--- url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-4/20-snake-poison.md description: 新概念英语第四册：Snake Poison。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。 --- # 蛇毒 ## 课文学习台 {#study} ### 第1段 How it came about that snakes manufactured poison is a mystery. Over the periods their saliva, a mild, digestive juice like our own, was converted into a poison that defies analysis even today. It was not forced upon them by the survival competition; they could have caught and lived on prey without using poison, just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still do. Poison to a snake is merely a luxury; it enables it to get its food with very little effort, no more effort than one bite. And why only snakes? Cats, for instance, would be greatly helped; no running fights with large, fierce rats or tussles with grown rabbits—just a bite and no more effort needed. In fact, it would be an assistance to all carnivores though it would be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other. But, of the vertebrates, unpredictable Nature selected only snakes and one lizard. One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes, concocted poison of such extreme potency. 中文理解：蛇如何产生毒液，是一个谜。蛇原本像人类唾液一样温和的消化液，经过漫长的时间，演化成了至今仍无法分析清楚的毒液。毒液不是生存竞争强加给它们的，它们也可以不靠毒液而抓到猎物谋生，就像今天成千上万的无毒蛇那样。毒液对毒蛇来说是多么地奢侈，它使毒蛇得以轻松一口便得到食物。为什么只有蛇才有毒液呢？譬如说，如果猫有毒液，那将大有裨益，猫不必再和又大又凶猛的老鼠跑着打斗了，也不必再和大兔子打做一团了，只要咬一口，就不必费力了。 因此，任何食肉动物有了毒液，都能从中获益。 不过，当动物们相互撕打时，毒液就成了双刃剑。然而，在脊椎动物中，大自然神秘莫测地只选择了蛇（还有一种蜥蜴）。人们也对大自然为什么借某些蛇类调制出如此高效的毒液而惊叹不解。 * **for instance**：例如；例子要证明前面的判断；可换内容，不必换这个常用表达。 * **each other**：梦想或想到 / 彼此；of 后可接 -ing；each other 表示关系是双向的。 #### 1. How is a mystery… 整个 How it came about that snakes manufactured poison 从句作 is a mystery 的主语。其中 it came about that…表示“……是怎样发生的”，it 是形式主语，that 从句承载发生的事情，即蛇产生毒液这一事实。因此，内层 that 从句是 came about 结构中的实际 主语，该主语从句为主谓宾结构，即snakes manufactured poison. #### 2. their saliva was converted into a poison that… 复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，后面跟that 引导的定语从句修饰a poison，定语从句亦为主谓宾结构. a mild, digestive juice like our own，整个是同位语成分，这里对此进行了细分. #### 3. It was not forced upon them; they could have caught and lived on as… 并列复合句，两句以分号隔开，第一句为主谓宾结构，第二句为双谓语，另有一个as 引导的方式状语从句，该从句为主谓结构. #### 4. Poison to a snake is a luxury; it enables it… 并列句，两句以分号隔开，第一句为主系表结构，第二句为主谓宾+宾补结构， with…effort 为方式状语，后面no more…bite 可以看作是little effort 的同位语，具体描述一下有多轻松. #### 5. why snakes… 简单句，该句有所省略，还原可为：Why do only snakes have poison. #### 6. Cats would be helped… 并列句，该句以分号分成两部分，前一句为主谓结构，如果helped 改为helpful 则为主系表结构. 后句两个with 所带为状语，因主语仍为cats；而破折号后面完整句子为a bite is needed and no more effort is needed. 主语已与cats 不同，属于独立主格结构，可以理解成状语. (12.1.2) #### 7. it would be an assistance though…when… 复合句，该句主句为主系表结构，后面接一个though 引导的让步状语从句，该从句亦为主系表结构，只不过在该从句中，还有一个when 引导的时间状语从句，主谓结构. #### 8. Nature selected only snakes. 简单句，主谓宾结构. #### 9. One wonders why Nature concocted poison. 复合句，主谓+宾语从句结构. why 引导的宾语从句为主谓宾结构. 