something is missing
这个单词还有一个意思表示分歧（a big difference between two situations, amounts, groups of people etc）
They leave gaps, fail on enforcement and oversight, open loopholes for future ministers to quietly backslide from existing standards.（来自卫报）
[写作点睛] create a gap between…and… 在…和…之间产生间隙
③These gaps act as fire breaks by stopping small fires climbing trees and turning into big ones that can jump from the crown of one tree to the next.
语篇分析：③句主要讲述了这些空隙起到了防火的作用，阻止小的火灾向树木高处燃烧，且变成大的火灾，从一棵树的树冠燃烧到另一棵树的树冠。
act as=function as =be
[长难句翻译] that can jump from the crown of one tree to the next为定语从句，修饰前面的big ones。
读完讲解之后，我们再把第四段连起来再阅读一遍：
The role of large browsers, too, is more subtle than might at first appear. Their activities often destroy the lowest branches of a tree and thus create a gap between those branches that remain out of reach and the kindling of undergrowth and leaf litter scattered on the forest floor. These gaps act as fire breaks by stopping small fires climbing trees and turning into big ones that can jump from the crown of one tree to the next.
参考译文
大型食草动物的作用乍一看更为微妙。它们的活动经常会破坏树木最低的枝干，从而在那些无法够到的枝干与散落在森林地面上的灌木和落叶的引火物之间造成空隙。这些空隙起到了防火的作用，阻止小的火灾向树木高处燃烧，且变成大的火灾，从一棵树的树冠燃烧到另一棵树的树冠。
第五段精读
第五段主要讲述了动物还可以创造更多的防火间隔
① Animals are also responsible for creating more conventional, horizontal fire breaks.
语篇分析：①句讲述了动物也负责创造更多传统的，水平的防火间隔。
Be responsible for doing something 负责做某事
[英英解释] having a duty to be in charge of or to look after someone or something
[写作点睛] He is responsible for recruiting and training new staff.
②Species like deer frequently stamp trails bare of vegetation as they travel over and over again along the same routes.
语篇分析：②句讲述了像鹿这样的物种经常在没有植被的情况下沿着相同的路线一遍又一遍的旅行。
Stamp 跺脚
[英英解释] to put your foot down onto the ground loudly and with a lot of force
bare 无遮拦
[英英解释] empty, not covered by anything, or not having any decorations
Vegetation 植被；植物
[英英解释] plants in general
③Though narrow, these trails are surprisingly effective at preventing fires from spreading.
语篇分析：③句讲述了尽管这些足迹狭窄，但在阻止火势蔓延方面却出奇地有效。
[长难句翻译] though 后面省略了these trails are；原句为Though these trails are narrow, these trails are surprisingly effective at preventing fires from spreading.
④ Even more surprising is that some of the most striking examples of firebreak trails are created not by mammals but by ant colonies.
语篇分析：④句讲述了更令人惊讶的是一些最引人注目的防火带痕迹不是由哺乳动物创造的，而是由蚁群创造的。
Colony 群体
[英英解释] a group of animals or plants of the same type that are living or growing together
⑤Vast numbers of tiny feet repeatedly crossing the same ground more than make up, it seems, for the minuscule weight of the creatures doing the treading.
语篇分析：⑤句讲述了似乎大量的小脚反复地踏过同一块地面弥补了这些生物微不足道的重量。
Vast numbers of 大量的
Minuscule 极小的
[英英解释] extremely small = minute
读完讲解之后，我们再把第五段连起来再阅读一遍：
Animals are also responsible for creating more conventional, horizontal fire breaks. Species like deer frequently stamp trails bare of vegetation as they travel over and over again along the same routes. Though narrow, these trails are surprisingly effective at preventing fires from spreading. Even more surprising is that some of the most striking examples of firebreak trails are created not by mammals but by ant colonies. Vast numbers of tiny feet repeatedly crossing the same ground more than make up, it seems, for the minuscule weight of the creatures doing the treading.
参考译文
动物还负责创造更多传统的，水平的防火间隔。像鹿这样的物种经常在没有植被的情况下沿着相同的路线一遍又一遍的旅行。尽管这些通道虽然狭窄，但在阻止火势蔓延方面却出奇地有效。更令人惊讶的是，一些最引人注目的防火带痕迹不是由哺乳动物创造的，而是由蚁群创造的。大量的小脚反复地踏过同一块地面，似乎弥补了这些生物微不足道的重量。
第六段精读
第六段主要讲述了一些动物活动助长了火势
① Regrettably, some animal activities fan the flames.
语篇分析：①句讲述了令人遗憾的是，一些动物活动助长了火势。
② A number of herbivores—insects such as lace bugs as well as mammals—stimulate plants to increase the amount of lignin in their leaves.
语篇分析：②句讲述了一些食草动物，如水蝽和哺乳动物，刺激植物增加叶片中的木质素含量。
Herbivore 食草动物
[英英解释] an animal that only eats plants
③This makes those leaves less edible, and thus more likely to end up on the ground.
语篇分析：③句讲述了这使得那些叶子不能食用，因此更有可能落到地面上。
Edible 可食用的
[英英解释] something that is edible can be eaten 反义词 inedible
[写作点睛]more likely to do sth. 很有能做某事
④ It also makes them slower to degrade if they do end up there, and therefore more likely to build up as fuel.
语篇分析：④句讲述了如果它们真的到了那里，也会减慢它们的降解速度，因此更有可能成为燃料。
Degrade 分解
[英英解释] if a substance, chemical etc degrades, or if something degrades it, it changes to a simpler form
读完讲解之后，我们再把第六段连起来再阅读一遍：
Regrettably, some animal activities fan the flames. A number of herbivores—insects such as lace bugs (pictured) as well as mammals—stimulate plants to increase the amount of lignin in their leaves. This makes those leaves less edible, and thus more likely to end up on the ground. It also makes them slower to degrade if they do end up there, and therefore more likely to build up as fuel.
参考译文
令人遗憾的是一些动物活动助长了火势。一些食草动物，如水蝽和哺乳动物，刺激植物增加叶片中的木质素含量。这使得这些叶子不能食用，因此更有可能落到地面上。如果它们真的到了那里，也会减慢它们的降解速度，因此更有可能成为燃料。
复盘回顾
1. 如何表示在…和…之间产生间隙
create a gap between…and…在…和…之间产生间隙
2. 如何表示负责做某事
Be responsible for doing something 负责做某事
3. 如何表示很有能做某事
more likely to do sth. 很有能做某事
4. 如何表示大量的
Vast numbers of 大量的
放弃不难，但坚持一定很酷！
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