英语听力精选进阶版 6343

What age would you like to live to?

Many people often live to a ripe old age, but 'Lonesome George', a giant tortoise, was estimated to have been over 100 years old.

This week his keeper of 40 years, Fausto Llerena, sadly found him dead in his enclosure.

Over the years Lonesome became a symbol of the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador, which attracts over 180,000 visitors each year. He received his nickname as he often shied away from female company.

Although 100 would be long in the tooth for most humans, for giant tortoises Lonesome was relatively¹ young: some are thought to live to 200 years of age.

Although advanced in years, he wasn't over the hill and had been trying to father offspring with a female partner. Considered to be in his sexual prime, he was however unsuccessful as the eggs produced were subsequently found to be infertile².

Environmentalists are particularly upset at his death because Lonesome was the last of his subspecies of Pinta tortoises.

In the good old days of the 19th century, tortoises were plentiful³ on the Galapagos Islands. Since then they have been hunted for their meat to the point of extinction⁴. There now remain around 20,000 other subspecies of tortoise on the islands, but these creatures are now considered rare and endangered.

Lonesome's body will now be embalmed⁵ so that visitors to the park can view the body and the legacy⁶ of his subspecies can live on.

Quiz 测验

1. What is the name of the place where Lonesome George was found dead?

His enclosure

2. What is the expression used which means to avoid the company of others?

Shied away from

3. Name two idioms used to describe old age.

Long in the tooth, advanced in years, over the hill, ripe old age

4. What is the word used for when a species of animal does not exist anymore?

Extinction

5. What is the name given for when a body is preserved with chemicals?

Embalmed

Glossary 词汇表

ripe old age 一大把年岁了

enclosure 围场

shied away from 羞于

long in the tooth 年迈

advanced in years 年老的

over the hill 年老走向衰弱

offspring 子孙后代

prime 壮年

infertile 不育的

subspecies 亚种

good old days 过去的好时光

extinction 绝种

endangered 濒临灭绝的

embalmed 铭记于

legacy 遗产

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 infertile   

adj.不孕的；不肥沃的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• Plants can't grow well in the infertile land.在贫瘠的土地上庄稼长不好。
• Nobody is willing to till this infertile land.这块薄田没有人愿意耕种。

3 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

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 embalmed   

adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气

参考例句：

• Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句
• In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

6 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。