英语PK台 第267期:肯尼亚焚毁超百吨象牙及犀牛角

 　　Historic ivory burn covers the sky in smoke and ash

　　President Uhuru Kenyatta set fire to over $172 million worth of illicit¹ wildlife goods. The mass burning involved 105 tons of elephant ivory and more than 1 ton of rhino² horn, believed to be the largest stockpile ever destroyed. This was the most significant demonstration³ against poaching in the region and the largest burn of illegal wildlife products in history. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called for an end to "murderous" trafficking and to fight against the extinction⁴ of elephants in the wild.

　　Every 15 minutes, an elephant is killed for its tusks⁵. And some 1,338 rhinos⁶ were poached in Africa last year, a record number and the sixth year in a row that the number of poaching incidents has increased. In 10 years in central Africa we have lost as many as 70% of the elephants.

　　Critics worried it would send the price of ivory in the black market up but conservationist Richard Leakey told the crowd at the burn ceremony that prior burnings have led to a dramatic drop in prices. Kenya's tourism, based mostly around its wildlife, makes up about 12% of the country's GDP. Over its life, a live elephant generates 76 times more in tourism revenue than it does for its ivory, according to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant rescue and rehabilitation⁷ group.

　　Vocabulary:

　　Illicit, ivory, poach, rehabilitation

1 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

2 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 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。

5 tusks   

n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头

参考例句：

• The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。
• Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

6 rhinos   

n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式）

参考例句：

• There are many reports of people taming and even training Indian rhinos. 有许多关于人们驯养甚至训练印度犀牛的记载。 来自辞典例句
• The rhinos had fed during the night in the rice fields of these villagers. 犀牛夜里在这些村民的庄稼地里也已吃饱了。 来自辞典例句

7 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。