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CHAPTER IV. DOLPHINS.

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 The swiftest not only of the sea-animals, but of all animals whatever, is the dolphin.[128] He is more rapid in his movements than a bird, more swift than the flight of an arrow, and were it not for the fact that his mouth is much below his muzzle1, almost, indeed, in the middle of the belly2, not a fish would be able to escape his pursuit. But Nature, in her prudence3, has thrown certain impediments in his way; for, unless he turns and throws himself on his back, he can seize nothing, and it is this circumstance more especially that gives proof of his extraordinary swiftness. For, if pressed by hunger, 128 he will follow a fish, as it flies down, to the very bottom of the water, and then after holding his breath thus long, will dart4 again to the surface to breathe, with the speed of an arrow discharged from a bow; and often, on such occasions, he is known to leap out of the water with such a bound, as to fly right over the sails of a ship.
 
Dolphins generally go in couples. They suckle their young like the bal?na, and even carry them during the weakness of infancy5; in addition to which, they accompany them long after they are grown up, so great is their affection for their progeny6. The young ones grow very speedily, and in ten years arrive at their full size. The dolphin lives thirty years; a fact that has been ascertained7 from cutting marks on the tail, by way of experiment. It conceals9 itself for thirty days, at about the rising of the Dog-star, so effectually, that it is not known whither it goes; a thing the more surprising as it is unable to breathe under water. Dolphins are in the habit of darting10 upon the shore, for some unknown reason. The tongue, contrary to the nature of

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1 muzzle i11yN     
n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默
参考例句：
  • He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
  • The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。
2 belly QyKzLi     
n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛
参考例句：
  • The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
  • His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。
3 prudence 9isyI     
n.谨慎，精明，节俭
参考例句：
  • A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
  • The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。
4 dart oydxK     
v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲
参考例句：
  • The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
  • Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。
5 infancy F4Ey0     
n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期
参考例句：
  • He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
  • Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。
6 progeny ZB5yF     
n.后代，子孙；结果
参考例句：
  • His numerous progeny are scattered all over the country.他为数众多的后代散布在全国各地。
  • He was surrounded by his numerous progeny.众多的子孙簇拥着他。
7 ascertained e6de5c3a87917771a9555db9cf4de019     
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
9 conceals fa59c6f4c4bde9a732332b174939af02     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • He conceals his worries behind a mask of nonchalance. 他装作若无其事，借以掩饰内心的不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Drunkenness reveals what soberness conceals. 酒醉吐真言。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 darting darting     
v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
  • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
11 aquatic mvXzk     
adj.水生的，水栖的
参考例句：
  • Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
  • We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。
12 melodious gCnxb     
adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的
参考例句：
  • She spoke in a quietly melodious voice.她说话轻声细语，嗓音甜美。
  • Everybody was attracted by her melodious voice.大家都被她悦耳的声音吸引住了。
13 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
14 reign pBbzx     
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
  • The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
  • The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。
15 entice FjazS     
v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿
参考例句：
  • Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
  • I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。
16 spiny 3F9zU     
adj.多刺的，刺状的；n.多刺的东西
参考例句：
  • This is the Asiatic ornamental shrub with spiny branches and pink blossoms.这就是亚洲的一种观赏灌木，具有多刺的枝和粉红色的花。
  • Stay away from a spiny cactus.远离多刺仙人掌。
17 projection 9Rzxu     
n.发射，计划，突出部分
参考例句：
  • Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
  • The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。
18 fins 6a19adaf8b48d5db4b49aef2b7e46ade     
[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌
参考例句：
  • The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网
  • Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句
19 malady awjyo     
n.病，疾病(通常做比喻)
参考例句：
  • There is no specific remedy for the malady.没有医治这种病的特效药。
  • They are managing to control the malady into a small range.他们设法将疾病控制在小范围之内。
20 purely 8Sqxf     
adv.纯粹地，完全地
参考例句：
  • I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
  • This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
21 caresses 300460a787072f68f3ae582060ed388a     
爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • A breeze caresses the cheeks. 微风拂面。
  • Hetty was not sufficiently familiar with caresses or outward demonstrations of fondness. 海蒂不习惯于拥抱之类过于外露地表现自己的感情。
22 lulled c799460fe7029a292576ebc15da4e955     
vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • They lulled her into a false sense of security. 他们哄骗她，使她产生一种虚假的安全感。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The movement of the train lulled me to sleep. 火车轻微的震动催我进入梦乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 intercourse NbMzU     
n.性交；交流，交往，交际
参考例句：
  • The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
  • There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。
24 affront pKvy6     
n./v.侮辱，触怒
参考例句：
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
  • This remark caused affront to many people.这句话得罪了不少人。
25 influential l7oxK     
adj.有影响的，有权势的
参考例句：
  • He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
  • He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。
26 ardent yvjzd     
adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的
参考例句：
  • He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
  • Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。
27 Neptune LNezw     
n.海王星
参考例句：
  • Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
  • Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。
28 attachment POpy1     
n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附
参考例句：
  • She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
  • She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。
29 mariners 70cffa70c802d5fc4932d9a87a68c2eb     
海员，水手（mariner的复数形式）
参考例句：
  • Mariners were also able to fix their latitude by using an instrument called astrolabe. 海员们还可使用星盘这种仪器确定纬度。
  • The ancient mariners traversed the sea. 古代的海员漂洋过海。
30 promontory dRPxo     
n.海角；岬
参考例句：
  • Genius is a promontory jutting out of the infinite.天才是茫茫大地突出的岬角。
  • On the map that promontory looks like a nose,naughtily turned up.从地图上面，那个海角就像一只调皮地翘起来的鼻子。
31 outlet ZJFxG     
n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄
参考例句：
  • The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
  • Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。
32 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
33 instinctive c6jxT     
adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的
参考例句：
  • He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
  • Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。
34 gulf 1e0xp     
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
  • The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
  • There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
35 thither cgRz1o     
adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的
参考例句：
  • He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
  • He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
36 retard 8WWxE     
n.阻止，延迟；vt.妨碍，延迟，使减速
参考例句：
  • Lack of sunlight will retard the growth of most plants.缺乏阳光会妨碍大多数植物的生长。
  • Continuing violence will retard negotiations over the country's future.持续不断的暴力活动会阻碍关系到国家未来的谈判的进行。
37 agility LfTyH     
n.敏捷，活泼
参考例句：
  • The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
  • His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。
38 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
39 postponing 3ca610c0db966cd6f77cd5d15dc2b28c     
v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • He tried to gain time by postponing his decision. 他想以迟迟不作决定的手段来争取时间。 来自辞典例句
  • I don't hold with the idea of postponing further discussion of the matter. 我不赞成推迟进一步讨论这件事的想法。 来自辞典例句
40 vigor yLHz0     
n.活力，精力，元气
参考例句：
  • The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
  • She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。
41 glide 2gExT     
n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝
参考例句：
  • We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
  • So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。
42 devour hlezt     
v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷
参考例句：
  • Larger fish devour the smaller ones.大鱼吃小鱼。
  • Beauty is but a flower which wrinkle will devour.美只不过是一朵，终会被皱纹所吞噬。
43 crumbs crumbs     
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句：
  • She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
  • Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊，天哪！都这会儿啦？
44 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人；守卫者，保护者
参考例句：
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
45 devoured af343afccf250213c6b0cadbf3a346a9     
吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光
参考例句：
  • She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志，还是报纸，只要能弄得到，她都看得津津有味。
  • The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。

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