英语听力：美洲大平原—17

And all this meat in one small area attract the scavenger, the short-faced bear. Led by his super sensitive nose, his long limbs carry him many miles a day in search of carrion. He's picked up a scent, but where's the carcass? Sometimes the smaller, speedier scavenger gets there first, on this occasion a coyote.

Right now the short-faced bear will take whatever he can get. He hasn't had a decent meal in days, and needs at least one good-sized carcass every week to stay alive. This time the coyote's left him nothing but the skeleton. But with his huge, bone-crunching jaws, the bear can crack them open for the marrow locked inside.

With water so scarce elsewhere, animals from miles around converge here in the valley, which is good news for the local lions—their pride territory is now overflowing with food.

Once the midday heat subsides, the females rouse themselves to hunt.

1 scavenger

n.以腐尸为食的动物，清扫工

参考例句：

He's just fit for a job as scavenger.他只配当个清道夫。

He is not a scavenger nor just a moving appetite as some sharks are.它不是食腐动物，也不像有些鲨鱼那样，只知道游来游去满足食欲。

2 carrion

n.腐肉

参考例句：

A crow of bloodthirsty ants is attracted by the carrion.一群嗜血的蚂蚁被腐肉所吸引。

Vultures usually feed on carrion or roadkill.兀鹫通常以腐肉和公路上的死伤动物为食。

3 scent

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉;v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。

The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

4 jaws

n.口部;嘴

参考例句：

The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。

The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

5 marrow

n.骨髓;精华;活力

参考例句：

It was so cold that he felt frozen to the marrow. 天气太冷了，他感到寒冷刺骨。

He was tired to the marrow of his bones.他真是累得筋疲力尽了。

6 converge

vi.会合;聚集，集中;(思想、观点等)趋近

参考例句：

The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。

Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。

7 overflowing

n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式

参考例句：

The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。

The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。

8 subsides

v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的第三人称单数 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

Emotion swells and subsides. 情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

His emotion swells and subsides. 他的情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》