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Whaling Practices Reexamined 法罗岛与鲸鱼的哀歌

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For more than 1,200 years, inhabitants of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous province of Denmark in the North Atlantic Ocean, have hunted pilot whales. The creatures provide a stable source of food for the winter season. But recently, the tradition of hunting whales has come under scrutiny from animal activists around the globe.

法罗群岛是位于北大西洋上的丹麦自治省，岛上的居民已捕杀领航鲸超过1200年。领航鲸在冬季时提供岛民稳定的食物来源。但最近，这项捕鲸传统已被全球动物保育人士严格检视。

Every summer, a Faroe Island whale hunt is carried out. Local fishermen will encircle a pod of hundreds of pilot whales reach the shore, they are met by hunters wielding sharp knives. These men will slaughter the whales one by one, severing their spinal cords. At the end, hundreds of whale carcasses are left on the beach, the sea briefly turning a crimson red from the carnage.

法罗岛捕鲸于每个夏季进行。当地渔夫会把数百只的领航鲸群围住，并慢慢地用船把牠们赶向岸边。当鲸群到达岸边时，岸上挥舞着锐利刀子的渔夫也正等着牠们。渔夫会切断牠们的脊椎，一只只把鲸鱼杀光。最后，好几百只鲸鱼尸体会被留在岸上，大海也因大屠杀而被染成成深红色。

Animal activists are outraged by this practice and feel the whale hunt is a barbaric, outdated ritual that must be abolished. They argue that in this day and age, there are plenty of alternative food sources that can replace the meat and blubber the pilot whales provide. Furthermore, they claim the hunt is destroying the web of life in the North Atlantic Ocean.

动物保育人士对这种举动感到愤慨。他们觉得杀鲸是野蛮、过时且应该被废止的仪式。他们指出，现在已有许多食物可代替领航鲸提供的鲸肉与鲸脂。此外，他们声称杀鲸会破坏北大西洋的生态网。

However, the Faroese claim their whale hunt is an important part of traditional Faroese culture. They insist that, although the whale hunt may appear violent, it’s actually quite humane because the animals are killed quickly and their pain is brief. Only time will tell if the Faroe hunts will continue or if the Faroese will be forced to change their ways.

然而，法罗岛民宣称捕鲸是岛上传统文化的一部份。他们坚持虽然屠杀鲸鱼看来很残忍，但其实很人性化，因为屠宰过程迅速使牠们死前痛苦短暂。所以只有时间会告诉我们，是否法罗岛的捕鲸会继续上演，或法罗岛民会被迫改变他们的作法。

－by Jamie Blackler

Vocabulary

单词发音

autonomous [ɔˋtɑnəməs] adj. 自治的；自治权的

stable [ˋsteb!] adj. 稳定的

scrutiny [ˋskrutnɪ] n. 监视，监督

activist [ˋæktəvɪst] n. 激进主义分子; 行动主义者

encircle [ɪnˋsɝk!] v. 环绕；包围

slaughter [ˋslɔtɚ] v. 宰杀，屠宰

outrage [ˋaʊt͵redʒ] v. 激起〔某人〕的义愤; 使〔某人〕震怒

barbaric [bɑrˋbærɪk] adj. 野蛮的

outdated [͵aʊtˋdetɪd] adj. 不适合现代社会的; 过时的

abolish [əˋbɑlɪʃ] v. 废除，废止

in this day and age 现时代; 当今

More Information

单词发音

carry out 实行, 执行 to follow or obey

pod [pɑd] n.（海豹、鲸等的）一小群

wield [wild] v. 挥舞（剑等）

sever [ˋsɛvɚ] v. 切断，割断

carcass [ˋkɑrkəs] n.（动物的）尸体

crimson [ˋkrɪmzn] adj. 深红色的，绯红的

carnage [ˋkɑrnɪdʒ] n. 大屠杀

blubber [ˋblʌbɚ] n. 鲸脂；鲸油

Reading Questions

1.  Why are many animal activists against the Faroe Island whale hunts?

A.  Whale hunters often exhibit peaceful behavior.

B.  They think it’s not necessary in the modern era.     

C.  The killing of whales pollutes the environment.

D.  Faroese traditions are allowed by many international laws.

2.  Which of the following is NOT true of a Faroe Island whale hunt?

A.  Small boats push the whales out into the ocean.

B.  Hunters on the island kill the whales with weapons.

C.  The bodies of whales are left on the beach.

D.  When the whales are dead, Faroese will eat the whale meat.

3.  What would be the best title for this passage?

A.  The End of an ancient Tradition.

B.  What You Can Do to Stop Faroe Whale Hunts

C.  Ending the Argument over Whale Hunting

D.  The Controversial Issue of Faroese Whale Hunting

Faroe Whale Cull - Faroe Islands

Whaling in the Faroe Islands

Answer