VOA慢速英语2022--斯里兰卡大象因食用塑料而死亡

Wildlife workers in Sri Lanka say two elephants were recently found dead after eating plastic waste in an open landfill.

The problem is not new in the country. Conservationists and those who treat wildlife said about 20 elephants have died in the last eight years after eating plastic waste. The incidents happened at a landfill near a village in the Ampara District, about 210 kilometers east of the capital, Colombo.

Nihal Pushpakumara is a veterinarian, a doctor for animals. He told The Associated Press that examinations¹ of the dead animals showed they had swallowed large amounts of plastic that is not biodegradable. Biodegradable means a material can break down naturally in the environment.

Different kinds of plastics were discovered inside the elephants along with other substances the animals could not digest, Pushpakumara said.

Elephants are deeply respected in Sri Lanka. They are also endangered. Their numbers have dropped from about 14,000 in the 19th century to 6,000 in 2011, the latest government data shows.

Pushpakumara said hungry elephants can end up eating plastics or sharp objects that can damage their digestive systems.

"The elephants then stop eating and become too weak to keep their heavy frames³ upright," he added. Unable to eat or drink, the animals can quickly die.

In 2017, the government announced a plan to recycle waste in dumps⁴ near wildlife areas, or zones, to prevent elephants from eating dangerous materials. Officials also promised to build electric fences around the areas to keep the animals away. But so far, neither plan has been fully⁵ carried out.

The government estimates⁶ there are 54 waste dumps in wildlife zones around the country. About 300 elephants move around these areas.

The landfill in Ampara was set up in 2008 with aid from the European Union. Waste collected from nine nearby villages is being dumped⁷ there but is not being recycled.

In 2014, an electric fence that protected the area was struck by lightning and was never repaired. Villagers said they fear the elephants, which moved closer and settled near the waste area.

Many people use fireworks to chase⁸ the animals away when they come into the village.

Others have built electric fences around their homes. But some of the local people do not know how to safely complete the fences. A village councilor in the area told the AP that people setting⁹ up electric barriers "could endanger their own lives as well as those of the elephants."

The official added, "Even though we call them a menace¹⁰, wild elephants are also a resource." He called on local officials to find ways to protect both humans and the elephants, and to permit agriculture to continue.

Words in This Story

landfill – n. an area where waste is buried under the ground

conservationist – n. someone who believes that people should protect nature

digest – v. to break down food in the stomach into substances that the body can use

frame² – n. the shape of someone's body

menace – n. something that is likely to cause harm

1 examinations   

n.检查( examination的名词复数 )；考试；考查；试题

参考例句：

• He had been forced to incriminate himself in cross-examinations. 他在盘问中被迫受到牵连。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Examinations are hanging over her head—that's why she can't sleep at nights. 她大脑里想的都是考试，所以晚上无法入睡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 frame   

n.框架，结构，体格；vt.构成，设计，制定，使适合，陷害； 框架，（是指在数据链路层中，将网络层数据包加上开始与结尾信息包组成一个框架）

参考例句：

• The house has a wooden frame which is faced with brick.这个房子是木质结构的砖瓦房。
• We must frame up that picture.我们必须给那幅画装上框。

3 frames   

n.框架( frame的名词复数 )；眼镜框；组织；边框

参考例句：

• roughly hewn timber frames 粗劈成的木架子
• The window frames had begun to warp. 窗框已经开始变形。

4 dumps   

n.抑郁v.倾倒( dump的第三人称单数 )；丢下；随便堆放；释放

参考例句：

• They eke out a precarious existence foraging in rubbish dumps. 他们靠在垃圾场捡垃圾维持着朝不保夕的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It's no use letting yourself fall into the dumps. 你听任自己的情绪低沉下去一点用也没有。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 estimates   

估计

参考例句：

• Unofficial estimates put the figure at over two million. 非官方的估计数字为200万以上。
• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 dumped   

adj.废弃的v.倾倒( dump的过去式和过去分词 )；丢下；随便堆放；释放

参考例句：

• Too much toxic waste is being dumped at sea. 太多的有毒废料在向大海里倾倒。
• They dumped his belongings unceremoniously on the floor. 他们粗暴地把他的物品摔到地板上。

8 chase   

vt.追逐，追赶，追求；n.追赶

参考例句：

• The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
• Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了，你会来追吗？

9 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

10 menace   

vt./n.有危险性的人（或物），威胁，威吓

参考例句：

• The big hole outside the house is a menace to children's safety.房子外面的大窟窿对孩子们的安全是个威胁。
• A careless driver is a menace to all road users.漫不经心的驾驶员对于路上所有车辆和行人都是危险的。