South Africa Considers Rhino Horn Sale 南非拟进行犀牛角拍卖惹争议
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2013年10月19日
- 最后更新于 2023年12月18日
- 发布于 2013年10月19日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：372
课文朗读
The South African government is considering whether or not to hold a one-time, legal sale of rhinoceros horns. The move comes as increased poaching threatens to wipe out the species. The government believes the sale will reduce the need for poaching and plans to propose the idea in 2016 at a prestigious conference on endangered species.
南非政府正考虑举行一次性犀牛角合法交易，此举是由于盗猎数目的增加已危及物种的数量。政府相信此交易能降低盗猎的需求，并计划于2016年一场关于濒临绝种物种的重大会议上提出这个方案。
South Africa is home to about 75 percent of the world’s rhinos. Its government has a stockpile of more than 16,400 kilograms of rhino horns confiscated from poachers. The horns are popular in China and Vietnam, where some people believe they can be used to treat cancer and hangovers.
南非是世界上约75%数量之多的犀牛生长地，而政府没收盗猎的犀牛角累积已超过16,400公斤。犀牛角在中国和越南十分受欢迎，部分人士相信它能用来治疗癌症及缓解宿醉。
While the South African government intends to go ahead with the sale, opponents of the plan say it could backfire. The market for these illegal goods is still little understood, said Jason Bell, a director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Making more rhino horns available could end up stimulating demand, he said. Both sides are working tirelessly to promote their agendas, as researchers predict wild rhinos could go extinct by 2026.
在南非政府打算将犀牛角交易合法化的同时，反对人士却认为此举可能引发反效果。国际爱护动物基金会区代表杰森．贝尔指出：大家对这些非法商品的交易市场依然所知甚少，此时若释出更多犀牛角恐使需求量激增。两造双方皆努力不懈地阐明各自的政治观点，而研究人员也预测野生犀牛将于2026年绝迹。
－by Bryan Shettig
Vocabulary
rhinoceros [raɪˋnɑsərəs] n. 犀牛
poach [potʃ] v. 偷猎；偷捕
species [ˋspiʃiz] n. 〔动植物的〕物种
prestigious [prɛsˋtɪdʒɪəs] adj. 享有声望的,声望很高的
stockpile [ˋstɑk͵paɪl] n. 积累
confiscate [ˋkɑnfɪs͵ket] v. 没收，将……充公
hangover [ˋhæŋ͵ovɚ] n.【口】宿醉
opponent [əˋponənt] n. 反对者
backfire [ˋbækˋfaɪr] v. 产生和预期情况完全相反的结果；事与愿违
stimulate [ˋstɪmjə͵let] v. 刺激；激励
agenda [əˋdʒɛndə] n. 议题
extinct [ɪkˋstɪŋkt] adj. 绝种的，灭绝的
Reading Comprehension
1. What is the main idea of this article?
(A) Why buying rhino horns in 2016 is a good idea.
(B) How South Africa plans to end illegal rhino hunting.
(C) Why rhino horns are not real medicine.
(D) How people in Asia illegally hunt rhinos.
2. Which of the following is NOT discussed in this passage?
(A) How the sale could affect rhino horn demand.
(B) Why South Africa wants to have the sale.
(C) Where rhino horns are popular.
(D) How much rhino horns will sell for.
3. What might happen by 2026, according to the article?
(A) Rhinos in the wild will disappear.
(B) South Africa will have a convention that year.
(C) People will stop using rhino horn medicine.
(D) Scientists will provide rhino horns cure cancer.
Answer
|
1. ( B ) |
2. ( D ) |
3. ( A ) |
|
|