【趣谈英语】秃鹰不止是丑鸟-Vultures Aren’t Just Ugly Birds

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

• scavenger: one that searches for or feeds on discarded or dead matter
• carcass: dead body of an animal
• take for granted: to not appreciate someone or something
• antibiotic¹: a type of drug that kills off tiny, harmful organisms
• extinction²: the complete loss of a species
• stench: a terrible smell

Vultures Aren’t Just Ugly Birds

 

Vultures are often considered ugly and smelly. These scavengers feed on fresh meat and rotting carcasses. Their bare heads and necks prevent bacteria from getting buried in their feathers. The service vultures provide is often taken for granted. In India, vulture species have declined by up to 99% in recent years. An antibiotic drug given to cattle and other livestock³ caused the near extinction in India. The missing birds of prey⁴ did not go unnoticed, however. Without the vultures to remove the sick and dead animals, the stench of carcasses became unbearable⁵. Rabies and other diseases became a major problem due to an increase in rats and wild dogs. Now that the drug has been banned for use on livestock, Indian vultures are getting back to the important job at hand.

1 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

2 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

3 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

4 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

5 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。