英语听力精选进阶版 7346

《国际濒危物种贸易公约》委员会（英文缩写为 CITES）说偷猎行为和非法象牙交易有增不减。在最新报告中，CITES 警告说，为了获取象牙而偷猎的情况已经造成了非洲大象的生存面临非常严峻的威胁。

20,000 elephants were illegally killed in Africa last year, the report shows. That figure far exceeds the growth rate of the elephant population. In some regions of Africa elephants are threatened with extinction¹.

The report also documents a clear increase in the number of large seizures² - amounts of over 500 kg - of ivory in Africa. For the first time there were more such seizures in Africa than in Asia, an indication, the report suggests, of the involvement of transnational organised crime in the illegal ivory trade.

And while elephant conservationists do believe that increased ivory confiscation³ is a sign that law enforcement is improving, they also point out that demand for ivory remains⁴ very high, and that even in some of the monitored elephant populations, poaching is actually increasing.

Grammar

1. True or false? Last year, the population of African elephants grew faster than the number that were illegally killed.

False. The report says twenty thousand elephants were illegally killed in Africa last year. That figure far exceeds the growth rate of the elephant population.

2. What has happened to the rate of seizures of ivory in Africa?

It has increased, although there are now more seizures of ivory in Asia than in Africa.

3. Why do elephant conservationists think law enforcement is improving?

Because there has been an increase in confiscation of ivory.

4. How has the demand for ivory changed?

It hasn't. Demand for ivory remains very high.

Glossary 词汇表

far exceeds 远远超过了

extinction 灭绝

seizures 缴获

indication 迹象

transnational 跨国的

confiscation 没收

law enforcement 法律的实施

monitored 受监控的

1 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。

2 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

3 confiscation   

n. 没收, 充公, 征收

参考例句：

• Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. 没收一切流亡分子和叛乱分子的财产。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
• Confiscation of smuggled property is part of the penalty for certain offences. 没收走私财产是对某些犯罪予以惩罚的一部分。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。