英语听力精选进阶版 7259（在线收听）

上周在日本出生并引起大众兴奋的熊猫宝宝不幸因肺炎而夭折。这只雄性熊猫宝宝是东京动物园24年来的第一只熊猫新生儿。

The sorrow in Japan at the death of the baby panda was as heartfelt as the euphoria at its long-awaited birth. NHK television broke into its programming to announce the news. The director of Ueno zoo in Tokyo wiped away tears as he explained that the male cub had inhaled milk while breastfeeding, leading to pneumonia. The baby was found motionless on his mother's chest: efforts to revive him failed.

He was conceivednaturally by two giant pandas sent from China last year just before the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The animals provided some welcome lighter news, and their baby's every wriggle was chronicledavidly in the Japanese media. China is famed for its panda diplomacy: last week Beijing expressed hope that the panda's birth would improve its testy relations with Japan.

On Wednesday the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said China lamented the loss of the cub and believed the Japanese people would be grieving too. But panda births in captivity are notoriously fraught. Some conservationists say these endangered animals are just too rare to be traded as diplomatic trophies - and that moving them between countries is a further risk to their health.

Quiz 听力测试

What’s another word for feeling extremely happy?

Euphoria.

What caused baby panda to catch pneumonia?

He inhaled milk while feeding.

What disasters struck Japan in the previous year?ment propose to do?

Earthquake and tsunami.

Did China give the pandas to Japan permanently?

No, they are on loan from China to Japan.

Glossary 词汇表

sorrow 悲哀

euphoria 兴高采烈

inhaled 吸入

revive 抢救，使复活

conceived naturally 自然受孕

chronicled avidly 热情的记载和报道

diplomacy 外交

testy （关系）困难的，容易产生矛盾的

lamented 哀痛

fraught 令人担忧的