230807 "地球史最重动物"新发现: 古巨鲸出土
▍原文
Scientists have identified a new candidate for the heaviest ever animal on Planet Earth.
It's an ancient, long-extinct whale that would have tipped the scales at close to 200 tonnes.
Dating of the sediments around the remains suggests it lived about 39 million years ago.
▍语言点
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candidate /ˈkændɪdeɪt/ n. 候选人；(本节)候选物种
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whale /weɪl/ n. 鲸鱼 · blue whale 蓝鲸
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tip the scales at 有……重，重…… · He tipped the scales at just over 80 kilos. 他的体重刚刚超过80公斤。
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dating /ˈdeɪtɪŋ/ n. (本节)年代测定 · date /deɪt/ v. 确定......的年代，推算......形成的时间 · The skeleton has been dated at about 2000 BC. 这骨架的年代为公元前2000年左右。
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sediment /ˈsedəmənt/ n. (形成岩石层的沙、石等)沉积物
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remains /rɪˈmeɪnz/ n. (本节)遗骸，残骸 · remain /rɪˈmeɪn/ v. 残留，遗留
▍拓展
注：图片为古代鲸和蓝鲸的对比。古代鲸在身形上可能比蓝鲸要短得多，但是在体积上比蓝鲸更重。