英语听力精选进阶版 14386

Elephant exchange

Summary

14 March 2014

The Sri Lankan government has changed its mind about sending a baby elephant to South Korea as a gift, after realising it was born on what it considers to be an important day. The elephant was originally going to be sent as part of an exchange of wild animals.

Reporter:

Charles Haviland

Report

A minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa withdrew the young elephant from this gift exchange after learning she was born on 18 May 2009. That is the day the Sri Lankan government ended the civil war by defeating the Tamil Tigers. 

The government marks the day every year with a display of military pomp and many Sri Lankans see it as an auspicious¹ date - although many of the Tamil minority see it as a day of mourning as so many of their number were killed. 

The minister said the elephant calf², born at an elephant orphanage³, was a symbol of the war victory. She would have been sent to South Korea with one other elephant in exchange for a lion and a tiger. 

An environmentalist, Pubudu Weeraratne, said he didn't care about her birthdate, but it was wrong to send such young elephants overseas as they still needed their mother's protection and milk. He also said the intended Korean destination was a private safari⁴ park and there was no guarantee the animals would be protected from the harsh winters there. 

Captive elephants are used in religious ceremonies here or kept as prized pets by some people. There have been recent reports of an underground racket in newly captured elephants even though trapping elephants is now strictly⁵ illegal. 

1 auspicious   

adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的

参考例句：

• The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
• With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。

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 orphanage   

n.孤儿院

参考例句：

• They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage.他们把新衣服发给孤儿院的小孩们。
• They gave the proceeds of the sale to the orphanage.他们把销售的收入给了这家孤儿院。

4 safari   

n.远征旅行(探险、考察)；探险队，狩猎队

参考例句：

• When we go on safari we like to cook on an open fire.我们远行狩猎时，喜欢露天生火做饭。
• They went on safari searching for the rare black rhinoceros.他们进行探险旅行，搜寻那稀有的黑犀牛。

5 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。