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.
毒液不是生存竞争强加给它们的，它们也可以不用毒液捕捉动物而生存，就像今天成千上万的无毒蛇那样。
新概念英语第四册
Lesson 20 Snake poison
📚 句中词汇解析
从本句中提取的重要词汇
n. 幸存，生存;幸存者;遗物;遗风;
💡 sur=super超过+viv活+al名词后缀→经过事故活着→幸存
"The doctor told my wife I had a fifty - fifty chance of survival."
医生告诉我的妻子,说我活下去的可能性只有50%.
近义：livelihood, subsistence, survivorship, sustenance
反义：killing, liquidation, obliteration, dejection, destruction, elimination
n. 竞争;比赛;竞争者;[生]生存竞争;
💡 compet=compete竞争+ition名词后缀 →比赛，竞争
"He was astonished to learn he'd won the competition."
他听说他比赛赢了，感到很惊讶。
近义：joust, match, meet, race, rivalry, tournament
反义：help, assist, assistance, relief, succor, succour
n. 被捕食的动物;捕食（习性）;受害者;受骗者;
vi. 捕食;（疾病等）使人慢慢衰弱;折磨;（人）靠欺诈为生;
💡 prey(prey)→掠食；牺牲者；捕食；掠夺
"the relationship between predator and prey"
捕食性动物与猎物之间的关系
近义：hunt, chase, kill, quarry, sport, catch
adj. 有毒的;有害的;恶意的;<口>讨厌的;
💡 poison毒+ous.....的 →有毒的
"The leaves of yew trees are poisonous to cattle."
紫杉树叶会令牛中毒.
近义：noxious, poison, poisoning, baleful, baneful, toxic
反义：helpful, auspicious, profitable, propitious, salutary, useful
prep. 在…上面;当…时候;
"It was a title bestowed upon him by the king."
那是国王赐给他的头衔。
近义：above, atop, on, onto, over, o'er