- 問題
- 解説
- 第1段落
- During his failed attempt to reach the North Pole on foot in the spring of 1895, Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen encountered several sets of fox footprints on the ice north of the 85th parallel, several hundred kilometers from the nearest dry land.
- “What in the world was that fox doing up here?” he wrote in his journal.
- “It is incomprehensible what these animals live on up here, but presumably they are able to snap up some small crabs in the open waterways.
- But why do they leave the coasts? That is what puzzles me most.
- Can they have gone astray?”
- 第2段落
- Early attempts to solve some of these riddles only added to the mystery.
- During the 1970s a research team spent several years trying to track the winter movements of Arctic foxes in northern Alaska.
- The animals were fitted with numbered ear tags, released, and their whereabouts were then recorded.
- Although next to nothing was revealed about how they got to various places, due to limitations of the techniques being employed, deep into the high Arctic, more than 2000 kilometers away, is where some were recovered.
- In a valiant effort to learn more, the team decided to try out radio telemetry, the technology that had revolutionized wildlife tracking in the early 1960s.
- The target may be followed to wherever it goes via a radio collar that is fitted to the animal being investigated, which transmits a signal that researchers on foot or in a plane can detect with precision.
- “We learned absolutely nothing,” says one of the researchers.
- “The place is simply too big and the foxes are too mobile.
- We would catch one and put a collar on it and then we would never hear the signal again.
- They just disappeared — gone outside the ability of the plane to keep track of them.”
- 第3段落
- The thought of an Arctic fox wandering around for months on end, under such harsh conditions, continues to raise many questions.
- Is there some preordained pattern that the animals follow or are the journeys random?
- If not the latter, how do they navigate in an icescape that offers no permanent landmarks, that drifts and spins at the mercy of the currents, melts and freezes according to the weather, and seemingly has not much to offer in the way of a scent trail to follow for satisfying their appetites?
- 第4段落
- Even the advent of satellite-based tracking in the early 1990s did not provide an immediate answer.
- The first collars, which required large batteries, were far too heavy for Arctic foxes.
- But now, at last, the technology has caught up, in the form of light, battery-powered devices tailored for the Arctic fox, including one equipped with an antenna laced with red pepper to discourage animals from gnawing it off.
- Last year, a Canadian team published results of a satellite-tracking study of the Bylot Island foxes.
- The findings provide more evidence that Arctic foxes regularly travel enormous distances.
- Although it is too early to say for sure, it is possible that foxes decide to go onto the ice based partly on how much food is available on land in the autumn.
- 第1段落
問題
次の文章の下線をほどこした部分(1)~(4)を和訳しなさい。
During his failed attempt to reach the North Pole on foot in the spring of 1895, Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen encountered several sets of fox footprints on the ice north of the 85th parallel, several hundred kilometers from the nearest dry land. “What in the world was that fox doing up here?” he wrote in his journal. “It is incomprehensible what these animals live on up here, but presumably they are able to snap up some small crabs in the open waterways. But why do they leave the coasts? That is what puzzles me most. Can they have gone astray?”
Early attempts to solve some of these riddles only added to the mystery. During the 1970s a research team spent several years trying to track the winter movements of Arctic foxes in northern Alaska. (1)The animals were fitted with numbered ear tags, released, and their whereabouts were then recorded. Although next to nothing was revealed about how they got to various places, due to limitations of the techniques being employed, deep into the high Arctic, more than 2000 kilometers away, is where some were recovered. In a valiant effort to learn more, the team decided to try out radio telemetry, the technology that had revolutionized wildlife tracking in the early 1960s. (2)The target may be followed to wherever it goes via a radio collar that is fitted to the animal being investigated, which transmits a signal that researchers on foot or in a plane can detect with precision. “We learned absolutely nothing,” says one of the researchers. “The place is simply too big and the foxes are too mobile. We would catch one and put a collar on it and then we would never hear the signal again. They just disappeared — gone outside the ability of the plane to keep track of them.”
