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Ground Squirrel

地松鼠

此文与其他相关文章已经汇集成册，由四川大学出版社出版，英语汉语对照。这里发帖，供网友学习参考。

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No matter where you live in North America, （1）you can see some variety of ground squirrels. (2) 不管你居住在北美洲哪个地方，你都能看到某种地松鼠。

In the West and Midwest there are gophers and prairie dogs, and in the East, chipmunks. Ground hogs are another kind of ground squirrel. 美国的西部和中西部有黄鼠和草原犬鼠。在东部有金花鼠。美洲旱獭是另类地松鼠。

Ground squirrels live in burrows, instead of in the trees like other squirrels. They eat seeds, nuts, and grain. Some hoard food in their burrows for winter eating. Others hibernate in their burrows over the winter. 地松鼠不象其他的松鼠生活在树上，而是住在地洞里。它们吃种子、坚果和谷物。有的地松鼠，在洞中存储食物，供冬天吃。其他的地松鼠，冬天在洞中冬眠。

Prairie dogs, unlike many ground squirrels, live together in big burrows on the western prairies. They stay close to home, standing on top of little mounds containing the entrance to their burrows. Often they even stand in the burrow, with only their heads showing. 草原犬鼠和许多地松鼠不一样，群居在西部大草原的大地洞中。它们呆在家门口，站在小土堆顶上，小土堆有通向它们地洞的入口。它们甚至常常站在洞中，只把头露出来。

Chipmunks are less heavy-bodied and more active that many ground squirrels. They hide nuts everywhere and then forget where they put most of them. In this way they help plant many trees and bushes. 金花鼠的身体没有那么笨重，比许多地松鼠都更为活跃。它们将坚果到处藏，然后忘记了大部分坚果所藏的地方。这样，它们便帮着种下许多的树木和灌木。

There are 33 kinds of ground squirrels altogether in the Unite States, and many varieties in Africa. They vary in size: the ground hog is probably the largest American variety. 美国总共有33种地松鼠；非洲的地松鼠种类繁多。它们的个儿大小不等：美洲旱獭大概美洲最大的地松鼠。

Most ground squirrels live all alone in their burrows except when they mate. Litters contain six or seven babies, who live with the female until they are grown. 大多数地松鼠除了交配的时候外，都孤独地生活在它们的地洞中。一窝地松鼠有6到7个幼崽，它们和雌地松鼠生活在一起，直到长大。

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NOTES：

1.       No matter where you live in North America…

句中的No matter是连词，后面常接关系代词或关系副词，引导出一个让步状语从句。再比如：No matter who you are, you ought to obey the law.（不管你是谁，你都该守法。 --- 后接关系代词）/ No matter how young you look now, you will grow old.（现在你看起来不管有多年轻，你都要变老的。 --- 后接表示程度的关系副词）/ No matter when you come, you are welcome.（不管你什么时候来，都受欢迎。--- 后接表示时间的关系副词）。

2.       …you can see some variety of ground squirrels.

句中的variety表示“动物或植物的种类”，与subspecies和race的意思相近。 但是，variety强调变异。再比如：They are developing new varieties to meet special conditions.（他们正在培育新品种，以适应特殊环境。）而subspecies强调次一等的地位，属于一个品种中的亚种。比如：This is a curious subspecies of the plant.（这是一个奇特的亚种植物。）race强调具有共同的祖先和明显的遗传差异。用于人类时，侧重比较稳定的身体特征（如皮肤的颜色、发型、头骨形状等）。也可指同种的大群或小群，强调具有共同的后裔。比如：The Dutch are a hardy race.（荷兰人是一个勇敢的民族。）