英语听力：自然百科 最后的巨型淡水鳖

 Conserving wildlife is a struggle all governments face, but nowhere more sole than in China, where the world’s last female rafetus turtle (斑鳖)is about to be introduced to her new home. 600 miles and 17 hours into the journey, the team arrives at the Suzhou Zoo. The zoo has constructed a divided breeding pond for the occasion: one side for the female; one for the male. In a few days, if the turtles don’t show any aggression¹, the gate will be opened. Crowds have gathered to witness the arrival of the famous female.

 

This is special because it is the largest turtle in China. It is one of the most revered² turtles in China, and this is the last male and the last female known in China. So, it’s important not just to us as conservation biologists, but to the Chinese people. This is an extremely important event.

 

(If you just move it inside, then we’re gonna come right by, understand?

Ah, do not put it in the water. Take care.

Easy, easy, easy…

Here we go. Here we go.

There she goes.)

 

The new pond is a paradise compared to her old home. And the female is happy just to be out of the crate³. (Excellent, there she is!) Teen turtle is elated（高兴） with the success of phase one.

 

This is the last female on the planet of this species of turtle, and this is literally⁴ the last chance we have to save this species.

 

Phase two is to coax(诱导) the male through a connecting tunnel into his half of the pond.

 

But the fence is there for a reason.

 

The male is nearly three times the size of the female, and he has already killed another turtle. Instead of mating with her, he could attack her.

 

If we introduce them and he does not recognize the female as a female, then there will be a fight. We’re concerned, but I’m hoping love is in the air. And I believe we’ll know this afternoon when we see the male and the female, on opposite sides of the protective barrier, able to see each other and smell each other and touch each other for the first time.

 

The unexpected scent⁵ of a female lures⁶ the male into his half of the pond, and he’s not the only one whose interest has peaked. Now, the two will have a night to get acquainted through the dividing gate.

 

The next day, a rainstorm inundates（淹） Suzhou, but for the turtles, the weather is just setting the mood. The male and the female have spent the night piercing the fence. And Dr. Cooley insists that time is right to open the gate.

 

The female definitely is a very good looking girl, and the male, I hope the female thinks the same of the male that he’s a good looking guy. But what I can tell, she’s almost interested what’s next door and this is a male. This is also one reason why we’re confident we should open the gate now.

 

The zoo gives the team the final go-ahead. It’s time for the big introduction. The male hesitates to approach the open gate. And the team gets ready for an emergency separation. Finally, he makes his move. (There he goes. He’s headed right towards it.) And the two disappear into a swirl（漩涡） of bubbles.

 

There are something going on in the middle of the pond here.

 

The underwater courtship(求爱) begins as the team closely watches for any signs of aggression. But so far, all signs point to a successful match. (Ah, there she goes.) In a few months, the female will lay her eggs and they’ll know for certain if the plan has worked.

 

She can lay anywhere from 20 to 80 eggs, and so one or two fertile clutches would, by an order of magnitude, increase the number of this species on earth. If this effort is not successful, then the species will become extinct.

 

The future of the rafetus turtle now depends upon the dangerously limited gene⁷ pool. But biologists agree this is no reason to let the animals die out. 

 

You know, sometimes people say, “Wow, the species gets below a certain number. It’s no longer viable⁸ genetically⁹.” I don’t believe it. I think that if there is a pregnant female remaining, you should make the effort to try to bring that species back from the brink（边缘） of extinction¹⁰.

1 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

2 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

3 crate   

vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱

参考例句：

• We broke open the crate with a blow from the chopper.我们用斧头一敲就打开了板条箱。
• The workers tightly packed the goods in the crate.工人们把货物严紧地包装在箱子里。

4 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。

5 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

6 lures   

吸引力，魅力（lure的复数形式）

参考例句：

• He left home because of the lures of life in the city. 他离家是由于都市生活的诱惑。
• Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures men down to the depths of the earth. 可能正是寻觅幽静的去处，或者找个猎奇的机会的欲望引诱着人们进入地球的深处。

7 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

8 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

9 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

10 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。