美联英语提供：英语阅读：KilleronWingsIsUnderThreat飞翔的杀手正受到威胁两分钟做个小测试，看看你的英语水平http://www.meten.com/test/kuaisu.aspx?tid=16-73675-0Couldanythingbemoremajestic,sereneorthreateningthanthelargestbirdofpreyintheworld,theharpyeagle,soaringaboveitsdomain?Weighingninekilogramsandwitha2.2-metrewingspan,thisgiantofthe.skyglidesat65kilometresperhouroverdenseBrazilianrainforest.Itscruelheadwithflaringcolouredcrestandhugehookedbeaktwistsconstantlyfromsidetoside.有什么比世界上最大的食肉猛禽热带大雕在它的领地上方搏击长空更加壮丽，更加安详，又更具威胁性呢？体重九公斤，翼幅达2.2米的空中巨物在茂密的巴西雨林上空以每小时65公里的速度滑翔。它那长着展开的有色肉冠和巨大钩状鹰嘴的残暴的脑袋木断地向两边扭来扭去。Itspotsamonkeyinatreetop2.5kilometresawayandzeroesinonitsprey.Themonkeymuncheson,oblirioustothethreat.Thentheeaglestrikes,pluckingitspreyfromitsperchwithtalonsbomeonlegsthethicknessofyourwrists.Themonkeydiesinstantly,piercedbythetalons.Theeaglecarriesthebodybacktoitstreetoplair.Thefamedandfearedharpyeaglehaskilledagain.它发现了2.5公里之外树梢上的一只猴子，就立即把注意力集中在这只猎物身上。猴子全然不知威胁的存在，仍在津津有味地咀嚼着。大雕发起了进攻，用它的利爪将猎物从树枝上一把抓了起来，那利爪长在与人的手腕一般粗的腿上。被利爪刺穿了的猴子刹时间一命呜呼。大雕将其尸体带回树梢上的窝里。鼎鼎大名、令人生畏的热带大雕又杀生了。Whetherthisfrighteningcreaturedoesindeedsoarlikeothereaglesinsearchofpreyisopentoconjecture.Forlessisknownabouttheharpythananyothereagle-theremotenessofitshabitatseestothat.Butithasbeenseencarryingmonkeys,slothandevensmalldeerbacktoitsnest.这吓人的热带大雕捕食时是否真的和其他鹰类一样翱翔还没有定论，尚待猜测。人们对大雕的了解比对其他鹰类的了解都少——这是因为它的栖息地十分遥远而造成的，但确实见过它将猴子、树獭甚至小鹿带回巢中。Thiseagle'sextraordinaryeyesightisoneofitsgreatestassets.Likemanyothereagles,itcanseebetweenfourandeighttimesasmuchdetailascanhumans.TheresultisanabilitytoseeclearlyasmaUmonkeyatadistanceofupto2.5kilometresandtojudgedistanceswithpinpointaccuracy.Thelatterisanobviousrequirementifpreyistobesnatchedatspeed.大雕非凡的视力是其最大的优势之一。和许多其他鹰类一样，它看清细节的能力比人类要强四至八倍。这样它就能够看清两点五公里以外的一只小猴子，并能极精确地判定距离，若想快速抓获猎物，准确判断距离很明显是必需的。It'shardtobelievethatacreaturesowellequippedtosurvivecould-everfinditselfunderthreat.ButwithhugetractsofrainforestbeingfelledinCentralandSouthAmerica,theharpy'sfoodsourcesarehardertofind.令人难以置信的是生存条件如此优越的生物竟然也会处于威胁之中，但随着中、南美洲大片热带雨林的被砍伐，大雕的食物来源更为困难。Thethreatposedcouldsoonbesimilartothatfacingtheharpy'snearrelative,thePhilippinesmonkey-eatingeagle.Thisacutelythreatenedbirdwasreducedinnumberstofewerthan100inthewildbythelossofitsforesthabitatandbytheheavydemandsoftrophyhuntersinthePhilippines.不久，这种威胁就会和热带大雕的近亲——菲律宾食猴鹰所面临的威胁相似了。由于森林栖息地的丧失和菲律宾猎手的大量捕杀，这种受到严重威胁的鸟类的野外数量已减少到不足100只。LikeitsFilipinocousm,theharpyeaglenestsinthetopsofthelargestforesttrees.Itthereforeneedsanintactforesttobreed.Theseeminglyinvinableharpyisvulnerableforanotherreason.Amatingpairisthoughttoproduceonlyoneeagleteverytwoyears.Harpyeggstakeupto60daystohatchandchickstakeafurther60daysbeforetheylearntofly.Whatismore,theyoungsteri...