🪄 2B 核心词汇表
absurd
/əbˈsɜːd/
adj.
completely ridiculous, unreasonable, or illogical
荒谬的；极其怪诞可笑的
In the jungle is Nature's most absurd theater of courtship.
在密林深处，上演着大自然最怪诞有趣的求偶剧场。
bounce
/baʊns/
v.
to move up and down in a lively, energetic manner
蹦跳；弹跳
The male bird bounces up and down energetically to impress the female.
雄鸟精力充沛地上上下下蹦跳以打动雌鸟。
breed
/briːd/
v.
(of animals) to mate and produce offspring
繁殖；培育；交配
Birds of paradise have evolved diverse and elaborate systems to breed.
极乐鸟进化出了各种精巧复杂的求偶与繁殖体系。
commence
/kəˈmens/
v.
to begin something
开始；着手
At sunrise, the forest performers commence their dramatic dances.
日出时分，这群森林表演家便开始了他们充满戏剧性的舞蹈。
evolution
/ˌiː.vəˈluː.ʃən/
n.
the gradual change and development of living things over generations
演化；进化
Sexual selection has been the driving force behind their extraordinary evolution.
性选择一直是推动它们非凡进化的主要动力。
harsh
/hɑːʃ/
adj.
unpleasant, difficult, cruel, or severe
严酷的；严厉的；残酷的
In environments free from harsh predators, bizarre traits can flourish.
在没有凶残捕食者的安宁环境中，奇特的性状得以蓬勃发展。
noble
/ˈnəʊ.bəl/
adj.
having splendid personal qualities, dignity, or an impressive appearance
高贵的；庄严壮丽的
Covered in soft, black feathers, the noble performer bows deeply to his audience.
披着柔软黑色羽毛的这位高贵演员向观众深深鞠躬。
prominent
/ˈprɒm.ɪ.nənt/
adj.
standing out so as to be easily seen; noticeably important
显著的；显眼的；突出的
On its head, the bird has several long and prominent quills.
在它的头部，长着几根又长又引人注目的羽状翎翎。
ritual
/ˈrɪtʃ.u.əl/
n.
a formal series of acts always performed in the same order
仪式；惯例；程式化的行为
The male parotia has developed a special mating ritual of bows and hops.
雄性六线风鸟演化出了一套特殊的鞠躬与跳跃求偶仪式。
undergo
/ˌʌn.dəˈɡəʊ/
v.
to experience something necessary, difficult, or transformative
经受；经历
Young birds must undergo years of practice before mastering the courtship display.
幼鸟必须经过多年的刻苦练习才能完全掌握这套求偶舞技。
📖 课文原文 · Feathers of Love
Paragraph A
Covered in soft, black feathers, the noble performer bows deeply to his audience. Standing on a branch in the dense mountain forest of New Guinea, he pauses for a moment, waiting for complete silence. Then the male Carola's parotia—one of the world's most spectacular birds of paradise—commences his extraordinary courtship routine. Above him on a higher vine, a female watches his display closely, evaluating every movement.
Paragraph B
An Amazing Performance. In the dense jungle of New Guinea is Nature's most absurd theater of courtship. The island of New Guinea is home to nearly 40 species of birds of paradise, each possessing its own bizarre dance rituals. The males have evolved astonishing arrays of brightly colored feathers, elongated wires, neck ruffs, and shiny badges. To attract the critical eye of prospective mates, they perform dances with unmatched energy and theatrical flair.
Paragraph C
The male Carola's parotia, however, is widely acknowledged as the dance king of the birds of paradise. First, he clears a clean stage on the forest floor, picking up leaves and twigs with meticulous care. He spreads his wings intensely like a giant dark butterfly, puffing out iridescent throat feathers and bouncing up and down. He shakes his head so rapidly that the long, prominent head plumes blur into a shimmering halo.
Paragraph D
These birds of paradise invite us to solve a profound mystery of nature. Such flamboyant feathers and vulnerable displays seem to defy natural selection, making birds easy targets for predators. Why would evolution favor traits that appear to hinder survival in the wild? The answer lies in the unique isolation and bounty of New Guinea's tropical mountains.
