The Strange Tale of the Tarsier | 眼镜猴——森林里的小精灵

眼镜猴——森林里的小精灵

by Rebecca A. Fratzke

This odd-looking primate is unique in more ways than one.

这种外型奇特的灵长类动物在许多方面都很特殊。

If you were on a Southeast Asian island at night, you might catch a glimpse of a big pair of eyes peering out at you from the bushes. Don't worry, though. This peeper from the bushes won't be hunting you. _(1)_, this strange creature has insects on its mind. The tarsier is a small nocturnal primate with huge eyes. It uses them to see clearly as it hunts insects and small animals _(2)_. Interestingly, tarsiers' eyes don't reflect light as other animals' do. This doubtlessly has made _(3)_ more difficult to research them because most experts rely on this reflection to locate nocturnal animals.

_(4)_ that you saw tarsiers in the wild, you'd realize their eyes, which are in fact the same size as their brains, are not their only odd characteristics. Tarsiers also have very long hind legs and digits. Their long legs are used for jumping from tree to tree, and their long digits also have specific uses. _(5)_ are they used for grasping branches, but the equally long claws of the second and third digits of the hind feet are specifically used for grooming their fur.

Unfortunately, tarsiers are now _(6)_. Worse yet, most captive breeding programs have failed. The stress of captivity causes unpredictable behavior that can _(7)_ self-inflicted injuries or even suicide. Therefore, the only true hope for tarsiers is habitat protection. Like many of the world's odd but enchanting creatures, tarsiers need to be recognized for their special place in the world's delicate ecosystem.

1.    (A) Thus  (B) Therefore   (C) Instead (D) Otherwise

2.   (A) on the spot    (B) in the darkness (C) at the sight    (D) under the spotlight

3.     (A) them (B) that    (C) it  (D) much

4.     (A) Providing    (B) Regarding   (C) Considering (D) Including

5.     (A) No sooner    (B) Only when   (C) Not until   (D) Not only

6.     (A) infected (B) endangered  (C) notified    (D) fascinated

7.     (A) lead to  (B) result from (C) turn out    (D) come about

　要是你在夜晚到东南亚的小岛上，你可能会瞥到灌木丛里有双大眼睛在盯着你瞧。不过别担心，灌木丛里的偷窥者不会伤害你。这个奇特生物脑子里想的反而都是昆虫。眼镜猴是种有双大眼睛的小型夜行性灵长类动物。眼镜猴能在黑暗中利用这双大眼睛看清楚来捕捉昆虫和小型动物。有趣的是，眼镜猴的眼睛并不像其他动物一样会反射光线。这无疑让研究眼镜猴的工作变得更为困难，因为大部分专家仰赖光线在眼睛中的折射来找出夜行性动物。

　　假如你在野外看见眼镜猴时，你就会发现牠们脑容量般大的眼睛并不是牠们全身上下唯一奇特的地方。牠们还有非常长的后腿和脚趾。长腿用来方便牠们在树木间跳来跳去，而长脚趾也有特殊的功用。脚趾不只在抓紧树枝时派得上用场，后足的第二根和第三根脚趾上等长的勾爪还能特别用来梳理皮毛。

　　不幸的是，眼镜猴现在正濒临绝种。更糟的是，大部分关在笼子里的饲养计划都宣告失败。关在笼里的压力使牠们产生难以捉摸的行为，这些行为可能导致自残，甚至自杀的行为。因此，栖息地的保育是眼镜猴唯一的希望。和世界上许多奇特又迷人的生物一样，眼镜猴需要大家认同牠们在这个世界微妙生态系统里的特殊地位。

答案：1. (C)2. (B)3. (C)4. (A)5. (D)
6. (B)7. (A)

For Your Information

眼镜猴的体型非常小，身长仅约 10 公分，尾巴则约为体长的两倍，因满月般的大眼睛宛如戴着一幅眼镜而得名。牠们指头的前端钝而圆扁，有吸盘般的功能，脚趾的二、三趾为勾爪，余为平爪。最有趣的是牠们的脖子短小，头部可作 180 度的回转。（数据源：维基百科）