Lizards蜥蜴短篇散文

　　Lizards蜥蜴

Lizards are members of the reptile family. Other members are snakes, turtles, crocodiles and alligators. Lizards have several things in common with other reptiles. All reptiles are cold-blooded. They cannot control their own body temperature. It is controlled by their surroundings. Lizards must work to maintain their temperature. Another characteristic which lizards have in common with all reptiles is that their skin is made of scales.

蜥蜴是爬行動物的一員。爬行動物還包括蛇，龜，鱷魚和短吻鱷。蜥蜴與其他爬行動物有幾個共同點。所有的爬行動物是冷血的。他們無法控制自己的體溫。他們的體溫由他們所處的環境決定。蜥蜴必須努力保持其溫度。而蜥蜴與所有爬行動物的另一個共同點是他們的皮膚是由鱗片組成。

Lizards shed their skin frequently because the skin doesn't grow with them. They have lungs and breathe like humans. They breathe through nostrils above their mouths. They have a special organ on the roof of their mouth. It is a Jacobson's organ. Lizards smell with this. They pick up the smells with their tongues. The smells travel to the Jacobson's organ. Lizards can sense prey this way. Their eyes and ears are located on either side of their heads.

蜥蜴常常蛻皮是因爲他們的皮膚不跟隨他們自生成長。他們有肺，像人類一樣呼吸。他們通過其嘴巴上面鼻孔呼吸。他們口腔上部有一個特殊的器官，被稱爲雅各布遜氏器。蜥蜴通過這個器官聞到氣味。他們用舌頭感知氣味，隨後氣味傳遞到雅各布遜氏器。蜥蜴也能通過這種方式感知獵物。他們的眼睛和耳朵位於頭的兩側。

Lizards have a simple body shape. They have a head, a pair of legs, a long body, another pair of legs and a tail. Their tails can help them balance, swim, or grab tree branches. Some lizards use their tails as a weapon. They can also wiggle away from a predator which grabs their tail. Certain muscles will cause it to fall off, but the tail still moves. The predator watches the tail, and the lizards can escape. Then lizards can grow a new tail. Lizards range in size from one and one-half inches long to seven and one-half feet. The Komodo dragon is the biggest lizard. The Komodo dragons live in Indonesia. The smallest lizards live in the British Virgin Islands.

蜥蜴的體型十分簡單。他們有一個頭，一雙腿，一個修長的身體，另一對腿和一根尾巴。它們的尾巴能幫助他們平衡，游泳，或抓住樹枝。有些蜥蜴用它們的尾巴作爲武器。當捕食者抓住他們尾巴的`時候，他們可以通過扭動尾巴進而逃跑。而某些肌肉會使尾巴脫落，但脫落的尾巴卻仍然是活動的。使捕食者盯着蜥蜴的尾巴，蜥蜴便得以逃脫。不久後蜥蜴就長出新的尾巴。蜥蜴的體型從七又二分之一英尺到一又二分英寸不等。科莫多巨蜥是最大的蜥蜴。科莫多巨蜥生活在印度尼西亞。最小的蜥蜴生活在英屬維爾京羣島。

Lizards can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Many live in tropical rain forests. Food is plentiful for them there. The hot damp climate allows them to maintain their body temperatures. They can be found also in deserts and other hot, dry areas. Many of the desert lizards are nocturnal. They come out in the cooler evening. Very hot weather is not good for them. Lizards that live in cold climates hibernate through the winter. Their bodies can't tolerate the cold temperatures. Also, food is not as readily available in the winter.

除南極洲以外，各大洲都有蜥蜴的蹤跡。許多生活在熱帶雨林。那裏有豐盛的食物。炎熱潮溼的氣候使他們能夠保持自己的體溫。在沙漠等炎熱乾燥的地方也有它們的身影。許多沙漠蜥蜴是夜間活動。他們在涼爽的傍晚出來。他們無法適應炎熱的天氣。生活在寒冷的氣候下的蜥蜴通過冬眠越冬。他們的身體不能耐受寒冷的氣溫。另外，在冬天食物並不容易獲得。

Some lizards are carnivores and some are herbivores. Large carnivores like the Komodo dragon will eat anything they can find. They need a lot of food so will hunt bigger prey, like deer and cattle. Gila monsters are also rather large lizards. They usually look for baby birds and mice. They bite their prey. Poison flows from their mouths into the wound. Gila monsters are the only venomous lizards in the United States. Smaller carnivores eat insects, other lizards and small animals. Herbivores eat leaves, fruit, flowers and other plants. They can more easily obtain food. They don't have to hunt or wait in hiding like the carnivores.

有些蜥蜴是食肉動物，有些是食草動物。像科莫多巨蜥大型食肉動物會吃任何可以找到的東西。他們需要大量的食物，所以會尋找更大的獵物，如鹿和牛。毒蜥也是相當大的蜥蜴。他們通常尋找雛鳥和老鼠。他們咬住獵物。毒液從他們口中流入獵物的傷口。毒蜥是美國境內唯一有毒的蜥蜴。小型食肉蜥蜴吃昆蟲，其它蜥蜴等小動物。食草動物吃樹葉，水果，花卉等植物。他們更容易地獲取食物。他們不需要像食肉動物那樣去打獵或隱藏等待獵物。

Lizards are prey to birds, snakes, bears, raccoons, and coyotes. They try to avoid the predators by hiding underground or behind rocks during the day. At night they stay in a nice warm burrow under the ground.

蜥蜴是鳥，蛇，熊，浣熊和狼的獵物。他們試圖通過白天躲在地下或岩石後面來避免天敵。到了晚上，他們便會把自己埋在溫暖的地下洞穴。

In summary, lizards are members of the reptile family. Like reptiles, they are cold-blooded. Their temperature is controlled by their environment. They have to work at keeping their bodies at a comfortable temperature. Also, like reptiles, their skin is composed of scales.

蜥蜴是爬行族的成員。如同其他爬行動物，它們是冷血動物。它們的溫度是由他們的環境的控制。他們需要保持自己的身體合適的溫度。此外，如同其他爬行動物，它們的皮膚是由鱗片組成。