常春藤生活英語：Triumph of Life　生存贏家

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. This statement is certainly correct in the human world, but is it also true in the animal world? Since the beginning of time, animals have done odd things to attract another's attention. Inside of all animals, there is a powerful need to breed. To continue the family bloodline is one of life's most important things. Males and females have different needs, so they have always battled each other.

Male animals are looking to mate as often as possible and they enjoy variety. On the other hand, female animals are much more picky. They are looking for partners of quality and ones that can make them feel safe. It seems as though animals and humans are much more alike than we know. Check out animals and all of their habits on The Mating Game. This is one of the shows in National Geographic Channel's series, Triumph of Life. In The Mating Game, the winners get to continue their bloodline for the next generation.

男人來自火星，女人則來自金星。在人類的世界里，這句話說的對極了，但動物界中也是如此嗎?自開天辟地以來，動物吸引異性注意的方法便無奇不有。動物的內心里都有強大的繁殖需求。傳宗接代是生命中最重要的事情之一。雄性及雌性動物的需求不同，所以兩性之間總是紛爭不斷。

雄性動物期望交配的次數愈頻繁愈好，而且牠們還喜歡對象繁多。另一方面，雌性動物可就挑剔多了　…們尋找的對象必須很優(yōu)秀，而且還要能讓牠們有安全感。動物和人類的相似處似乎比我們知道的還要多。請收看《交配游戲》，觀賞所有動物及其習性。這是國家地理頻道《生存贏家》系列的節(jié)目之一。在《交配游戲》中，勝者才有機會為牠們的下一代延續(xù)命脈。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.odd　a. 奇特的，古怪的

The odd woman kept talking to herself.

那名奇怪的女子一直在自言自語。

2.breed　vi.(動物)繁殖;生育

Rabbits breed very quickly.

兔子繁殖地很快。

3.attract　vt. 吸引;引起(興趣、關注等)

This sale has attracted many shoppers.

這場拍賣會吸引了許多購物者前來。

4.picky　a. 挑剔的

Elaine is picky. She wouldn't like this place.

伊蓮很挑剔。她不會喜歡這個地方。

Phrases for Learning

1.be looking to + 原形動詞　　打算∕期待(做)……

Bruce is looking to buy a new house soon.

布魯斯想在不久之后買棟新房子。

2.of quality　　優(yōu)秀的

Monica thinks that Will is a man of quality.

莫妮卡認為威爾是個優(yōu)秀的好男人。

參考字詞

1.Mars　n. 火星

2.Venus　n. 金星

3.bloodline　n. 血統(tǒng);血脈

4.mate　vi. 交配(本文亦以現在分詞作形容詞用)

5.triumph　n. 勝利

6.generation　n. 世代，一代

Tips In Use

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

(男人來自火星，女人則來自金星。)

表行星的名詞如 Mars、Venus、Jupiter(木星)等皆為專有名詞，故第一個字母要大寫，且其前不加任何冠詞。earth(地球)則通常不用大寫，且其前要用定冠詞 the，但用于"疑問詞 + on earth...?"(究竟∕到底……?)的句型中時，earth 之前不加冠詞，亦不須大寫。例：

What on earth are you doing?

(你到底在做什么?)

How on earth are we going to get there?

(我們究竟該怎樣到那里?)