04 Millions of Them!

Chapter 4. Millions of them. Jack didn't move. He kept staring down at the forest floor. What's wrong? Annie called from above. Jack didn't answer. You don't see any giant spiders, do you? Annie said. Well, no. Jack took a deep breath. We have to keep going, he thought. We have to find a special thing for Morgan. No spiders, nothing scary, Jack called. And he started down the ladder again. Jack and Annie climbed down through the forest floor.

第四章 它们有数百万只 杰克一动也不动，一直低头盯着森林的地面。 “怎么啦？”安妮在上面喊。杰克没有回答。 “你该不会是看到大蜘蛛了吧？”安妮问。 “呃，没有。”杰克深吸了一口气。 “我们得继续往前走，”他心想，“我们得给摩根找一件特别的东西。” “没有蜘蛛，没什么可怕的。”杰克喊道，说完他又开始顺着梯子往下爬。 杰克和安妮一路往下爬，来到了森林的地面。

Understory. Finally they stepped onto the forest floor. Only a few rays of light slanted through the gloom. The trees were very, very tall and very wide. Vines and moss were hanging everywhere. The ground was covered with dead leaves. Before we do anything, I'd better check the book, said Jack. He pulled out the rainforest book. He found the picture of the dark world under the treetops. He read, In the rainforest, many living creatures blend in with their surroundings. This is called camouflage.

林下层。他们终于踏上了森林的地面，昏暗的林子里只斜斜透进来几缕阳光。 这里的树长得特别特别高，树干也特别粗，藤蔓和苔藓到处垂挂着，地上铺满了枯树叶。 “我们先别急着走，我最好先查查这本书。”杰克说。他掏出那本雨林书，翻到了树梢下黑暗世界的那张图片。 他念道：“雨林里有很多生物会和周围的环境融为一体，这叫做伪装。”

Oh, man," said Jack. He closed the book and looked around. There are tons of creatures down here. We just can't see them. Really? whispered Annie. She and Jack peered around at the quiet forest. Jack felt unseen eyes watching them. Let's hurry and find a special thing, whispered Annie. How will we know when we find it? Jack said. I think we'll just know, said Annie. She headed off through the gloom. Jack followed. They crept between the huge trees and past hanging vines. Annie stopped. Wait, what's that? What's what? Listen, that weird sound. Jack listened. He heard a crackling sound.

“我的天呐。”杰克说。他合上书，环顾四周。 这下面有好多好多生物，只是我们看不见而已。 “真的吗？”安妮小声问。 她和杰克眯起眼睛打量着这片安静的森林，杰克感觉有看不见的眼睛正盯着他们。 “我们快点找那件特别的东西吧。”安妮小声说。 “我们怎么知道找到的就是它呢？”杰克问。 “我觉得到时候我们自然就知道啦。”安妮说。 她迈步穿过昏暗的树林，杰克跟在她身后。 他们蹑手蹑脚地穿过参天大树，走过垂挂的藤蔓，安妮突然停了下来。 “等一下，那是什么？” “什么是什么？” “你听，那个奇怪的声音。” 杰克侧耳倾听，他听到了一阵噼里啪啦的声响。

It sounded like a person walking over leaves. Jack looked around. He didn't see anyone. But the sound got louder. Was it an animal? A giant bug? One that had never been named? Just then the silent forest came alive. Birds took off into the air. Frogs hopped over the leaves. Ligards ran up the tree trunks. The weird noise grew louder and louder. Maybe the book explains it, said Jack. He opened the book. He found a picture of different animals running together. He read, When animals hear a crackling sound, they flee in panic. The sound means that 30 million flesh -eating army ants are marching through the dead leaves.

那声音听起来像是有人踩在树叶上走路。 杰克环顾四周，一个人也没看到。 可是声音变得越来越大了。 是动物吗？ 是一只从没被人发现过的大虫子吗？ 就在这时，原本寂静的森林突然骚动了起来。 鸟儿们扑棱着飞到了空中。 青蛙们蹦蹦跳跳地跳过树叶。 蜥蜴们飞快地往树干上爬。 那个奇怪的声响变得越来越大了。 “说不定书里有解释。”杰克说。 他翻开了书。 他翻到了一张图，上面画着各种各样的动物凑在一起跑。 他念道： “动物们听到噼里啪啦的声响时，会惊慌地四处逃窜。” “这种声音意味着有3000万只食肉行军蚁正穿过枯树叶，朝这边行进。”

It's all the ants! cried Jack. Millions of them! Where? cried Annie. Jack and Annie looked around wildly. There? Annie pointed.

“是蚂蚁！”杰克大喊，“有数百万只！”“在哪里？”安妮大叫。杰克和安妮慌忙四处张望。“是那里吗？”安妮指着某个方向问。