Paragraph E
The result is a perfect environment for birds: an abundance of fruit and insects year-round with no native predatory mammals. Under these conditions, female choice became the paramount driving force in survival and reproduction. Sexual selection has thus been the key mechanism sculpting the male birds' most outlandish plumages and behaviors. Only the healthiest, most agile males who undergo years of practice can produce such breathtaking displays.
Paragraph F
Trouble in Paradise. For thousands of years, the people of New Guinea have respected and revered these sacred birds. Hunters took only a modest number of feathers for traditional ceremonial headdresses, maintaining a sustainable balance. However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a ruthless global trade erupted. European fashion demanded millions of bird of paradise plumes for ladies' hats, devastating island populations.
Paragraph G
Although commercial hunting was eventually banned and local harvesting strictly regulated, new threats loom. Extensive logging, oil palm plantations, and mineral exploration continue to clear fragile mountain rainforests. Conservationists are working alongside local communities to establish protected wildlife corridors across the ranges. They hope that as long as the forest offers them a stage, these noble performers will keep dancing for generations to come.
1. Carola's parotia is a species of bird of paradise famous for six long head quills and brilliant courtship ballet.
2. Sexual selection is a mode of natural selection where members of one biological sex choose mates of the other sex to mate with.
3. New Guinea is the second-largest island on Earth, celebrated for its unique isolated biodiversity and lack of native predatory mammals.
2. Sexual selection is a mode of natural selection where members of one biological sex choose mates of the other sex to mate with.
3. New Guinea is the second-largest island on Earth, celebrated for its unique isolated biodiversity and lack of native predatory mammals.
预习练习得分: 0 / 22 题
Before You Read · p.34
Look at the reading title and headings on pages 34–37. Discuss the bizarre characteristics and courtship behaviors of birds of paradise.
Reading Comprehension · p.38
A. Choose the best answer for each question.
B. Scan the reading passage to find the words in bold below. Then choose the correct meaning in context.
Reading Skill · p.39
Identifying Figurative Language — Similes, Metaphors, and Personification. Writers use similes (using like or as), metaphors (stating one thing is another), and personification (attributing human qualities to non-human things) to paint vivid imagery.
P.34 Before You Read · Discussion
1. Look at the photo on page 34. In what way(s) is the Wilson’s bird of paradise unusual?
P.34 Before You Read · Skimming
2. Check the information about birds of paradise covered in the passage:
P.38 Comprehension A · Main Idea
1. Why do birds of paradise dance and display their feathers?
P.38 Comprehension A · Detail
2. Which factor is NOT mentioned as a reason for the birds’ unusual characteristics?
P.38 Comprehension A · Cause and Effect
3. Why did so many birds of paradise die in the early 1900s?
P.38 Comprehension A · Inference
4. Why do local people continue to hunt birds of paradise?
P.38 Comprehension A · Cohesion
5. The sentence 'However, there may be some good news for the birds.' would best be placed at the beginning of which paragraph?
P.38 Comprehension B · Meaning
1. bows (paragraph A): '...the noble performer bows deeply to his audience.'
P.38 Comprehension B · Meaning
2. row (paragraph A): '...sitting in a row on a branch...'
P.38 Comprehension B · Meaning
3. stage (paragraph C): '...he clears a clean stage on the forest floor...'
P.38 Comprehension B · Meaning
4. display (paragraph D): '...flamboyant feathers and vulnerable displays...'
P.38 Comprehension B · Meaning
5. present (paragraph G): '...extravagant plumages present serious challenges...'
