英语听力精选进阶版 7154

Background: 法国的一些牡蛎养殖农在巴黎举行抗议。游行队伍堵塞了塞纳河上的一座桥梁并将大批的牡蛎壳倾倒在路面上。他们要求政府帮助他们度过目前这场因牡蛎死亡率过高而引起的经济危机。

For the third year in a row French oyster¹ farms are being hit by a variety of herpes virus that wipes out literally² millions of the infant form of the mollusc known as spats³.

The phenomenon first appeared in 2008, with researchers blaming the warm spring weather which provided perfect conditions for the disease to spread.

Last year the virus returned, in some farms destroying the entire production, and now this spring too there are signs of trouble.

Oyster farms in Corsica and on the Mediterranean⁴ coast are already seeing high mortality rates, and the fear is that as the seas warm once again the virus will spread to the big oyster-producing areas on the Atlantic coast.

No-one really understands the science of what is happening. It could be linked to global warming, but it's certainly not proven.

In the meantime as many as one in four French oyster farms risk going out of business, and the industry wants instant and large-scale government aid to stave off financial disaster.

Glossary⁵ 词汇表

herpes virus 单纯疱疹病毒 

wipes out 消灭了 

mollusc 软体动物 

phenomenon 现象 

signs of trouble 问题的迹象 

high mortality rates 高死亡率 

stave off 抵挡

Questions and Answers

1. How many years has this been happening? 

The virus has been attacking the oysters⁶ for the last three years.

2. Where are oyster farms already seeing high mortality rates? 

Along the Mediterranean coast and on the island of Corsica.

3. How many oyster farms risk going out of business? 

Up to 25% of French oyster farms are at risk.

4. Do the farmers want help from the French government? 

Yes, the farmers want immediate⁷ financial aid from the French government.

1 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 spats   

n.口角( spat的名词复数 )；小争吵；鞋罩；鞋套v.spit的过去式和过去分词( spat的第三人称单数 )；口角；小争吵；鞋罩

参考例句：

• Gasoline is a solvent liquid that removes grease spats. 汽油是一种能脱去油迹的有溶解能力的液体。 来自辞典例句
• Then spats took a catnap, and the bird looked out for dogs. 然后斯派茨小睡了一会儿。小鸟为它站岗放哨，防止狗跑过来。 来自互联网

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 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。

6 oysters   

牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。
• She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。