Pandas Have the Right Moves!

Intro:

Welcome to daily fun facts where we discuss fun facts about this crazy world. Use these newfound facts to break the ice and start an interesting conversation.  Happy learning everyone!

 Dialogue:

Andrea: Hey, Brie. Have you ever watched a Kung Fu Panda movie? There are three Kung Fu Panda movies, the first of which premiered in the United States in 2008. 

Brie: Yep, I’ve watched all of them.  The creators did a fantastic job animating the panda with some pretty wild martial arts skills.

Andrea:  I also think the graphic design was well done.  Here’s something interesting: Did you know that real life pandas have kung fu style moves of their own? 

Brie:  现实生活中的熊猫也会拳脚功夫？How so?

Andrea: Pandas tend to be very solitary animals by nature.  However, during their short mating season, male pandas look for any way possible to attract suitable mates, including performing handstands to “leave their scent” in locations that are easy to find. 

Brie: 你是说公熊猫为了在短暂的交配季节中提高交配机率，会通过倒立来把它们独特的求偶气味，散播到容易被发现的地方吗？

Andrea:  Yes, they pee at the same time as they do their handstand.  They do it everywhere, but for wild pandas, wide trees with rough bark are the go-to locations.  This is where they like to pee the most.

Brie:  我有两个疑问，第一，熊猫为什么要倒立着朝树小便？ 第二，熊猫为什么首选树皮粗糙的树来小便呢？ 

Andrea:  Male pandas aim themselves towards trees while performing a handstand in order to ensure that their urine is sprayed as high above the ground as possible.  By aiming at the tree, pandas maximize the distance with which their urine scent can travel. This acrobatic handstand move is where the kung fu comes in.  The reason why pandas prefer trees with rough bark is because this way their scent can permeate even in the smallest crevices, ensuring that it will linger for a long period of time.

Brie:  原来熊猫倒立朝树小便是为了让小便播洒到离地面更高的地方,从而使其气味可以覆盖更远的距离，而选择树皮粗糙的树是为了让气味留存地更久。

Well, that certainly isn’t the kung fu I was thinking about, and I don’t remember any scene in the movie where the pandas are wildly spraying up-side down.

Andrea: Of course you don’t!  People want to watch things that are cute!  I don’t think pandas peeing are cute.

Brie: I guess you have to appreciate the mysteries of nature. Pandas are an endangered species.  I think they are cute no matter what.  If this improves their ability to breed, then I guess they’re doing something right. 

Andrea: Yes, when it comes to attracting mates, male pandas have really got the right moves!  

Brie: What do you mean by “got the right moves”?

Andrea: I mean that pandas are both athletically able to perform moves like handstands and also do the right things to attract their mates. 

Close: 

So, everyone, there’s your fun fact of the day!  Let’s go over some of the vocabulary and phrases from this dialogue.

Vocabulary:

Kung Fu Panda  / ˈkʌŋ ˈfu /  功夫熊猫

Premiere  / prɪˈmɪər /  首映

Creator  / kriˈeɪ tər/  创作者

Animating  / ˈæn əˌmeɪtɪŋ /  动画制作

Martial Arts  / ˈmɑr ʃəl ɑːts/  武术

Solitary  / ˈsɒl ɪˌtɛr i /  独居的

Handstand  / ˈhændˌstænd /  倒立 

Pee  / pi /  小便

Bark  / bɑrk /  树皮

Urine  / ˈyʊər ɪn /  小便

Maximize  / ˈmæk səˌmaɪz /  使....最大化

Acrobatic  / ˌæk rəˈbæt ɪk /  体操运动的

Permeate  / ˈpɜr miˌeɪt /  渗透

Crevice  / ˈkrɛv ɪs /  缝隙，裂缝

Linger  / ˈlɪŋ gər /  萦绕

Appreciate  / əˈpri ʃiˌeɪt /  欣赏

Mystery  / ˈmɪs tə ri/  神秘，谜

Endangered  / ɛnˈdeɪn dʒərd /  濒临灭绝的

Athletically  / æθˈlɛt ɪkəli /  运动上地

Phrases:

Go-to 首选

Got the (right) moves 一语双关，即指具有运动员的风范，又指能做出正确的行动

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Photo Credit: Bruce Hong on Unsplash

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