Lesson 20-2 Snake poison
In fact, it would be an assistance to all carnivores though it would be a two-edged weapon when they fought each other. But, of the vertebrates, unpredictable Nature selected only snakes(and one lizard). One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes, concocted poison of such extreme potency.
In the conversion of saliva into poison, one might suppose that a fixed process took place. It did not; some snakes manufacture a poison different in every respect from that of others, as different as arsenic is from strychnine, and having different effects. One poison acts on the nerves, the other on the blood.
The makers of the nerve poison include the mambas and the cobras and their venom is called neurotoxic.
carnivore /ˈkɑːrnɪvɔːr/ 食肉动物
vertebrate /ˈvɜːrtɪbrət/ 脊椎动物
a two-edged weapon 一把双刃剑
unpredictable /ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl/ 不可预测的;不可预知的;难以预料的
lizard /ˈlɪzərd/ 蜥蜴
concoct /kənˈkɑːkt/ 调制;配制
potency /ˈpoʊtnsi/ 效力;影响力
conversion /kənˈvɜːrʒn/ 转换;转化;转变;
respect （事物的）某方面;
arsenic /ˈɑːrsnɪk/ 砒霜
strychnine /ˈstrɪkniːn/ 马钱子碱
nerve /nɜːrv/ 神经;勇气;
mamba /ˈmæmbə/ 树眼镜蛇
cobra /ˈkoʊbrə/ 眼镜蛇
venom /ˈvenəm/ 毒液
neurotoxic 毒害神经的
viper /ˈvaɪpər/ 毒蛇;蝰蛇
adder 蝮蛇
rattlesnake /ˈrætlsneɪk/ 响尾蛇
haemolytic 溶血的
by far the more unpleasant 更难受得多
primitive /ˈprɪmətɪv/ 原始的;
so to speak 可以这样说，打个比方说
formula /ˈfɔːrmjələ/ 公式;配方，处方
does its business with man 在人的身上发挥作用
viperine 毒蛇的
