双语 | 火鸡也会飞！知道这12个冷知识 就别再小看火鸡了
每年11月的第4个星期四是“感恩节”。感恩节虽然是美国首创，而且主要是美国和加拿大的节日，但它的“感恩”意义已在世界上广为流传，并引起共鸣。
而最喜闻乐见的是，它把“火鸡”这个萌物带给了大家↓↓↓
火鸡的命运是悲惨的，每次感恩节都会被吃掉，但是美国总统也都会赦免一两只幸运的火鸡。
当地时间11月23日，奥巴马在任内最后一次赦免了两只感恩节火鸡，一只叫Tot，另一只叫Tater（候选火鸡）。他对Tot说：“Tot，我宣布你成为今年的感恩节特赦火鸡。祝愿你在高比勒休闲中心度过快乐的时光。”
让我们来欣赏一下奥巴马最后一次赦免火鸡的现场演讲↓↓↓
不过，当提到火鸡的时候，你大概会跟译世界小编一样，充满疑惑：这种肥胖蠢萌的活物有何特殊之处？它为啥和“土耳其”同名？有何特异功能？最主要的是，作为一只“鸡”它会不会飞呢？
现在，就让我们揭开12个火鸡的真相：原来你是这样的火鸡！↓↓↓
Why a turkey is called “Turkey”?
为啥火鸡和土耳其同名？
Turkeys (the birds) are originally from the Americas. The Europeans knew a similar looking and tasting bird, known nowadays as Guinea fowl, originally from Africa but introduced through the Ottoman Empire, who was called the turkey-cock or turkey-hen. When the Europeans arrived to the Americas and found the bird we now know as turkey, they called it turkey by association.
火鸡原产于美洲。欧洲人熟知一种和火鸡外观、味道相近的禽类，即原产于非洲、后被引入奥斯曼帝国的“珍珠鸡”，在当地被称作土耳其鸡。欧洲人来到美洲大陆后发现了我们现在所说的火鸡，联想到“土耳其鸡”，便称其为“turkey”。
Ben Franklin preferred them to bald eagles
富兰克林对火鸡比对秃鹰更钟情
While Ben Franklin never actually endorsed them for the position of national bird (as some believe), he did praise them as being “a much more respectable bird” in general than the bird of prey bald eagle. He also added, “He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”
有人认为，本·富兰克林其实并未将火鸡真正提名为国鸟，但他却称赞过火鸡是一种“非常值得尊敬的鸟”，而秃鹰就算不上了（编者注：美国国徽正中间，有只象征美国的国鸟，是一只“秃鹰”）。他还说：“虽然火鸡有点虚荣，看起来有点傻，可是很勇敢，会绝不犹豫去攻击侵犯家园的英国红衣官兵。”
Wild Turkeys Can Fly
火鸡竟然会飞
Wild turkeys feed on the ground, which may have something to do with the myth that they can't fly. They have to fly, however, because they roost in trees at night. Some accounts say they can soar up to 55 mph for short bursts.
野生火鸡在地面取食，似乎与飞行无关。不过它们确实需要飞行，因为它们在树上过夜。据称火鸡迸发式短途飞行的最高时速可达每小时55英里（约合88.5千米）。
厉害了我的火鸡！
Identity Wild Turkey Poop
看便便知雌雄
A gobbler's droppings usually take the shape of a "J" or sometimes a question mark. A hen leaves droppings that more closely resemble a spiral that is all in one pile.
安能辨鸡是雄雌？看便便形状就知道。雄火鸡的便便通常呈“J”字形，有时像一个问号；雌火鸡的便便更像一个螺旋形，盘成一坨。
Artificial Insemination for Turkey Breeding
因为胸太大，养殖火鸡没法啪啪啪
Americans particularly love to eat turkey breast meat, so turkeys have been selectively bred over the years to have bigger and bigger breasts. Artificial insemination is a required part of turkey breeding as the modern bird is too heavy and misshapen with its massive breast area to procreate the old fashioned way.
美国人钟爱鸡胸肉，所以长期对火鸡进行选育，导致鸡胸越来越大。现代火鸡体重超标、体型走样，因为胸太大，已无法通过传统方式完成交配，只能通过人工授精培育后代。
这…真是一个悲伤的故事...
Turkey Heads Change Colors
火鸡头会变色
Turkeys’ heads actually change colors from red to pink, white, blue, or gray depending on its mood. So you could say that they blush!
根据不同的心情，火鸡的头部可以从红色变为粉色、白色、蓝色和灰色。
我想…呃…他们大概是羞羞了~~
They Have Amazing Vision
视力超群
Turkeys have a 270-degree field of vision (360 when they rotate their heads), can see in color, and see three times more clearly than 20/20.
火鸡的视力比视力1.0的人类还好三倍，还具有彩色视觉和270度的视野（如果头部扭动的话可以看到360度）。
小编也好想要！
They Sleep in Trees
在树上睡觉
Turkeys climb up into trees when it’s time to go to sleep, and throughout the night they keep watch over one another to make sure no predators are lurking. In the morning, they gobble softly to each other as a form of headcount to make sure everyone made it through the night.
没错，野生火鸡喜欢晚上在树上睡觉，整夜互相盯梢，以防有捕食者靠近。第二天早上，就轻声咯咯叫来“报数”，看看有没有掉队的。
给团队精神点赞！
They Exhibit More Than 20 Distinct Vocalizations
会20种独特发音
Turkeys do a lot more than gobble. Their loudest sounds can be heard from more than a mile away. Each turkey sounds slightly different than the next; this is how they tell each other apart.
火鸡可不只会咕咕叫，它们的大嗓门能传到1英里（约1.6千米）以外。每只火鸡的叫声都很独特，他们也是通过这个办法分辨彼此的。
They Have Amazing Senses of Direction
方向感惊人
Turkeys can form a visual map of their territory, remembering tiny details of an area exceeding 1,000 acres even after more than a year apart.
火鸡可根据它的地盘绘制出视觉地图，能够记清1000多英亩（约4平方公里）内的所有物体，即使一年多以后还能记得。
小编表示很羡慕！！！很有做交传的潜质啊~~~
The Heaviest Turkey Ever Was Massive
火鸡有多重？
The heaviest turkey ever recorded reportedly clocked in at a whopping 86 pounds.
有记录的最重的一只火鸡重达86磅（约合39kg）。野生火鸡体长可以超过一米。
要上天！
Tens of Millions of Turkeys Are Eaten on Thanksgiving
每年感恩节要吃掉多少只火鸡？
Nearly 50 million turkeys are expected to be eaten on Thanksgiving this year.
预计今年的感恩节美帝人民要吃掉五千万只火鸡。
小编表示，还是野生好……
英文来源：MSN Lifestyle, CNN等
编译：Janet 阿狸
推荐阅读
双语 | 八年总统要卸任了 奥巴马这部传记电影还未上映已获好评
您对翻译行业的见地，欢迎与我们分享交流。来稿请致：media@yeeworld.com。