Jacob W. Frank/NPS
Pack Leader 头狼
Grey wolves infected with this parasite are more likely to become pack leaders, scientists say
科学家说，感染了这种寄生虫的灰狼更有可能成为狼群的首领
Researchers studying grey wolf populations in Yellowstone National Park have discovered an intriguing reason why some wolves may be more inclined to become pack leaders.
研究黄石国家公园灰狼种群的研究人员发现了一个有趣的原因，为什么有些狼可能更倾向于成为狼群的领导者。
Grey wolves exposed to Toxoplasma gondii — the parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis — are more than 46 times more likely to become a pack leader than uninfected wolves, according to a study published Thursday in Communications Biology.
周四发表在《通信生物学》上的一项研究表明，接触弓形虫(导致弓形虫病的寄生虫)的灰狼成为狼群首领的可能性是未感染的灰狼的46倍以上。
parasite n. /ˈpærəˌsaɪt/
A parasite is a small animal or plant that lives on or inside a larger animal or plant, and gets its food from it. 寄生虫; 寄生植物
• Kangaroos harbour a vast range of parasites.
袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。
intriguing adj. /ɪnˈtriːɡɪŋ/
If you describe something as intriguing, you mean that it is interesting or strange. 非常有趣的；新奇的
• This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.
这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又有知识性。
inclined adj. /ɪnˈklaɪnd/
inclined to do sth：tending to do sth; likely to do sth 有…倾向；很可能
• They’ll be more inclined to listen if you don’t shout. 你要是不大声嚷叫，他们会更愿意倾听。
expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/
If someone is exposed to something dangerous or unpleasant, they are put in a situation in which it might affect them. 使暴露于 (危险或令人不快的境地)
• A wise mother never exposes her children to the slightest possibility of danger.
一个明智的母亲从不会置其孩子于丝毫可能的危险中。
toxoplasma gondii
刚地弓形虫
toxoplasmosis n. /ˌtɒksəʊplæzˈməʊsɪs/
a disease that can be dangerous to a baby while it is still in its mother’s body, caught from infected meat, soil, or animal faeces 弓形体病（对胎儿有害，由感染病菌的肉、土壤或动物粪便传染）
feces n. /ˈfiːsiːz/
Faeces is the solid waste substance that people and animals get rid of from their body by passing it through the anus. 粪便
• grass contaminated by faeces from infected dogs
被受到传染的狗的粪便污染了的草地
anus n. /ˈeɪnəs/
A person’s anus is the hole from which faeces leaves their body. 肛门