此句表面是大自然调制的毒液，但with 这个状语表明，大自然是借蛇之口，调制出的毒液. ### 第2段 In the conversion of saliva into poison, one might suppose that a fixed process took place. It did not; some snakes manufactured a poison different in every respect from that of others, as different as arsenic is from strychnine, and having different effects. One poison acts on the nerves, the other on the blood. 中文理解：唾液转变成毒液，人们可能以为是固定程序起作用。其实没有。有些蛇产生的毒液与另外一些毒蛇所产生的毒液完全不同，效果各异，就像砒霜跟马钱子碱不同一样。一种毒液作用于神经，另一种则作用于血液。 * **took place**：参与 / 发生 / 照料；take 后面的词决定意思；参与活动才用 take part in。 #### 1. one might suppose that…process took place. 复合句，主谓+宾语从句结构. 从句本身为主谓结构. #### 2. It did not; some snakes manufactured a poison as different as… 并列复合句，以分号分开，首句为主谓结构. 第二句主句为主谓宾结构，后面为从句本身为主谓结构. 有三个结构修饰a poison，其中第一个可改语序为(different from that of others) \[in every respect]. 第二个修饰结构为as different as 引导的方式状语从句，从句本身是主系表结构. 第三个为现在分词短语作后置定语，表示效果完全不同. #### 3. One poison acts on the nerves. 并列句，不过因为后句是省略句，划分了成分. 如果是两个完整的句子，则不能像本句一样直接以逗号相连，须加and 才可以. 还原为one poison acts on the nerves, and the other acts on the blood. ### 第3段 The makers of the nerve poison include the mambas and the cobras and their venom is called neurotoxic. Vipers adders and rattlesnakes manufacture the blood poison, which is known as haemolytic. Both poisons are unpleasant, but by far the more unpleasant is the blood poison. It is said that the nerve poison is the more primitive of the two, that the blood poison is, so to speak, a newer product from an improved formula. Be that as it may, the nerve poison does its business with man far more quickly than the blood poison. This, however, means nothing. Snakes did not acquire their poison for use against man but for use against prey such as rats and mice, and the effects on these of viperine poison is almost immediate. 中文理解：产生神经毒液的蛇包括树眼镜蛇和眼镜蛇，它们的毒液称为神经毒液。蝰蛇（蝮蛇）和响尾蛇产生血液毒素，称为溶血性毒液。这两种毒液都很可怕，但溶血性毒液更为可怕。据说，神经毒液相比之下较为原始，而溶血性毒液，打个比方说，是根据改良配方生产的一种较新的产品。不过，神经毒液比溶血性毒液在人身上起作用快得多。 可这并没有什么关系。因为蛇有毒液不是用来对付人的，而是对付它的猎物，诸如鼠类，毒液对这些猎物几乎立即见效。 #### 1. The makers include…and their venom is called… 并列句，and 连接两个句子，第一句为主谓宾结构，第二句为主谓+主语补语. We call their venom . 宾语补足语在被动语态时，转为主语补足语. #### 2. Vipers and rattlesnakes manufacture the blood poison which… 复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，后有一个which 引导的定语从句，该从句为被动语态的主谓+主语补语结构. #### 3. Both poisons are unpleasant, but the more unpleasant is the blood poison… 并列句，but 连接两个句子，均为主系表结构. #### 4. It is said that… 复合句，实际主语为两个that 引导的主语从句. 两个主语从句均为主系表结构. so to speak 为so to say 的变体. #### 5. the nerve poison does its business… 复合句，句首是一个倒装的让步状语从句，还原为as(此时应用though) it may be that. 在as 引导让步状语从句中，表语放在句首时，若主语是代词，主谓不倒装，但是必须把作表语的形容词、名词、动词和副词提到as 前面. 所以文中仍为it may，只是将be that 提前. 主句为主谓宾结构. #### 6. This means nothing… 简单句，主谓宾结构. #### 7. Snakes did not acquire their poison, and the effects is immediate… 并列句，前句为主谓宾结构，后句为主系表结构. ## 学完这一课 选一个可以讨论的判断，说明依据，再加上一句限制或不同情况。 [Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-4/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/) *译文与解析据吴应时整理资料及本站首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第80—83页，2022年2月第2版。*