2021-05-03 Did the Tyrannosaurus Rex hunt in a pack like wolves 霸王龙曾像狼群一样成群捕食？

霸王龙是否比我们想象中的更善于交际？一直以来，科学家们都曾以为霸王龙是离群索居的食肉动物，喜欢独自捕食和生活。然而，来自美国阿肯色大学的一组古生物学家可能发现了有关这种可怕动物的一个新理论。

The theory that tyrannosaurs were social animals was first suggested 20 years ago. That was when a dozen of the creatures were found at a site in Alberta, Canada. Another such mass death site was later found in Montana. This one in southern Utah again shows that tyrannosaurs died in the same place.

霸王龙是群居动物的理论最早是在20年前提出的。当时，加拿大阿尔伯塔省某处发现了十几只霸王龙的遗骸。后来，美国蒙大拿州又发现了另一个这样的霸王龙集体死亡遗址。这次，在美国犹他州南部发现的遗址再次表明，霸王龙是在同一地点死亡的。

Analysing the bones and rocks, a team of palaeontologists from the University of Arkansas say it suggests the tyrannosaurs came together to prey on other animals, at least when times got tougher and resources were dwindling. 

来自美国阿肯色大学的一组古生物学家在分析了骨骼和化石后说，这表明这些霸王龙曾聚集在一起捕食其它动物，至少在生存艰难、资源日益减少的日子里是这样的。

These conclusions add to mounting evidence that they may not so much have been lone predators, but hunted in packs like wolves, which makes them, as hard to imagine as that may seem, even more terrifying.

这些结论再次证实霸王龙可能并非离群索居的食肉动物，而是像狼一样成群结队地捕食，简直想不到霸王龙还可以比我们原本想象得更可怕。

词汇表

tyrannosaurs 霸王龙
social 善于交际的，合群的
creatures 生物，动物
palaeontologists 古生物学家
prey on 捕食
dwindling 减少，缩小
predators 食肉动物，掠食者
hunted 捕猎
packs （一同生活、猎食的动物）群
terrifying 可怕的，吓人的

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. True or false? Tyrannosaurs have been thought to be social animals throughout history.

2. What does the site in southern Utah show?

3. After analysing bones and rocks, what conclusion was made by the team of palaeontologists from the University of Arkansas?

4. According to the speaker, what makes tyrannosaurs even more terrifying?

答案 

1. True or false? Tyrannosaurs have been thought to be social animals throughout history.
False. The theory that tyrannosaurs were social animals was first suggested 20 years ago. 

2. What does the site in southern Utah show?
The site in southern Utah shows that tyrannosaurs died in the same place. 

3. After analysing bones and rocks, what conclusion was made by the team of palaeontologists from the University of Arkansas? 
That tyrannosaurs came together to prey on other animals.

4. According to the speaker, what makes tyrannosaurs even more terrifying?
That they may not so much have been lone predators, but hunted in packs like wolves.