P.39 Reading Skill A · Figurative Language
1. 'Covered in soft, black feathers, the noble performer bows deeply to his audience.' (paragraph A)
P.39 Reading Skill A · Figurative Language
2. 'He spreads and moves his wings intensely, like a giant butterfly.' (paragraph C)
P.39 Reading Skill A · Figurative Language
3. 'The male Carola’s parotia, however, is the dance king of the birds of paradise.' (paragraph C)
P.39 Reading Skill A · Figurative Language
4. 'These include one in which he spreads out his feathers like a dress.' (paragraph C)
P.39 Reading Skill A · Figurative Language
5. 'They’ll keep dancing for as long as the forest offers them a stage.' (paragraph G)
P.39 Reading Skill B · Figurative Language in 2A
1. Reading A Simile (Paragraph C): Beyond 1,000 meters, it is _______.
P.39 Reading Skill B · Figurative Language in 2A
2. Reading A Metaphor (Paragraph E): Remarkably, some creatures even have a _______.
P.39 Reading Skill B · Figurative Language in 2A
3. Reading A Simile (Paragraph F): Swimming quickly through the viscous water would be _______.
P.39 Reading Skill B · Figurative Language in 2A
4. Reading A Simile ('Stars of the Sea'): The bioluminescent trails of fish darted through water, _______.
P.39 Reading Skill B · Figurative Language in 2A
5. Reading A Metaphor ('Stars of the Sea'): Paddling across Mosquito Bay feels as though _______.
Critical Thinking · Reflecting & Applying
Think of some similes or metaphors you could use to describe animals or inspiring people you know (e.g. as fast as lightning, as wise as an owl, like a whirlwind of energy). Write your reflections below:
📘 2B 核心词汇
点击发音跟读，展开中文释义检查记忆。
跟读 0 次
中文释义
荒谬的；极其怪诞可笑的跟读 0 次
中文释义
蹦跳；弹跳跟读 0 次
中文释义
繁殖；培育；交配跟读 0 次
中文释义
开始；着手跟读 0 次
中文释义
演化；进化跟读 0 次
中文释义
严酷的；严厉的；残酷的跟读 0 次
中文释义
高贵的；庄严壮丽的跟读 0 次
中文释义
显著的；显眼的；突出的跟读 0 次
中文释义
仪式；惯例；程式化的行为跟读 0 次
中文释义
经受；经历
复习练习得分: 0 / 14 题
Vocabulary Practice A · Completion (p.40)
Complete the paragraph using the correct form of words from the box (absurd, bounce, prominent, ritual).
Vocabulary Practice B · Definitions (p.40)
Match the target vocabulary with the definitions below.
Vocabulary Practice C · Word Forms (p.40)
We can add -ility to some adjectives to form nouns (e.g., noble + -ility = nobility). Complete the sentences with words containing -ility (stability, reliable, hostile, mobility).
P.40 Vocab Practice A · Completion
1. The male Carola’s parotia has developed a special mating _______ that involves bowing and hopping.
P.40 Vocab Practice A · Completion
2. On its head, the bird has several long and _______ quills that catch the light.
P.40 Vocab Practice A · Completion
3. The bird _______ up and down in hopes of attracting a female.
P.40 Vocab Practice A · Completion
4. Its mating dance is so _______ that researchers can hardly keep from laughing.
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
1. (for animals) to mate and have babies:
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
2. to begin or start:
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
3. to experience something necessary, difficult, or transformative:
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
4. cruel, severe, or unpleasant:
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
5. having fine personal qualities or an impressive, dignified appearance:
P.40 Vocab Practice B · Definitions
6. the way in which living things change and develop over millions of years:
P.40 Vocab Practice C · Word Forms (-ility)
1. Economic development is more likely to occur during periods of political _______.
P.40 Vocab Practice C · Word Forms (-ility)
2. Oil is not a _______ energy source in the long term, as supplies are limited.
P.40 Vocab Practice C · Word Forms (-ility)
3. Communication breakdowns can produce a _______ environment in the workplace.
P.40 Vocab Practice C · Word Forms (-ility)
4. The widespread availability of cars in the 20th century led to an increase in personal _______.
🏆
Reading Explorer 4 · Unit 2B 荣誉通关
恭喜完成 2B Feathers of Love 全部精读与词汇练习！
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