美国国家公共电台 NPR--This 13-year-old border collie is saving the environment, one bottle at a time

This 13-year-old border collie is saving¹ the environment, one bottle at a time

Transcript²

Scruff the "eco dog" helps clean up his town in central England by fetching hundreds of discarded⁴ plastic bottles.

ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:

Those who think people aren't doing enough for the environment can take heart that they're receiving help.

(SOUNDBITE OF DOG BARKING)

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

This 13-year-old border collie is doing his part. Scruff is his name, and Scruff has collected more than 1,000 bottles over the past year for recycling in his town of Nuneaton in central England.

SCHMITZ: His humans, Yvonne and David Grant⁵, did not think much of it when their dog first started finding⁶ and picking up bottles during their walks, but then it became a family affair.

YVONNE FAULKNER-GRANT: It was David who suggested at the end of 2021 that we maybe start collecting them 'cause he seemed to see that many, which brought our attention to it. And, yeah, he's gone from there (laughter).

INSKEEP: David Grant says there's never a shortage⁷ of bottles to collect.

DAVID GRANT: It doesn't seem to change. Society seems to just discard³ the bottles no matter who it is. So we could walk one route one day and go back maybe two days later and do the same route, and there's still bottles that people maybe have chucked out the car window on the side of the road.

SCHMITZ: Yvonne found Scruff in 2009.

FAULKNER-GRANT: We rescued him from a not very nice place, to be fair. He'd been kept in a rabbit hutch, and where he should be white, he was yellow from sleeping in his own wet, let's say. But, yeah, he's had a better life since (laughter).

INSKEEP: Scruff's bottle patrols⁸ are continuing in the new year.

GRANT: The only difference is, we think, is we're not going to store the bottles all year. We'll still bring them home, try and keep account of them as well but just recycling them on a daily basis.

SCHMITZ: While Scruff likes collecting bottles, the hope is that one day he'll need a new passion.

FAULKNER-GRANT: It would also be nice if he didn't find one bottle (laughter).

GRANT: Yeah.

FAULKNER-GRANT: He wouldn't be happy 'cause it'd take away his fun. But at least the streets would be clean (laughter).

GRANT: Yes, yes.

INSKEEP: If that ever happens, other towns might use his help.

1 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 discard   

vt.丢弃，抛弃，遗弃

参考例句：

• We should discard old beliefs.我们应该抛弃旧观念。
• We will discard the old books.我们将不再使用这些旧书。

4 discarded   

v.丢弃，抛弃( discard的过去式和过去分词 )；不再使用

参考例句：

• The room was littered with discarded newspapers. 房间里到处是乱扔的报纸。
• If the filter has been saturated with motor oil, it should be discarded and replaced. 过滤器如果已被机油浸透，则应丢弃并换上新的。 来自辞典例句

5 grant   

vt.同意给予，授予，承认；n.拨款；补助款

参考例句：

• If you grant my request, you will earn my thanks.如果你答应我的要求，就会得到我的感谢。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

6 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

7 shortage   

n.缺少，缺乏，不足

参考例句：

• The city is suffering a desperate shortage of water.这个城市严重缺水。
• The heart of the problem is a shortage of funds.问题的关键是缺乏经费。

8 patrols   

n.巡逻( patrol的名词复数 )；巡查；巡逻队；童子军小队

参考例句：

• There was a brush between patrols that night. 那天夜里巡逻队之间发生了一场冲突。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The scouts are watching out for enemy patrols. 侦察员提防着敌人的巡逻队。 来自《简明英汉词典》