Part I
Professor: For today's discussion, we'll review the case study on how some animals have behaviorally adapted to their environments. Now you had to read about two animal species, the Eastern marmot and the Olympic marmot.
Marmots are rodents. They are large ground squirrels, about the size of an average house cat. And they live in a variety of habitats. And even though they spend the significant portion of the year hibernating, according to this case study, marmots are still considered excellent subjects for animal behavioral studies. Why is that?
Student: Well, when they are not hibernating, you can find them in open areas. And they are pretty active during the day, which makes them easy to observe, right?
即便它们一年中的大部分时间都在冬眠，根据这个案例研究，土拨鼠仍然被认为是动物行为研究的优秀对象。
1. case study
A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in a variety of fields including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.案例研究：案例研究是对个人、团体或事件的深入研究。在案例研究中，对象的生活和历史的几乎每个方面都被分析以寻找行为的模式和原因。案例研究可用于各种领域，包括心理学、医学、教育、人类学、政治学和社会工作。
2. rodent 啮齿动物，amphibian 两栖动物，reptile 爬行动物，mollusk 软体动物，mammal 哺乳动物，arthropod 节肢动物
3. active|ˈæktɪv|
adj. always busy doing things, especially physical activities （尤指体力上）忙碌的，活跃的
E.g.: Although he's nearly 80, he is still very active.
尽管快80岁了，他还是十分活跃。
Part II
Professor: Uh-ha, so first let's discuss the Eastern marmots. They reside throughout the eastern region of North America where there is a temperate climate, where the growing season lasts for at least five months of the year, which is when they do all their mating, playing and eating.
Student: Oh, I see. At first I wasn't sure what growing season meant, just from the reading, but now I get it. It's the amount of time it takes for them to grow, right? So it would be five months?
Professor: Umm? Oh, I'm sorry but no. It has nothing to do with that. It's not about the time it takes for Eastern marmots to grow. It's when the food is available. That is when it's not covered in snow and there is no frost covering the grass and, umm, vegetative parts of a plant's herbs and the flowers that marmots like to eat. So growing season refers to the availability of the food they eat, OK? So now how would you describe the Eastern marmots' social habits?
它们居住在北美东部地区，那里气候温和，一年中的生长季节至少持续五个月，这也是它们交配、玩耍和进食的时节。
这是可以获取食物的时候，是食物还没有被雪覆盖，草还没有被霜覆盖，嗯，就是植物的草本部分和土拨鼠喜欢吃的花朵没有被覆盖的时候。
1. reside |rɪˈzaɪd|
verb. (formal) to live in a particular place 居住在；定居于
E.g.: He returned to Britain in 1939, having resided abroad for many years.
他在国外居住多年以后，于1939年回到了英国。
2. temperate|ˈtempərət|
adj. (of a climate or region) having a mild temperature without extremes of heat or cold 气候温和的；温带的
E.g.: The Nile Valley keeps a temperate climate throughout the year.
尼罗河流域一年四季气候温和。
3. mate|meɪt|
verb. (of two animals or birds) to have sex in order to produce young 交配；交尾
E.g.: Do foxes ever mate with dogs?
狐狸会和狗交配吗？
Part III
Student: Well, they are really territorial, and loners, and just so aggressive even with other Eastern marmots. And their mating ritual is just so impersonal.
Professor: Uh-ha? Now when they emerge in the spring from hibernation, the mating process begins. For them, well, they come together to mate and then they go their separate ways. Then about six to eight weeks after birth, the offspring leave their mothers.
Student: Really? Just six weeks? Is that possible for the offspring to make it on their own so young?
Professor: Well, it's not as if they aren't ready for the real world because they are. Remember, they mature quickly and the weather's nice. Also they live in open fields where there is lots of edible vegetation. So roughly six weeks after birth, Eastern marmots are just old enough to take their chances of surviving in the temperate environment. So how does this relate to their behavior?
