It was not forced upon them by the survival competition; they could have caught and lived on prey without using poison, just as the thousands of non-poisonous snakes still do.
毒液不是生存競爭強加給它們的，它們也可以不用毒液捕捉動物而生存，就像今天成千上萬的無毒蛇那樣。
新概念英語第四冊
Lesson 20 Snake poison
?? 句中詞匯解析
從本句中提取的重要詞匯
n. 幸存，生存;幸存者;遺物;遺風;
?? sur=super超過+viv活+al名詞后綴→經過事故活著→幸存
"The doctor told my wife I had a fifty - fifty chance of survival."
醫生告訴我的妻子,說我活下去的可能性只有50%.
近義：livelihood, subsistence, survivorship, sustenance
反義：killing, liquidation, obliteration, dejection, destruction, elimination
n. 競爭;比賽;競爭者;[生]生存競爭;
?? compet=compete競爭+ition名詞后綴 →比賽，競爭
"He was astonished to learn he'd won the competition."
他聽說他比賽贏了，感到很驚訝。
近義：joust, match, meet, race, rivalry, tournament
反義：help, assist, assistance, relief, succor, succour
n. 被捕食的動物;捕食（習性）;受害者;受騙者;
vi. 捕食;（疾病等）使人慢慢衰弱;折磨;（人）靠欺詐為生;
?? prey(prey)→掠食；犧牲者；捕食；掠奪
"the relationship between predator and prey"
捕食性動物與獵物之間的關系
近義：hunt, chase, kill, quarry, sport, catch
adj. 有毒的;有害的;惡意的;<口>討厭的;
?? poison毒+ous.....的 →有毒的
"The leaves of yew trees are poisonous to cattle."
紫杉樹葉會令牛中毒.
近義：noxious, poison, poisoning, baleful, baneful, toxic
反義：helpful, auspicious, profitable, propitious, salutary, useful
prep. 在…上面;當…時候;
"It was a title bestowed upon him by the king."
那是國王賜給他的頭銜。
近義：above, atop, on, onto, over, o'er