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VOA标准英语2015--科学家们解决变色龙眼睛的奥秘

时间：2015-11-01 15:25:07

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（单词翻译）

Scientists Solve Mystery of Chameleon1 Eyes 科学家们解决变色龙眼睛的奥秘

Chameleons2 can move their eyes in different directions, and most scientists thought that meant that each eye worked independently from the other. Scientists in Israel say they have discovered, however, that chameleons’ eyes are, in fact, highly coordinated3.

Many fish and birds have eyes on opposite sides of the head, and they seemingly have at any given moment two different pictures of the world around them. But chameleons’ eyes are slightly bulging4 so they can focus both eyes on one object or track two different objects with each eye.

The puzzling question was: does one eye know what the other is doing?

Scientists at Haifa University, in Israel, tried to find the answer with the help of a computer screen.

"We found out that each eye has a different role. We have the tracking eye, that will continue tracking the target, and the converging5 eye that will converge6 to the tracking eye, and eventually she will choose that target," said Hadas Ketter-Katz, who is a scientist at the university. "We found out that each eye has a different subtle pattern of eye movements according to her role.”

Split screen

When the picture of an insect projected on the screen was split in two, which then started to move in opposite directions, the chameleon was able to follow both.

But when the animal finally decided7 on one of the targets, its other eye suddenly swiveled back to focus on the same spot. In a split second, it lashed8 out its long tongue at the target. This proved that the second eye knew what the first eye was seeing.

"We assume that the brain controls each eye independently with independent units of eye movements, but there is a higher level of control that can co-ordinate these two. So each eye knows exactly what the other eye sees and vice9 versa,” said Ketter-Katz.

Scientists say new findings may shed new light on research on other, similar animals. It also could find application in the control of mechanical devices — such as robots or self-driving cars — whose video cameras have to focus simultaneously10 on several things.


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1 chameleon YUWy2     
n.变色龙，蜥蜴；善变之人
参考例句：
  • The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings.变色龙变换颜色以适应环境。
  • The chameleon can take on the colour of its background.变色龙可呈现出与其背景相同的颜色。
2 chameleons 784904f50fc7d0174debc2b422ab8886     
n.变色蜥蜴，变色龙( chameleon的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Insects, birds and baby rats are the main food of chameleons. 昆虫、小鸟和幼鼠等是避役主要的食物。 来自互联网
  • A bronze chariot ridden by chameleons radiating flaring lights. 一辆被燃烧的蜥蜴覆盖的青铜战车。 来自互联网
3 coordinated 72452d15f78aec5878c1559a1fbb5383     
adj.协调的
参考例句：
  • The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
  • The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
4 bulging daa6dc27701a595ab18024cbb7b30c25     
膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱
参考例句：
  • Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
  • Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”
5 converging 23823b9401b4f5d440f61879a369ae50     
adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集
参考例句：
  • Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。 来自辞典例句
  • This very slowly converging series was known to Leibniz in 1674. 这个收敛很慢的级数是莱布尼茨在1674年得到的。 来自辞典例句
6 converge 6oozx     
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 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
8 lashed 4385e23a53a7428fb973b929eed1bce6     
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
  • The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
  • The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
10 simultaneously 4iBz1o     
adv.同时发生地，同时进行地
参考例句：
  • The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
  • The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

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