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If you've ever seen a bicycle race, you might have noticed the riders lining up behind each other instraight columns.
如果你看過自行車比賽，你或許注意到自行車手們都一個跟著一個排成一隊。
Bicycle racers spend much of their energy overcoming wind resistance, so this lining up makesgood sense.
自行車手們耗費了很大的能量來克服風的阻力，所以這樣的排隊方式是很合理的。
If you ride directly behind your opponent, she'll cut through the air resistance for you, letting you save up energy for the finish line.
如果你直接騎在對手的后面。他能夠為你阻擋空氣的阻力，為你沖刺終點保留體力。
What's true for bicycle racers is true for otherthings too.
對于自行車手適用的道理也同樣適用于其他方面的事情。
Going in straight line formation is the best way to overcome wind resistance.
以直線的隊列行進是克服風阻力的最好辦法。
Which brings us to those silly geese.
這讓我們想到了那些愚蠢的大雁！
Like bicycle racers, geese fly in formation mainly to saveenergy.
就如自行車手們那樣，大雁們以節省能量的隊形飛行。
The formation they prefer however is shaped like the letter “V.”
然而它們喜歡的隊形卻是“V”字形。
What's going on? Aregeese just plain dumb?
這是怎么回事？難道大雁是傻瓜？
Not at all!
不是這樣的。
Remember, geese don't only need to worry about air resistance—they need to stay aloft as well.
記住，大雁不僅需要擔心空氣阻力-他們同樣也需要停留在高空。
To do this, goose wings are curved and tapered like those of an aircraft.
為了做到這一點，大雁的翅膀如彎曲的錐形的飛機機翼一般，
The top surface bulges upward while the bottom stays flatter.
表面凸起向上，底部保持平整。
Air rushes more quickly over the wing'sbulging top, and this creates a kind of upward suction.
空氣很快從其翅膀頂部凸起的部分掠過，這就造成了一種向上的吸力，
This phenomenon is called “lift,” and it's agoose's secret for staying aloft.
此現象就叫做“牽引”，這就是大雁能夠停留在高空的秘密。
Lift, however, is a peculiar thing.
然而“牽引”是一種很特殊的東西。
While most of it tugs upward on the goose, some of it spills awayfrom the wing tips as a kind of updraft.
大多數的引力牽引著大雁向上，一些引力則以上升氣流的形式從翼尖流出。
This lingering updraft spreads out behind the goose in aV-shape like the wake of a boat.
這些殘留的上升氣流像船的尾跡一樣在大雁的身后呈V字形伸展開。
If another goose puts its wings inside this updraft wake, it gets anadded upward boost itself.
如果另一只大雁也在這樣的上升氣流中展開翅膀，它會獲得額外的升力來助推自己。
What's the best formation to take advantage of this?
什么樣的隊形能夠最好地利用這個優勢？
It's not astraight line, it's a “V”!
不是直線，而是“V”字形。
