英语听力精选进阶版 7265（在线收听）

欧洲各地的热浪让人透不过气来。不过罗马动物园想出新招确保园里的动物舒舒服服度过三伏暑天。

Code red heat warnings have been issued by Italy's health ministry, as a heatwave nicknamed 'Lucifer' scorches the Mediterranean region. But at the zoo in Rome, keepers are ensuring the lions and tigers stay cool by freezing their food in large blocks of ice. The animals have to lick through icy layers before getting to the joints of meat contained inside, like a giant lollipop.

Klaus Friedrich, the zoo's veterinarian, says making these meat-flavoured treats is part of their strategy to cool the animals down: "The animals get bored, like children, so they find new ways – how to prepare the ice. So sometimes you put the ice in a bucket of water, and you put a string inside, and you hang this on a tree or you hide it somewhere. There are different ways to give this food and these ice creams… So they like it a lot."

The smaller animals, like lemurs, are fed pieces of watermelon and special ice cream, while the monkeys are given bamboo canes filled with yoghurt and frozen fruit. Italy is suffering from its worst drought in ten years, caused by a high-pressure system that's bringing hot air from Africa to Europe. Spain is also sweltering, while the heatwave has fuelled forest fires in the Greek island of Chios and the north-east of Bosnia.

Quiz 听力测试

How are zoo keepers making sure that tigers and lions are staying cool?

By freezing their food in large blocks of ice.

Why don't they give animals the same ice treat everyday?

Because they get bored, just like children.

True or false: all the animals in the zoo get the same ice treat?

False. Different animals get different treats.

True or false: Italy is suffering its worst drought in a decade?

True. Italy is suffering from its worst drought in ten years.

Glossary 词汇表

code red 红色预警

nicknamed 绰号为

scorches （热得几乎）烧焦

joints of meat 大块的连骨肉

lollipop 棒棒糖

veterinarian 兽医

treats 可口的零食

lemurs 狐猴

sweltering 酷热的，闷热的

fuelled 为…提供燃料