VOA慢速英语2021 海冰融化严重威胁帝企鹅生存环境

Climate change is threatening the sea ice environment of Emperor penguins².

气候变化严重威胁到帝企鹅的海冰环境。

A new study suggests that 98 percent of Emperor penguin¹ groups may be pushed close to extinction³ by the year 2100. And about 70 percent of their groups will be in danger by 2050. The research was published in the journal Global Change Biology.

一项新研究表明，到2100年，98%的帝企鹅种群可能会濒临灭绝。到2050年，它们70%的种群将处于危险当中。这项研究发表在《全球变化生物学》杂志上。

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced a plan to list the Emperor penguins as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

美国鱼类和野生动物管理局最近宣布了一项计划，将帝企鹅列为《濒危物种法》下的受威胁物种。

Stephanie Jenouvrier is a penguin ecologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She said that Emperor penguins need secure sea ice to reproduce, to feed and to molt⁴. Molting⁵ is the replacement⁶ of their old feathers with new ones.

斯蒂芬妮·杰诺威耶是伍兹霍尔海洋研究所的企鹅生态学家。她说帝企鹅需要安全的海冰来繁殖、进食和换羽。换羽是指用它们用新羽毛换掉旧羽毛。

The new study looked at overall warming developments and the increasing likelihood of extreme weather changes because of global warming. The study noted⁷ that extremely low levels of sea ice in 2016 led to a large reproduction failure of an Emperor penguin group in Antarctica's Halley Bay.

这项新研究着眼于由于全球变暖造成的整体变暖进展以及极端天气变化的可能性越来越大。该研究指出，2016年极低的海冰水平导致南极洲哈雷湾的帝企鹅种群大规模繁殖失败。

That year, seasonal⁸ sea ice broke up before young penguins had time to develop waterproof⁹ adult feathers. About 10,000 baby birds drowned, Jenouvrier said. The group did not recover afterward¹⁰.

那一年，季节性海冰在年幼企鹅有时间长出防水的成年羽毛之前就破裂了。杰诺威耶表示，大约有1万只幼鸟被淹死。这个种群此后没有恢复。

Emperor penguins reproduce only in Antarctica during winter. Temperatures can reach minus 40 degrees Celsius¹¹, and wind speeds can reach 144 kilometers per hour. The penguins survive by gathering¹² in groups of several thousand birds. But they cannot survive without enough sea ice.

帝企鹅只有冬季期间在南极洲繁殖。气温可达零下40度，风速可达每小时144公里。企鹅通过数千只聚集到一起来生存。但是如果没有足够的海冰，它们就无法生存。

Sarah Uhlemann is international program director at the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity. She said, "These penguins are hard hit by the climate crisis, and the U.S. government is finally recognizing that threat."

萨拉·乌尔曼是非营利性生物多样性中心的国际项目主任。她说：“这些企鹅受到了气候危机的重创，美国政府终于意识到了这种威胁。”

The U.S. government has listed other species outside the country as threatened, including the polar bear. Polar bears live in Arctic areas and are also threatened by climate change and sea ice loss.

美国政府已经将包括北极熊在内的其它国外物种列为受威胁物种。北极熊生活在北极地区，也受到气候变化和海冰流失的威胁。

Emperor penguins are the world's largest penguins. There are currently between 625,000 and 650,000 of them worldwide.

帝企鹅是全球最大的企鹅。目前全球大约有62.5万到65万只。

Placing Emperor penguins on the threatened list provides protections, such as a ban against importing them for business purposes. Possible effects on the penguins must also be studied by U.S. sea fisheries currently operating in Antarctica.

将帝企鹅列入受威胁名单可以提供保护，例如禁止出于商业目的引进帝企鹅。目前在南极洲运作的美国海洋渔业对企鹅可能产生的影响也必须进行研究。

Martha Williams is principal deputy director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She said climate change affects many animal species around the world. She added, "The decisions made by policymakers today and during the next few decades will determine the fate of the Emperor penguin."

玛莎·威廉姆斯是美国鱼类和野生动物管理局的首席副主任。她说气候变化影响到世界各地的许多动物物种。她还表示：“决策者现在和未来几十年做出的决定将决定帝企鹅的命运。”

1 penguin   

n.企鹅

参考例句：

• The penguin is a flightless bird.企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟。
• He walked with an awkward gait like a penguin.他走路的步子难看得就像企鹅。

2 penguins   

n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why can penguins live in cold environment? 为什么企鹅能生活在寒冷的环境中？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whales, seals, penguins, and turtles have flippers. 鲸、海豹，企鹅和海龟均有鳍形肢。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 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。

4 molt   

n.换毛，脱皮，换毛期

参考例句：

• The fourth time they molt,they change into pupae.换第四次皮时，它们蜕变成蛹。
• This veterinary product is very effective in preventing animal molt.这种兽药对于防治兽类掉毛很有效。

5 molting   

n.蜕皮v.换羽，脱毛( molt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The old cuticle is digested by molting fluid. 旧表皮被蜕皮液消化。 来自辞典例句
• Molting in insects is triggered by rising levels of a hormone called ecdysone. 昆虫的脱皮是由于称为脱皮素激素的含量升高而引起的。 来自辞典例句

6 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

9 waterproof   

n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水

参考例句：

• My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。
• All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。

10 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

11 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

12 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。