1)Fennec Fox

Elinor供稿

翻译：小新

大家还记得《疯狂动物城》里面的芬尼克（Finnick）吗？大家知道它是一种什么动物吗？其实，Finnick就是由该物种（耳廓狐）的英文名fennec演化而来。本期小编就要给大家介绍这只萌萌哒耳廓狐，它的那只招风大耳并不仅仅负责卖萌哦，那可是人家觅食的神器呢！

The fennec fox is a small foxthat lives in deserts. It is the smallest of all the world’s foxes, weighing only 1 kilogram, about the size of a large house cat.

This fox is2)agile. It has huge ears and very large eyes. The large ears help the fox stay cool and help it to hear its3)preyfrom far away. Its hearing is so4)sharpthat it can hear a watch5)ticking36 meters away. It can also hear something moving underground. The fennec fox has hairy feet thatprotectitfromthe hot sand. Like most desert animals, the fennec fox can live without water for a long time.

The fennec foxes6)huntat night and they often play with their prey before they kill it. They eat rabbits, insects and small birds. If they live near a farm, they will steal the chickens. They will also eat plants. They rest during the day in a7)burrowin the sand. They live in groups ofup to10 animals. They can live for up to 10～14 years.

1) fennec ['fenek] n. 一种非洲产的大耳小狐

2) agile ['ædʒaɪl] adj. 机敏的

3) prey [preɪ] n. 猎物

4) sharp [ʃɑːp] adj. 敏锐的

5) tick [tɪk] v. 发出滴答声

6) hunt [hʌnt] v. 捕猎

7) burrow ['bʌrəʊ] n. 地洞

参考译文

耳廓狐是生活在沙漠里的一种小型狐狸。它是世界上最小的狐狸，仅一公斤重，约一只大家猫般大。

耳廓狐很机灵。它有一对巨耳和一双大眼。大耳能使它们保持凉爽，同时使它们听到远处猎物的动静。耳廓狐的听觉非常敏锐，它们能听到36米开外钟表的嘀嗒声。它们甚至可以听到地下物体移动的声音。耳廓狐有毛茸茸的脚，可使它们免受热沙烫伤。和大多数沙漠动物一样，耳廓狐能长时间不喝水。

耳廓狐夜间捕猎，而且在弄死猎物前往往会和它们玩耍。耳廓狐吃兔子、昆虫和小鸟。如果住在农场附近，它们还会去偷鸡。它们也吃植物。它们白天在沙地的洞穴里休息，属群居动物，通常10只一群。它们的寿命可达10～14年。

词组加油站

★protect sb./sth. from sth.

保护，防护

e.g: Try to protect your skin from the sun.尽量不要让皮肤晒到太阳。

1. 本句中that lives in deserts为定语从句，修饰先行词a small fox，that为关系代词，在定语从句中作主语。that既可指人又可指物，在从句中做主语或宾语。例如：

A plane is a machine that can fly.（做主语）飞机是一种会飞的机器。

The dumplings(that) I made were delicious.（作宾语）我做的饺子味道很好。

名师考点小结

2.up to意为“多达；高达”。例如：

I can take up to four people in my car. 我的车能载4个人。拓展：up to意为“不多于，不迟于”。例如：

Read up to page100. 读到第100页。Let’s Try!

请根据文章内容，在横线上填上合适的单词。

1. The large ears help the fox ____ cool and help it _____ its prey from far away.

2. It can also hear something ____ underground.

3. The fennec fox has hairy feet that ____ it from the hot sand.