2015考研英语阅读飞蛇空中滑行_大学英语阅读

2015考研英语阅读飞蛇空中滑行

　　对三维立体图像的分析表明：树蛇滑翔过程中摆动着身体，躯体向上抬，与迎面的空气呈25度角，头部稍微高于尾部。Socha博士表示在空气动力学角度上来讲，这样的身体趋向可能会对飞行的树蛇产生推助的作用。这样，摆动树蛇的身体的前半部分擦过的空气尾流可对侧风滑行的后半部分起到提升的作用。同样，飞鱼借助胸鳍所产生的加速气流，就可以对较小的腹鳍产生一定的提升作用。事实上，反过来也可能产生这种效果，即后半部分可为前半部分起到提升作用。

　　The snakes are also surprisingly manoeuverable and have been seen to turn in mid-air. Tofind out if this might be deliberate, Dr Socha limited their view from the tower so that theycould see only straight ahead when they launched themselves. Once airborne, and thus ableto observe trees to the side of their glide-paths, some of the snakes turned towards them.

　　树蛇的飞行技巧也也令人叹为观止。人研究人员观察到它们在飞行途中可以变向。为了探明树蛇是否故意发出这一行为，Socha博士限制了树蛇在飞行时的视野，目的是让他们在起飞时只能向前看。一起飞，这些树蛇就可以看到滑行路径两旁的树，一些就转变方向朝树木飞去。

　　Dr Socha, who studies the relationship between form and function in animals, was partlyfunded in his snake research by America s Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency,which said it was interested in the science but obviously wonders about military applications.