新概念英语第四册33-02

接下来课文...After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, ...

feed on...: 靠吃…为生 I feed on rice./I feed rice. (False) I feed the baby.

live by...: 通过...生活 live by the hands 自力更生 live by the mountains

live on=feed on

接下来课文...whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive,...

dead or alive 连缀形容词要做后置定语

ecological chain: 生物链 the law of the jungle, survival of the fittest

接下来课文... and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided. ...

chance=accidental 偶尔 chance meeting 邂逅 chance company 萍水相逢

接下来课文...The remains of plants and animals that lived on land are much more rarely preserved, for there is seldom anything to cover them over. When you think of the innumerable birds that one sees flying about, not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see, ...

on land 陆路

seldom=hardly

innumerable=numerous

see sb doing sth.

fly about: 四外飞翔 go about: 转一转

not to mention: 更不用说 = let alone...= not to speak of...