7. Snakes

蛇

New Words新单词

ears

读音：[ɪə(r)z]

释义：耳朵

South America

读音：[saʊθ] [ə'merɪkə]

释义：南美洲

bite (v+n)

读音：[baɪt]

释义：咬（动词、名词）

move

读音：[muːv]

释义：移动

fifty

读音：['fɪfti]

释义：五十

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There are many different kinds of snakes and they come in all sizes and colors. They live in many parts of the world, but they do not like to live in cold places. Most of the world’s snakes live in Africa, Asia and South America.

蛇有许多不同种类，它们大小、颜色各不相同。它们生活在世界上的许多地方，但不喜欢生活在寒冷的地方。世界上的大多数蛇都生活在非洲、亚洲以及南美洲。

The world’s biggest snake lives in South America. That snake is bigger than all other snakes. It is very strong and can hunt, kill and eat animals as big as young monkeys.

世界上最大的蛇生活在南美洲。那种蛇比其他任何蛇都要大。它非常强壮，能捕杀并吞食小猴子那么大的动物。

Most snakes have teeth and will bite people if people come too near to them. The bite of some snakes can kill people. Those snakes are very dangerous and we should keep away from them. Those snakes are very dangerous, but most snakes are not dangerous to people. Some people even keep snakes as pets, and in some parts of the world, people eat snakes.

大多数蛇都有牙齿，如果人类距离它们太近，它们还会咬人。有些蛇咬一口可以咬死人。那些蛇非常危险，我们应该远离它们。那些蛇非常危险，但是大多数蛇对人类来说并不危险。有些人甚至把蛇当宠物养，而且在世界上有些地区，人们会吃蛇。

Snakes hunt, kill and eat small animals like birds, rats and young chickens. They can also take the eggs of animals like ducks and chickens. Snakes cannot run like other animals, but they can move very quickly. They can move around in grass, in tall trees and even in water.

蛇能捕杀并吞食鸟、老鼠还有小鸡这样的小动物。它们也会吞食鸭子和鸡这些动物的蛋。蛇不能像其他动物一样奔跑，但是它们移动速度非常快。它们能在草地上、树上甚至水里来去自如。

If we look at the head of a snake, we will see that it does not have ears. Snakes have no ears so they cannot hear, and some snakes do not have eyes.

如果我们看看蛇的脑袋，我们会看见它没有耳朵。蛇没有耳朵所以它们听不见，有一些蛇没有眼睛。

Young snakes come from eggs. An adult female can have as many as forty or fifty eggs at a time. After young snakes come out from their eggs, they do not need their mother to look after them. Young snakes can move around to look for food and they grow very quickly. Snakes can live for about twenty to thirty years.

小蛇是从蛋里孵出来的。一条成年雌蛇一次可以产下四五十颗蛋。小蛇从蛇蛋孵出来之后不需要蛇妈妈照顾它们。小蛇可以四处爬行寻找食物，它们长得很快。蛇可以存活二三十年。

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Lee and his mother are talking about snakes.

李和他妈妈正在谈论蛇。

Lee

Mom, do you know what we learned at school today?

Mom

No, Lee. What did you learn?

Lee

We learned that snakes don’t have ears.

Mom

Really? If they don’t have ears, how can they hear?

Lee

They can’t. Snakes can’t hear because they don’t have ears. There are even some snakes that don’t have eyes.

Mom

Really? That is interesting, isn’t it?

Lee

Yes. And there is one snake in South America that can hunt, kill and eat animals like monkeys.

Mom

Really?

Lee

Yes. I think maybe that snake can eat people, too.

Mom

I don’t think so, Lee. Snakes can bite people, and the bite of some snakes can kill people, but I don’t think any snakes can eat people – people are too big.

Lee

You know Mom, some people keep snakes as pets. Can I have a pet snake, Mom? Can I… please?

Mom

Oh, Lee. Of course you can’t. You asked your father that last year. Don’t you remember what he said?

Lee

Yes. He said I couldn’t have a snake in the house. But what about outside? I could keep it in the garden. It could live in one of the trees. Then we could watch it move around in the tree.

Mom

Oh, Lee. Why can’t you be happy with pets like cats, dogs, fish and birds? Why do you have to think about snakes and rats? Nobody likes to keep those animals as pets.

Lee

Some people do. Some people keep snakes as pets. We learned that today at school.

Mom

Well, you can’t! You can’t have a snake as a pet!

Lee

Oh, go on Mom… please!

Mom

No, Lee! You cannot have a snake as a pet! And don’t ask me again!

李

妈妈，您知道我们今天在学校学了什么吗？

妈妈

不知道，李。你学了什么？

李

我们学了蛇没有耳朵。

妈妈

真的吗？要是它们没有耳朵，那它们怎么能听见呢？

李

它们听不见。蛇听不见因为它们没有耳朵。有些蛇甚至没有眼睛。

妈妈

真的吗？这真有趣，不是吗？

李

是的。南美洲有一种蛇可以捕杀并吞食猴子这样的动物。

妈妈

真的吗？

李

是的。我想可能蛇连人也能吃。

妈妈

我不这么认为，李。蛇能咬人，有些蛇咬一口可以咬死人，但是我不认为有什么蛇能吃人——人太大了。

李

你知道，妈妈。有些人把蛇当宠物。我能养宠物蛇吗，妈妈？可以吗……求求你了？

妈妈

噢，李。你当然不能。去年你就问过你爸爸。你不记得他怎么说的吗？

李

记得。他说我不能在家里养蛇。但是养在屋子外面呢？我可以把它放在花园里。它可以住在树上。我们可以看到它在树上爬行。

妈妈

噢，李。你为什么就不能养养猫、狗、鱼还有鸟这样的宠物呢？为什么你总是想着蛇和老鼠？没有人喜欢把它们当宠物饲养。

李

有些人会的。有些人把养蛇当作宠物饲养。我们在学校里学到的。

妈妈

好吧，你不可以！你不可以把蛇当宠物养！

李

噢，不，妈妈……求你了！

妈妈

不，李！你不能养蛇当作宠物！不要再问我了！

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Questions

1. Where does the biggest snake live?

2. What do snakes eat?

3. Do snakes have ears?

4. How many young can female snakes have?

5. How long do snakes live?

6. Does Lee’s mother like snakes?

7. What about you?

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