英语听力精选进阶版 6343（在线收听）

What age would you like to live to?

Many people often live to a ripe old age, but 'Lonesome George', a giant tortoise, was estimated to have been over 100 years old.

This week his keeper of 40 years, Fausto Llerena, sadly found him dead in his enclosure.

Over the years Lonesome became a symbol of the Galapagos National Park in Ecuador, which attracts over 180,000 visitors each year. He received his nickname as he often shied away from female company.

Although 100 would be long in the tooth for most humans, for giant tortoises Lonesome was relatively young: some are thought to live to 200 years of age.

Although advanced in years, he wasn't over the hill and had been trying to father offspring with a female partner. Considered to be in his sexual prime, he was however unsuccessful as the eggs produced were subsequently found to be infertile.

Environmentalists are particularly upset at his death because Lonesome was the last of his subspecies of Pinta tortoises.

In the good old days of the 19th century, tortoises were plentiful on the Galapagos Islands. Since then they have been hunted for their meat to the point of extinction. There now remain around 20,000 other subspecies of tortoise on the islands, but these creatures are now considered rare and endangered.

Lonesome's body will now be embalmed so that visitors to the park can view the body and the legacy of his subspecies can live on.

Quiz 测验

1. What is the name of the place where Lonesome George was found dead?

His enclosure

2. What is the expression used which means to avoid the company of others?

Shied away from

3. Name two idioms used to describe old age.

Long in the tooth, advanced in years, over the hill, ripe old age

4. What is the word used for when a species of animal does not exist anymore?

Extinction

5. What is the name given for when a body is preserved with chemicals?

Embalmed

Glossary 词汇表

ripe old age 一大把年岁了

enclosure 围场

shied away from 羞于

long in the tooth 年迈

advanced in years 年老的

over the hill 年老走向衰弱

offspring 子孙后代

prime 壮年

infertile 不育的

subspecies 亚种

good old days 过去的好时光

extinction 绝种

endangered 濒临灭绝的

embalmed 铭记于

legacy 遗产