还记得不，它们成熟得很快，而且天气很好，还有他们住在开阔的田野里，那里有很多可食用的植被。
1. territorial |ˌterəˈtɔ:riəl|
adj. (of animals, birds, etc.) guarding and defending an area of land that they believe to be their own 地盘性的，地盘意识强的，占地为王的
E.g.: Two cats or more in one house will also exhibit territorial behaviour.
一家若有两只或更多的猫，也会表现出争夺地盘的行为。
2. impersonal|ɪmˈpɜ:sənl|
adj. (usually disapproving) lacking friendly human feelings or atmosphere; making you feel unimportant 缺乏人情味的；冷淡的
E.g.: Business letters need not be formal and impersonal.
商业信函不一定就得刻板而缺乏人情味。
3. emerge|iˈmɜ:dʒ|
verb. to come out of a dark, confined or hidden place （从隐蔽处或暗处）出现，浮现，露出
E.g.: The swimmer emerged from the lake.
游泳者从湖水中浮出来。
4. go your separate ways
When two or more people who have been together for some time go their separate ways, they go to different places or end their relationship 分道扬镳;分手;分路而行
E.g.:After dinner we went our separate ways.
吃完晚饭他们就分道扬镳了。
5. take your chances
to take a risk or to use the opportunities that you have and hope that things will happen in the way that you want 碰运气
E.g.: He took his chances and jumped into the water.
他冒险跳进水里。
6. relate to
to be connected with sth/sb; to refer to sth/sb 涉及；与…相关；谈到
E.g.: We shall discuss the problem as it relates to our specific case.
我们应针对我们的具体情况来讨论这个问题。
Part IV
Student: Oh, I get it. Since the climate's not too bad, the Eastern marmots don't have to rely on each other too much and they really don't need to stay together as a family to survive either.
Professor: Uh-ha. Any contrast, the Olympic marmots? What about them?
Student: Well, they live together as a family and take care of their young until they are at least two years old. They're really friendly with each other. And what I really like is that they even have greeting ceremonies. And they are not at all aggressive and territorial like the Eastern marmots. So their social behavior is so different from Eastern marmots because of the climate where they live? That seems so bizarre.
它们对待彼此真的很友好，我尤其真正喜欢的是它们之间甚至会有相互问候的仪式。
1. greeting |ˈgri:tɪŋ|
noun. something that you say or do to greet sb 问候；招呼；迎接；致意
E.g.: They exchanged greetings and sat down to lunch.
他们相互致意后便坐下吃午饭。
2. bizarre|bɪˈzɑ:(r)|
adj. very strange or unusual 极其怪诞的；异乎寻常的
E.g.: You know, that book you lent me is really bizarre.
你知道吗，你借给我的那本书真的很怪诞。
Part V
Professor: Well, the Olympic marmots inhabitmeadows high in the Olympic Mountains where the weather conditions are much harsher. So there is a lot more wind and snow. The growing season only lasts about two to three months. So in that much shorter period of time, all the Olympic marmots, male and female, eat, play, work and nurture the young together. Because the climate is so harsh, cooperation increases the survival rate of the Olympic marmots. They keep their young at home until they are physically able to survive on their own. This could explain why the social behavior of the Olympic marmots is so unlike that of the Eastern marmots.
由于气候环境如此恶劣，相互合作提高了奥林匹斯土拨鼠的生存率。
这可以解释为什么奥林匹斯土拨鼠的社会行为与东方土拨鼠的社会行为如此不同。
1. inhabit |ɪnˈhæbɪt|
verb. to live in a particular place 居住在；栖居于
E.g.: He returned to Britain in 1939, having resided abroad for many years.
他在国外居住多年以后，于1939年回到了英国。
2. meadow|ˈmedəʊ|
noun. a field covered in grass, used especially for hay 草地；牧场
E.g.: water meadows (= near a river)
岸边的草地
3. nurture |ˈnɜ:tʃə(r)|
verb. to care for and protect sb/sth while they are growing and developing 养育；养护；培养
E.g.: These delicate plants need careful nurturing.
这些幼嫩的植物需要精心培育。