The thought of an Arctic fox wandering around for months on end, under such harsh conditions, continues to raise many questions. (3)Is there some preordained pattern that the animals follow or are the journeys random? If not the latter, how do they navigate in an icescape that offers no permanent landmarks, that drifts and spins at the mercy of the currents, melts and freezes according to the weather, and seemingly has not much to offer in the way of a scent trail to follow for satisfying their appetites?
Even the advent of satellite-based tracking in the early 1990s did not provide an immediate answer. The first collars, which required large batteries, were far too heavy for Arctic foxes. (4)But now, at last, the technology has caught up, in the form of light, battery-powered devices tailored for the Arctic fox, including one equipped with an antenna laced with red pepper to discourage animals from gnawing it off. Last year, a Canadian team published results of a satellite-tracking study of the Bylot Island foxes. The findings provide more evidence that Arctic foxes regularly travel enormous distances. Although it is too early to say for sure, it is possible that foxes decide to go onto the ice based partly on how much food is available on land in the autumn.
解説
第1段落
During his failed attempt to reach the North Pole on foot in the spring of 1895, Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen encountered several sets of fox footprints on the ice north of the 85th parallel, several hundred kilometers from the nearest dry land.
- arctic「北極の」に, 否定の接頭辞anti-が付いて, antarctic「南極の」。例：sympathy「共感」⇔antipathy「反感」
- 最後のコンマ以降は, beingが省略された分詞構文と解釈し, 適当に前から訳す。
During his failed attempt to reach the North Pole on foot in the spring of 1895, Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen encountered several sets of fox footprints on the ice north of the 85th parallel, several hundred kilometers from the nearest dry land.
1895年の春に徒歩で北極に到達することへの彼の失敗した試みの間, ノルウェーの探検家であるFridtjof Nansenは, 最も近い乾燥した土地から数百キロ, 85番目のパラレルの氷の北の上で狐の足跡のいくつかのセットに遭遇した。
1895年の春, 徒歩で北極に到達する試みは失敗したが, ノルウェーの探検家であるFridtjof Nansenはその間, 北緯85度の氷上で, キツネの足跡をいくつか発見した。そこは, 最も近い陸地から数百キロメートル離れていた。
“What in the world was that fox doing up here?” he wrote in his journal.
- doing up hereのupは, 前後のどの単語とも結びつきが無いので, とりあえず無視して考えると良い。
“What in the world was that fox doing up here?” he wrote in his journal.
「一体全体あのキツネはここで何をしていたのか?」と彼は彼の日誌の中に書いた。
「あのキツネはこんな場所で一体何をしていたのか?」と彼は日誌に記入した。
“It is incomprehensible what these animals live on up here, but presumably they are able to snap up some small crabs in the open waterways.
- comprehend「~を理解する」の形容詞系は, comprehensive「包括的な, 理解可能な」とcomprehensible「理解可能な」があり, 前者の方が重要。
- upは前文同様無視する。
- live on A「Aで生計を立てる, Aを主食にする」は基本イディオム。
“It is incomprehensible what these animals live on up here, but presumably they are able to snap up some small crabs in the open waterways.
「これらの動物がここで主食にするものは理解不能だが, おそらく彼らは開いたwaterwaysの中のいくつかの小さいカニをsnap upすることができる。
「彼らが何を食べて生活しているのかはわからないが, おそらく氷原の中の開けた水地のカニを捕食することができるのだろう。
But why do they leave the coasts? That is what puzzles me most.
But why do they leave the coasts? That is what puzzles me most.
しかしなぜ彼らは岸を去るのか? これが私を最も困惑させるものだ。
しかしなぜ彼らは海岸から離れるのか? 私が最も戸惑っているのはその点だ。
Can they have gone astray?”
- astrayは知らなくても, stray「はぐれた」は知っているので, その副詞だとわかる。例：ahead, abroad, asideなど。
Can they have gone astray?”
