英语听力精选进阶版 7281

最新发表在《科学》期刊里的一项研究指出所有的植物和动物物种的名称可在本世纪内被列出。

We've already found more than a million species, but unearthing² the rest was thought to be an impossible task. But now it seems an army of amateur scientists have taken up the cause. A new study concludes that, thanks to them, we're in a golden age of discovery, with 20,000 new finds charted each year.

There could also be far fewer plants and animals left for them to find. The researchers say rather than tens of millions of species living on Earth, there could be between two and eight million. If the appetite for discovery continues to grow, they say a full ecological³ audit⁴ could be a possibility within the next 100 years. The scientists also looked at the numbers of species going extinct, and said this had been overestimated⁵.

Professor Mark Costello, from the University of Auckland, is the lead author of the study:

"Suddenly people say we're in the middle of a mass extinction⁶ crisis well that's a bit premature⁷ because when we look at the extinction rates that are actually happening they're not as bad as people have been letting on"

But the International Union for the Conservation of Nature disagreed with the team's conclusion that the rate of new species found was higher than the numbers being lost. The organisation's deputy director said it was more important to save species than to count them.

Quiz 听力下载

True or False? Over one million species have been unearthed⁸ already.

True.

True or False? The International Union for the Conservation of Nature doesn’t believe the rate of new species found was higher than the numbers being lost.

True.

How many new species are being found each year?

20,000 new species are being found each year.

Why do the researchers think it would be possible to name all the speicies on earth within the next 100 years?

Because they believe if there are only two to eight million species left to unearth¹ and that the appetite for discovery keeps growing, then a full ecological audit could be a possibility within the next 100 years.

Glossary 词汇表

unearthing 发掘，挖出

taken up the cause 积极投身于（某事业）

a golden age 黄金时期

charted 被记载，被列出

appetite for discovery （想）发掘的欲望

ecological audit 生态审计

overestimated 对（数量）估计过高，超估

mass extinction 大量灭绝

premature 草率的

1 unearth   

v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出

参考例句：

• Most of the unearth relics remain intact.大多数出土文物仍保持完整无损。
• More human remains have been unearthed in the north.北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

2 unearthing   

发掘或挖出某物( unearth的现在分词 )； 搜寻到某事物，发现并披露

参考例句：

• And unearthing the past often means literally and studying the evidence. 通常，探寻往事在字面上即意味着——刨根究底。
• The unearthing of "Peking Man" was a remarkable discovery. “北京人”的出土是个非凡的发现。

3 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

4 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

5 overestimated   

对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价( overestimate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They overestimated his ability when they promoted him. 他们提拔他的时候高估了他的能力。
• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。

6 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。

7 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

8 unearthed   

出土的（考古）

参考例句：

• Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。