離開
進入中英對照讀新聞》Frogs are screaming - we just can’t hear them, scientists in Brazil discover 巴西科學家發現青蛙會尖叫 只是我們聽不到
巴西科學家發現，青蛙會發出人類聽不到的尖叫聲。示意圖。（路透檔案照）
◎孫宇青
Scientists have recorded the first case of "defensive ultrasound" being used by amphibians.
科學家錄下第一個兩棲動物使用「防禦性超音波」的案例。
Some frogs scream at an ear-splitting volume for other animals but its frequency is inaudible to humans, scientists have discovered.
科學家發現，有些青蛙的尖叫聲對其他動物來說是震耳欲聾的，但其頻率對人類來說卻是聽不見的。
While out in the Amazonian jungle studying frogs, researchers in Brazil noticed something strange.
巴西學者在亞馬遜叢林研究青蛙時，注意到一些奇怪的事情。
Small leaf litter frogs were arching their backs, throwing back their heads and opening their mouths wide. They looked like they were screaming but the scientists could hear nothing.
小枯葉蛙弓起背、仰著頭、張大嘴。牠們看起來像是在尖叫，但科學家什麼也聽不到。
When they recorded the frogs using high-frequency audio recorders, the scientists captured the first documented case of "defensive ultrasound" being used by amphibians.
當他們使用高頻錄音機錄下青蛙時，捕獲到兩棲動物使用「防禦性超音波」的第一個紀錄案例。
The scream is a response to predators, according to researchers from Brazil’s State University of Campinas. It could be a call to arms to attract another animal to attack the predator.
巴西坎皮納斯州立大學的研究人員表示，這種尖叫聲是對掠食者的回應，可能是為了吸引其他動物攻擊掠食者，而發出的戰鬥號召。
新聞辭典
ear-splitting：形容詞，震耳欲聾的。例句：We just heard an ear-splitting rumble of thunder.（我們剛聽到震耳欲聾的隆隆雷聲。）
inaudible：形容詞，聽不見的。例句：The ear-splitting explosion made my voice inaudible.（震耳欲聾的爆炸聲掩蓋了我的聲音。）