彼らははぐれて行ってしまった可能性があるのか?
迷ってしまったなんてことがあるのだろうか?」
第2段落
Early attempts to solve some of these riddles only added to the mystery.
- riddle「謎, なぞなぞ」は出来れば知っておきたい。
- add to A = increase A「Aを増やす」, add A to B「AをBに加える」の違いは重要。
Early attempts to solve some of these riddles only added to the mystery.
これらの謎のいくつかを解こうとする早い試みは, 謎を増やしただけだった。
これらの謎を解明しようとする初期の試みは, さらに謎を深めただけだった。
During the 1970s a research team spent several years trying to track the winter movements of Arctic foxes in northern Alaska.
- spend O doing「~するのにO[時間]だけ費やす」の基本構文。
During the 1970s a research team spent several years trying to track the winter movements of Arctic foxes in northern Alaska.
1970年代の間, 研究チームは数年を北アラスカのホッキョクギツネの冬の動きをtrackしようとすることに費やした。
1970年代, 研究チームは数年間かけて, 北アラスカのホッキョクギツネの冬期の行動を追跡しようとした。
The animals were fitted with numbered ear tags, released, and their whereabouts were then recorded.
- この文は難しく考えなくても訳出は出来るはず。以下の説明は理解する必要はないので, 細かい文法が気になる人だけ読むこと。
- releasedの部分は, wereと並列と考えてもよいが, andなどの等位接続詞が無い並列は, 基本的には同格である。よって, fit withされたこととreleaseされたことが同格となり, 違和感がある。また, releasedの後ろのandは, 文と文をつないでいるので, A, B, and Cのような形でもないことも確認しておく。よって, この部分は並列ではない。したがって, 「分詞構文」と考えるのが正しい。元の文は, 「The animals were fitted with numbered ear tags, and they were released, and their whereabouts were then recorded.」となる。and they were releasedの部分を, 分詞構文の規則に従って書き換えると, and they were released → being released → releasedとなる。
The animals were fitted with numbered ear tags, released, and their whereabouts were then recorded.
その動物は番号づけられたイヤータグをfitted withされて, リリースされて, そして, 彼らのwhereaboutsがそれから記録された。
この動物たちは, 番号のついたタグを耳に取り付けられてから放たれ, その後の彼らの居場所が記録された。
Although next to nothing was revealed about how they got to various places, due to limitations of the techniques being employed, deep into the high Arctic, more than 2000 kilometers away, is where some were recovered.
- 主節はCVSの倒置。
Although next to nothing was revealed about how they got to various places, due to limitations of the techniques being employed, deep into the high Arctic, more than 2000 kilometers away, is where some were recovered.
どのように彼らが様々な場所に行ったかということに関して, 使われた技術の制限のせいで, ほとんど無が明らかにされたが, いくつかが回復された場所は, 2000キロメートル以上向こうで, 高い北極の中へ, 深い。
彼らがいかにして様々な場所へ到達したかということは, 用いられた技術の制限のためにほとんど分からなかったが, 2000キロ以上離れた北極の奥深くで回収された個体もいた。
In a valiant effort to learn more, the team decided to try out radio telemetry, the technology that had revolutionized wildlife tracking in the early 1960s.
- valiantは知らなくてよい
In a valiant effort to learn more, the team decided to try out radio telemetry, the technology that had revolutionized wildlife tracking in the early 1960s.
さらに学ぶためのvaliantな努力の中で, チームは, ラジオテレメトリー, つまり1960年代初期の野生生物トラッキングを革命化したような技術をtry outしようと決めた。
より多くのことを知ろうと果敢に努力する中で, 研究チームは, 1960年代初期の野生生物追跡技術に革命を起こした技術であるラジオテレメトリーを試してみることにした。
The target may be followed to wherever it goes via a radio collar that is fitted to the animal being investigated, which transmits a signal that researchers on foot or in a plane can detect with precision.
