熊猫"婴儿潮"

The giant panda has roamed the mountains of China for thousands of years. But recently it is teetered on the brink¹ of enstinc, extinction². Now thanks to old-fashioned care and modern medicine in China, the world's most beloved bear may be saved. NBC's Mark Mullen is in China with more.

In Wolong Sichuan Province, China, panda nurses are caring for two sets of twins born two days apart. The Wolong Panda Protection and Research Center could break the old record of 16 births set last year, a panda mini baby boom.

It's amazingly gratifying and rewarding considering it wasn't that long ago that these guys are almost gonna make extinct.

The numbers dropped to less than 1,500 giant pandas in the wild just five years ago. Men helped shrink their natural habitat of bamboo-rich mountains in China. And what also didn't help, the panda's already low libido³, especially when in captivity⁴.

The pandas, researchers found out, were a lot more interested in playing, eating and sleeping rather than mating. Something researchers knew was an obstacle. (Wait a minute) Something our television crew experienced firsthand. At first, the center tried everything to inspire panda romance.

We feed some Chinese medicine and for the, for the male pandas to help the, the breeding.

That had limited results. And so did the videos of other pandas mating that the staff showed the bears and which we won't show you.

What eventually worked the best was science and determination. By trial and error, the Wolong center staff perfected the use of genetically⁵ diverse artificial insemination. Along with successful pre and postnatal bear care so well, more giant pandas are born and survive here than anywhere else in the world.

Good, good news, (um hmm) very good.

With 180 pandas now in captivity and perhaps 3,000 in the wild. Not to mention more baby bears on the way, researchers are moving closer to their ultimate goal. Growing enough pandas and habitat to send them home into the wild. One was released this summer. The staff eagerly hopes to release many more in the years to come. For now, it's rewarded enough for these bear-lovers to know their care and efforts are helping⁶ save one of the most beloved creatures on Earth from extinction.

For today, Mark Mullen, NBC news, Sichuan Province China.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

teeter: v. be rocked, rock, swing, fluctuate 蹒跚, 摇晃; 动摇; 站不稳; 玩跷跷板

libido: n. sexual instinct; person's instinctive drives and energies 欲望, 生命力, 性的冲动

trial and error: experiment and making a mistake, trying and failing 尝试错误法; 不断摸索; 反复试验

artificial insemination: 人工授精, 人工受孕

1 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

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 libido   

n.本能的冲动

参考例句：

• Lack of sleep is a major factor in loss of libido.睡眠不足是导致性欲丧失的一个主要因素。
• Ginseng can increase energy and libido,which can help solve intimacy problems.人参可以增加活力和性欲，从而帮助解决亲密关系的问题。

4 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

5 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。