Putting the Brakes on Roadkill 公路动物悲歌
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2006年4月25日
- 最后更新于 2023年12月18日
- 发布于 2011年10月15日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：388
課文朗讀
課文中英文講解
For some wildlife, the motorways of the United States are killing grounds. Each year, millions of vertebrates, ___1___ carnivores like wolves, bears, mountain lions, lynxes and ocelots, as well as slow-moving animals like turtles and other reptiles, are hit and killed by passing cars. Roads may be vital to modern life, but they are ___2___ to a slew of creatures.
对某些野生动物来说，美国的高速公路是个大屠杀场。每年都有好几百万的脊椎动物，包括了肉食性的狼、熊、美洲狮、山猫、和豹猫，也有一些慢速动物像是乌龟及其它爬虫类，被经过的车子给撞死。道路对现代生活来说或许很重要，但它们却让许多动物赔上性命。
In a number of places, traffic is threatening the very survival of some species. For example, roadkill has contributed to the reduction of the federally-protected ocelot ___3___ a population of only 80 animals. Thankfully, steps have been and are being taken to help reduce the daily and nightly carnage on America’s roads. Underpasses and culverts have been constructed ___4___ animals can walk underneath roads rather than run the risk of crossing them. Fences and barriers, ___5___ in conjunction with the underpasses and culverts, help to direct animals to these safe places to cross.
许多地方，交通威胁着某些物种仅存的生存空间。例如，「路杀事件」已导致受联邦政府保护的豹猫数量降到仅剩八十只。谢天谢地，已有措施来帮助降低在美国道路上的日夜屠杀。地下通道和涵洞桥已经建造起来，如此一来，动物们便可以在马路下方行走，而不用冒险穿越马路了。栅栏、围篱与地下道及沟渠结合起来，协助引导动物们经由这些安全的地方穿越马路。
The results to date have been visibly pleasing, with researchers noting a sharp ___6___ in the number of roadkill incidents each year. More pleasing still is ___7___ species which were previously considered under the threat of extinction, in part because of roadkill, are starting to see a rise in their numbers. And this just goes to show that road safety is about more than protecting people.
到目前为止，研究人员指出每年的路杀事件已急遽下降，这样的成效令人感到欣慰。更令人开心的是，许多先前部分因为路杀事件而被认为面临绝种威胁的物种，其数量开始增加了。由此可看出，道路安全可不只是要保护人们而已。
−By Colin Gread
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(A) include |
(B) including |
(C) included |
(D) inclusive |
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2. |
(A) dying |
(B) death |
(C) dead |
(D) deadly |
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3. |
(A) to |
(B) at |
(C) with |
(D) for |
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4. |
(A) even if |
(B) as if |
(C) so that |
(D) so far |
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5. |
(A) to use |
(B) in use |
(C) used |
(D) using |
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6. |
(A) increase |
(B) reduction |
(C) addition |
(D) raise |
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7. |
(A) that |
(B) what |
(C) because |
(D) while |
Vocabulary
reptile [ˋrɛpt!] n. 爬虫类
reduction [rɪˋdʌkʃən] n. 减少
construct [kənˋstrʌkt] v. 建造
previously [ˋpriviəslɪ] adv. 事先；以前
extinction [ɪkˋstɪŋkʃən] n. 灭绝
More Information
motorway [ˋmotɚ͵we] n.【英】高速公路
vertebrate [ˋvɝtə͵bret] n. 脊椎动物
carnivore [ˋkɑrnə͵vɔr] n. 食肉动物
lynx [lɪŋks] n. 山猫
ocelot [ˋosəlɑt] n. 豹猫
slew [slu] n.【口】许多
contribute [kənˋtrɪbjut] v. 贡献，提供[（+to/towards）]; 对某事起促成作用
federally [ˋfɛdərəlɪ] adv. 联邦地; 在联邦政府一级
carnage [ˋkɑrnɪdʒ] n. 大屠杀
underpass [ˋʌndɚ͵pæs] n. 地下通道，下穿交叉道
culvert [ˋkʌlvɚt] n. 排水渠﹐阴沟﹐涵洞
to date: 迄今; 至今; 到目前为止 until now
Answer
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1. ( B ) |
2. ( D ) |
3. ( A ) |
4. ( C ) |
5. ( C ) |
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6. ( B ) |
7. ( A ) |
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