- collar「カラー, 襟」は日本語でも使うが, 分からなくても仕方ない。
The target may be followed to wherever it goes via a radio collar that is fitted to the animal being investigated, which transmits a signal that researchers on foot or in a plane can detect with precision.
ターゲットは, 調査されている動物に対してfitされるような無線のcollarを通じて, それが行く場所ならどこへでもフォローされるかもしれない。そしてそれは, 徒歩や飛行機の中の研究者が正確に探知できるようなシグナルを送る
調査対象の動物に取り付けられた無線付きの首輪を通じて, その対象動物は, どこへ行っても追跡されるかもしれない。その首輪は, 研究者たちが歩いていようが飛行機の中にいようが, 正確に探知できる信号を発する。
“We learned absolutely nothing,” says one of the researchers.
“We learned absolutely nothing,” says one of the researchers.
「私たちは絶対的に無を学んだ」と研究者の一人が言う。
「私たちは全く何も分からなかった」と研究者の一人が述べる。
“The place is simply too big and the foxes are too mobile.
“The place is simply too big and the foxes are too mobile.
「場所が単に大きすぎて, キツネが流動的すぎる。
「単純に観測範囲が広すぎて, またキツネも動き回りすぎる。
We would catch one and put a collar on it and then we would never hear the signal again.
We would catch one and put a collar on it and then we would never hear the signal again.
私たちはそれをキャッチしてその上にcollarを置いた, そしてそれから私たちはふたたびシグナルを決して聞かなかった。
キツネをつかまえて首輪をつけても, それ以降再び信号を受信することは決してなかった。
They just disappeared — gone outside the ability of the plane to keep track of them.”
- ダッシュ以下は, 分詞構文。and they were gone outside ~と補って読む。
They just disappeared — gone outside the ability of the plane to keep track of them.”
彼らは単に消えた。そして, 彼らの足跡をキープするという飛行機の能力の外に行ってしまった。」
彼らはただ消えてしまった。つまり, 飛行機が追跡できる範囲のさらに外まで行ってしまったのだ。」
第3段落
The thought of an Arctic fox wandering around for months on end, under such harsh conditions, continues to raise many questions.
- the thought of doingは「~するという考え」であり, ここでは, 動名詞の意味上の主語が入って, the thought of A doingは「Aが~するという考え」となっている。
- on endはよく分からないので無視。
The thought of an Arctic fox wandering around for months on end, under such harsh conditions, continues to raise many questions.
そのような厳しい条件下で, 何か月もの間, ホッキョクギツネが歩き回るという考えは, 多くの疑問を上げ続ける。
ホッキョクギツネが, そのような条件下で何か月間も歩き回るという考えは, 多くの疑問を提起し続けている。
Is there some preordained pattern that the animals follow or are the journeys random?
- Aが複数形でない名詞のとき, some A = certain A「あるA, 特定のA」
Is there some preordained pattern that the animals follow or are the journeys random?
動物が従うようなあるpreordainされたパターンがあるのか, または旅はランダムなのか?
その動物が従う, あらかじめ決められた特定の行動パターンがあるのだろうか?それとも, その移動経路は不規則なのだろうか?
If not the latter, how do they navigate in an icescape that offers no permanent landmarks, that drifts and spins at the mercy of the currents, melts and freezes according to the weather, and seemingly has not much to offer in the way of a scent trail to follow for satisfying their appetites?
- 並列を正確に読み取ることがポイント。文構造が分かれば単語は難しくないので, この文が合否の分かれ目となる。
- at the mercy of A「Aのなすがままに」は基本イディオム。
If not the latter, how do they navigate in an icescape that offers no permanent landmarks, that drifts and spins at the mercy of the currents, melts and freezes according to the weather, and seemingly has not much to offer in the way of a scent trail to follow for satisfying their appetites?
