Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Scientists Hope to Protect Seals by Understanding Their Sound (3)

"Caroline knows these individuals so well she can recognize them from the other side of the dunes," Reichmuth said of Casey. One male, "3C," produces a measured series of clanging pulses.

Another's call has the rhythm of a galloping horse. Other males sound like chainsaws, flamenco dancers or shuffling a deck of cards. Some, like "3C," begin and end their calls with a special touch - "a snorty flourish," according to Reichmuth.

This season, scientists used a speaker to broadcast recorded elephant seal calls to specific males on the beach. One seal, when hearing the recording, turned around and sped away. Another charged the speaker. "We've had a few speakers run over," Reichmuth said.

The different responses indicate that the calls are important, and the next step is figuring out what's encoded in the grunty orations. "There's no one thing about the sound that allows you to know whether it's a big male, or a dominant male," Reichmuth said.

When the seals return next winter, scientists will be there once more. " It's kind of addicting," Reichmuth said. "Sometimes the people migrate back as well."


Info Cloud

migrate v.遷徙
1. to move from one country or place to live or work in another
2. of a bird or animal : to move from one area to another at different times of the year
* North elephant seal is the only mammal in the world that makes not one but two migrations each year.

北方象鼻海豹這種動物, 它是會遷徙 (migrate),
但是它跟其他動物不同的地方是, 它每年遷徙不只一次, 而是二次,
它們每年會從加州的沿岸前往北太平洋覓食, 再回到南方的海岸

molt v.脫換 (一般用在動物的毛,羽毛, 皮)
to lose a covering of hair, feathers, etc., and replace it with new growth in the same place
molt its skin
* Snakes molt their skin each year. 蛇每年都會脫皮

海豹脫皮之後呢, 它們會把自己餵的飽飽的, 再回到南方
它們一次游泳的距離可以高達3萬3千公哩,
這就是北方象鼻海豹的一大特色

Language Lab

gallop v. 馬匹奔騰, 騎馬奔馳
[no obj] of a horse or similar animal : to run very fast : to run at a gallop
* The race horses started to gallop once they heard the signal.
這些賽馬一聽到信號就開始奔馳
* The cowboy jumped on his horse and galloped away.
這位牛仔騎上了馬背就奔馳離去

shuffle v.
1. 洗牌
to mix (playing cards) before playing a game so that no one knows what order they are in
* The dealer professionally shuffled the playing cards.
莊家很專業的洗牌
* It's my turn to shuffle the cards.
輪到我洗牌了
2. 托著腳走
to slide your feet along the ground or back and forth without lifting them completely
* Mom always reminds me not to shuffle when I walk.
媽媽總是提醒我走路的時候, 不要托著腳

encode v.譯成密碼, 編成密碼
to put (a message) into the form of a code so that it can kept secret
en 使成為
code 密碼
* The confidential data were encoded.
這些機密資料已經編成密碼
* These encoded files are accessible only to the supervisors.
只有上級們才可以讀取這些加密的檔案

oration n. 演說, 演講, 口若懸河
a formal speech
ora 字根有說話的意思
* The novelist's oration at the awards ceremony touched a lot of people.
這位小說家在頒獎典禮的演說感動了許多人
* The speaker delivered an oration on the subject of single parents.
這位講演講的人是位單親父母

-clang v.
to make or cause (something) to make the loud, ringing sound of metal hitting against something

-special touch
*add a special touch to make it unique

-flourish v.
1. to grow well: to be healthy
2. to be very successful: to do very well
3. to hold up and show (something) in an excited or proud way

-grunt v. to make a short, low sound : to make a grunt

Link:
mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130220_928ca.wmv

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