书城教材教辅科学读本(英文原版)(套装1-6册)
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第41章 第一册(41)

"Can you tell me why the sheep has that thick woolly coat, Norah?""I suppose it is because it always sleeps in the open air at night. The thick coat of wool is to keep it warm.""Quite right. Now let us sit down here, and watch the sheep eat the grass. You see they are all eating in the same way. They tear off one mouthful after another, and swallow it at once. They do not wait to chew it. They will not leave off till they have eaten as much as they want. Then they will lie down on the ground very quiet and still.""Some of them seem to have had enough already," said Norah, "for they are lying down over there. But they all look as if they were chewing now, Fred.""So they are," said Fred. "I will tell you all about it. First ofall, then, I must tell you that the sheep has no teeth at all in the frontof its top jaw. It has

a thick, hard pad there instead of teeth. It collects the grass, a mouthful at a time, with its long tongue and lips. The sharp cutting teeth in front of the lower jaw press the grass against the pad and tear it off, and then the sheep swallows the whole of it just as it is.