もし後者でなければ, 彼らはどのようにして, 無の永久の風景を提供するような, 流れに任せて漂流したりスピンしたり, 天気によって融解したり凍ったり, 一見すると, 彼らの食欲を満足させるために従うべきにおいのtrailの方法で, 提供すべき多くないものを持つような, icescapeの中で, ナビゲートするのか?
もし後者でないとすれば, 彼らはどのようにして, 氷原の中を歩き回るのか?恒久的な目印は存在せず, 海流のなすがままに漂流したり回転し, 天候により解けたり凍ったりし, 食欲を満たすために辿っていけるようなにおいの手がかりがほとんど存在しないように思えるその氷原で。
第4段落
Even the advent of satellite-based tracking in the early 1990s did not provide an immediate answer.
Even the advent of satellite-based tracking in the early 1990s did not provide an immediate answer.
1990年代初期の衛星ベースのトラッキングの出現さえも, すぐの答えを提供しなかった。
1990年代の初めに衛星を使った追跡方法が出現しても, 答えはすぐにわからなかった。
The first collars, which required large batteries, were far too heavy for Arctic foxes.
The first collars, which required large batteries, were far too heavy for Arctic foxes.
最初のカラーは, 大きなバッテリーを必要としたが, ホッキョクギツネにとってとても重かった。
最初の首輪は, 大きな電池を必要としたが, それはホッキョクギツネにはあまりに重すぎた。
But now, at last, the technology has caught up, in the form of light, battery-powered devices tailored for the Arctic fox, including one equipped with an antenna laced with red pepper to discourage animals from gnawing it off.
- catch up (with A)「(Aに)追いつく」
- in the form of lightを, 「ライトの形で」と考えると, そのあとが続かない。よって, lightは形容詞と考える。
- tailorは, 日本語でも「テーラー」と言って「仕立て屋」の意味。ここでは動詞で使われている。分からなくても仕方ない。
- laceやgnawもよく知らないので, 文脈に合うように適当に訳す。
But now, at last, the technology has caught up, in the form of light, battery-powered devices tailored for the Arctic fox, including one equipped with an antenna laced with red pepper to discourage animals from gnawing it off.
しかし今, ついに, ホッキョクギツネのためにtrailorされる, 軽くてバッテリー駆動のデバイスの形で, 技術が追いついた, そしてそれは動物がそれをgnaw offすることを妨げるためのレッドペッパーがlace withされたアンテナが装備されたものを含んでいる。
しかしようやく, 技術が追いつき, 軽くて電池で動く装置が, ホッキョクギツネのために作られた。その装置の中には, 動物が噛みちぎらないように赤唐辛子を塗ったアンテナが取り付けられているものもある。
Last year, a Canadian team published results of a satellite-tracking study of the Bylot Island foxes.
Last year, a Canadian team published results of a satellite-tracking study of the Bylot Island foxes.
昨年, カナダのチームがBylot島のキツネの衛星トラッキングの研究の結果を出版した。
昨年, カナダのチームが, バイロト島のキツネの衛星追跡による研究結果を公表した。
The findings provide more evidence that Arctic foxes regularly travel enormous distances.
The findings provide more evidence that Arctic foxes regularly travel enormous distances.
発見は, ホッキョクギツネは定期的に大きな距離を旅するというより多くの証拠を提供する。
彼らの発見によって, ホッキョクギツネは定期的に長い距離を移動しているということがさらに裏付けられる。
Although it is too early to say for sure, it is possible that foxes decide to go onto the ice based partly on how much food is available on land in the autumn.
Although it is too early to say for sure, it is possible that foxes decide to go onto the ice based partly on how much food is available on land in the autumn.
確かに言うことは早すぎるが, キツネは秋に土地でどれだけ多くの食料が利用可能かということに部分的に基づいて氷に行くことを決めるということはあり得る。
確信をもって述べるにはまだ早すぎるが, キツネが氷の土地へと行くことを決めるのは, 秋に手に入る見込みのある食料の多寡が要因の一つである可能性はある。
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