英语听力精选进阶版 7153

Background: 马来西亚生态环境保护者用相机拍到了一头稀有的苏门答腊犀牛。据称这头犀牛已经怀孕。看到这种濒临灭绝的动物在婆罗洲岛的野外繁育，也让人们看到了它们的希望。婆罗洲岛分别隶属于马来西亚、印度尼西亚和文莱三个国家。

This is the first time that researchers have captured an image of a female Sumatran rhino¹ believed to be pregnant.

There are so few of these animals left in the wild - possibly no more than 30 on Borneo - that experts say each new calf² is a lifeline for the species.

The female is thought to be around 20 years old, and the researchers have set up some 50 cameras in the area to try and track her movements.

If she is indeed pregnant - and the experts say they can't be sure yet - the birth of a calf would go some way to allaying³ fears that the rhinos⁴ have become so isolated⁵ from each other, they are not even meeting to breed.

The location of the rhino is being kept secret, as this is an area where poaching, and also illegal logging, are a huge threat.

The Sumatran rhino is an extremely shy creature which is rarely seen.

Researchers are trying to gather more information on the health and condition of the species through the use of remote cameras.

There was excitement recently when the cameras caught images of two young rhino in the area where the female has been spotted⁶.

The World Wildlife Fund is working with local officials to produce an action plan to protect forest reserves, and to rescue rhinos where necessary to help them breed.

Glossary⁷ 词汇表

researchers 研究人员 

in the wild 在野外 

calf 幼仔 

lifeline 生命线 

track her movements 跟踪她的行踪 

allaying fears 减少担心 

isolated 孤立、隔绝 

breed 繁育 

poaching 偷猎 

illegal logging 非法伐木 

shy 胆小的 

spotted 发现、注意到 

World Wildlife Fund 世界野生动物基金组织 

action plan 行动计划

Questions and Answers

1. True or false? Researchers think the rhino may be about to have a baby. 

True. They think the rhino is pregnant.

2. How old is the rhino? 

It is believed to be approximately 20 years old.

3. What dangers face the rhinos? 

They are threatened by illegal hunters and the destruction of the jungle by loggers.

4. Have any other rhinos been seen? 

Yes, two young rhinos have also been observed.

1 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。

2 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

3 allaying   

v.减轻，缓和( allay的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Most important, improving the government's reputation means allaying political and human-rights concerns. 最重要的在于提高政府的声誉，这意味着需要缓和政治策略和关注人权间的矛盾。 来自互联网
• More reading may be allaying your doubt. 多读书或许可以减少你的疑惑。 来自互联网

4 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

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

7 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。