2007-08-16, Daredevil Birds 海雀版勇敢者游戏

（单词翻译）

We are here in the Svalbard Islands of Norway to observe one of the most astonishing breathtaking daredevil initiation¹ rites² on the planet.

Thousands of guillemots are nesting on the sheer rock cliffs, far beyond the reach of predators³. Now here is the daredevil part. The guillemots are more at home in the ocean than on the cliffs. The chicks have hatched, and they have to fly to that ocean. Only, they have never flown before, ever.

Imagine you are this guillemot chick, you've never flown. You don't even know what it’s like to fly or if you can fly. Below you, jagged cliffs ready to impale⁴ you if you fail. Several hundred feet down in the water, adults squawk encouragement to you. Remember your very first time up on that high dive, alone, with everyone watching? Multiply that by a thousand. You are never really ready, you will just have to, well, you know, take the plunge⁵. You plummet⁶ down at first, toward your death on the rocks. But other adults are following you, guiding you, showing you the way. You don't fly exactly, but you do glide⁷. You use those wings just enough to stay with the adults and clear the rocks. You made it! You skip like a pebble⁸ on the water. And then exhilaration! Other chicks follow your lead and take the plunge too, until your whole water-loving species is where it belongs.