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原文

As with global affairs, nature has its pecking order.

And in a contest between the bald eagle, America's national bird, and a common loon, which is featured on Canada's dollar coin, few would bet on the latter to come out the victor.

But sometimes the underdog comes out on top, as was revealed when an eagle was found dead in the water near a dead loon chick in a Maine lake.

A necropsy revealed he was killed by a stab to the heart from a loon's beak.

语言点

global affairs: 全球事务

pecking order: 啄序

·a country has its pecking order: 国家有“啄食”秩序

contest n. 比赛

·speaking contest: 演讲比赛

·beauty contest: 选美比赛

bald eagle: 秃鹰，白头鹰

common loon: 普通潜鸟

bet vi. 下赌注（~on）

·bet on this horse: 赌这匹马赢

·bet on the right/wrong horse: 站对/错了队

victor n. 胜利者，获胜者

·victory n. 胜利

underdog n. 劣势方，弱者

·an underdog comes out on top: 草根翻盘

necropsy n. （动物的）尸检

·autopsy n. （人类的）尸检

stab n./v. 刺，捅

·stab sb. in the back: 在某人背后捅刀子

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暴虐训练是夏鹏老师首创的英语学习法，以意群为单位进行语音示范朗读，通过模拟一对一带练，有效矫正发音、轻松记忆语篇、训练流畅表达。

1.每个意群示范5-7遍

2.由词到句拆解每个发音要点

3.模仿标准音进行持续跟读

4.有效重复从句到段记忆全篇文章