英语听力：美洲大平原-12

Because these two bull mammoths both had broken tusks, they could have fought at closer quarters than they would do normally. Twisting and turning, they became locked in a deadly embrace. Even more bizarre, this twist of fate then caused a third fatality. Beneath one mammoth's shoulder blade was the skull of a coyote, pressed into the ground.

While we can only speculate on just how the coyote died, it's likely it was scavenging around the decomposing carcasses, when one caved in and crushed it.

Coyotes are still on the plains today. They hunt their food as well as scavenge carcasses,but small live prey can be more trouble than large dead ones. Prairie dogs are always on alert and once a trespasser is spotted, the entire town vanishes into thin air.

Prairie dogs aren't really dogs at all. They're rodents but coyotes are full-blooded members of the canine clan and like all dogs, they sometimes hunt in groups to tackle bigger prey. Some prey, however, are just too big, even for a pack of coyotes.

But 13,000 years ago, there was another kind of canine hunter here, one that gave even the bison a run for their money. The wolf -- the ultimate pack hunter.

1 tusks

n.(象等动物的)长牙( tusk的名词复数 );獠牙;尖形物;尖头

参考例句：

The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。

Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分(高一)

2 fatality

n.不幸，灾祸，天命

参考例句：

She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。

He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。

3 skull

n.头骨;颅骨

参考例句：

The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。

He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

4 decomposing

腐烂( decompose的现在分词 ); (使)分解; 分解(某物质、光线等)

参考例句：

The air was filled with the overpowering stench of decomposing vegetation. 空气中充满了令人难以忍受的腐烂植物的恶臭。

Heat was obtained from decomposing manures and hot air flues. 靠肥料分解和烟道为植物提供热量。

5 prey

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食;v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。

The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

6 trespasser

n.侵犯者;违反者

参考例句：

The worst they'd ever dealt with was an occasionally trespasser or small-time thief. 他们过去对付的充其量是一个偶尔闯入者或是小偷小摸者。

In such event the offending member or guest shall be trespasser. 在此情况下，违例的会员或嘉宾一概视作擅自进入论。

7 spotted

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。

Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

8 rodents

n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》

Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句

9 canine

adj.犬的，犬科的

参考例句：

The fox is a canine animal.狐狸是犬科动物。

Herbivorous animals have very small canine teeth,or none.食草动物的犬牙很小或者没有。

10 clan

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。

The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。