布什政府加紧拯救濒临灭绝动物行动

70 布什政府加紧拯救濒临灭绝动物行动

ENVIRONMENT REPORT- September 21, 2001: Endangered Species¹ AgreementBy Cynthia Kirk

（Start at 59" ）This is Bill White with the VOA Special English Environment Report.
The Bush administration² has agreed to speed efforts to protect twenty-nine kinds of animals and plants that are most in (1)danger of disappearing.
Officials from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and four environmental groups reached the agreement last month. Wildlife officials promised to act quickly to list (2)species of (3)rare (4)mammals, birds, fish, (5)snails and (6)butterflies under the Endangered Species Act.
A listing under the Endangered Species Act provides strong protection for a species. It bars government agencies⁴ and private companies from doing anything that harms a species or its environment.
Under the act, members of the public can request that some species be listed as endangered so that they will receive federal⁵ protection. The law says that officials must decide about the (7)requests within a year.
But listings have often led to court battles. Property owners argue that some species are not important enough to (8)require such protections.
However, environmental groups say that all species are important and are worth protecting. They say endangered species often are signs of environmental problems that could affect humans.
The agreement calls for the government to consider three species for (9)emergency listing under the Endangered Species Act. They are a kind of snail³, butterfly and rabbit that are in immediate⁶ danger of disappearing.
The agreement also calls for the wildlife service to make decisions about listing twenty-six other species considered threatened.
In exchange, environmental groups promised to delay demands that the federal government act on eight less seriously endangered species. The (10)delay permits the wildlife service to use more money from its budget to protect only the most endangered species.
Four environmental groups were involved in the (11)negotiations. The groups have repeatedly⁷ taken legal action to force the federal government to enforce⁸ the Endangered Species Act.
Government officials and environmental groups praised the agreement.
They say it shows that the two strongly (12)opposing sides can work together to save species most in need of help. They say they hope this can be a model for future agreements.
This VOA Special English Environment Report was written by Cynthia Kirk.

 

(1)  danger[ 5deindVE ]n.危险, 危险物, 威胁
(2)  species[ 5spi:Fiz ]n.种类, (原)核素n.[律]式样
(3) rare[ rZE ]adj.稀罕的, 杰出的, 珍贵的, (肉类)半熟的adv.非常
(4) mammal[ 5mAmEl ]n.哺乳动物
(5) snail[ sneil ]n.蜗牛, 迟钝的人v.捉蜗牛, 缓慢移动
(6) butterfly[ 5bQtEflai ]n.[动]蝴蝶蝶泳
(7) request[ ri5kwest ]vt.请求, 要求n.请求, 要求, 邀请
(8) require[ ri5kwaiE ]vt.需要, 要求, 命令
(9)  emergency[ i5mE:dVnsi ]n.紧急情况, 突然事件, 非常时刻, 紧急事件
(10) delay[ di5lei ]v.耽搁, 延迟, 延期, 迟滞n.耽搁, 延迟, 迟滞
(11) negotiation[ ni7^EuFi5eiFEn ]n.商议, 谈判, 流通
(12) oppose[ E5pEuz ]vt.反对, 使对立, 使对抗, 抗争vi.反对

 

1 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

2 administration   

n.经营，管理；行政，行政机关，管理部门

参考例句：

• Who is in charge of the administration of your company?你们公司的行政工作由谁负责？
• The teachers are responsible to the school administration.教师向学校行政负责。

3 snail   

n.蜗牛

参考例句：

• Snail is a small plant-eating creature with a soft body.蜗牛是一种软体草食动物。
• Time moved at a snail's pace before the holidays.放假前的时间过得很慢。

4 agencies   

n.代理( agency的名词复数 )；服务机构；（政府的）专门机构；代理（或经销）业务（或关系）

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations. 联合国有许多专门机构。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The project is funded by the World Bank and other multilateral agencies. 这项计划由世界银行和其他多国机构资助。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 repeatedly   

adv.重复地，再三地

参考例句：

• The loudspeakers blared the speech repeatedly.扬声器里反复大声地播送那篇演讲。
• He repeatedly beat his foot upon the floor.他反复用脚敲着地板。

8 enforce   

vt.实施，执行；强制，强迫；加强，坚持

参考例句：

• You have no right to enforce your own views on me.你无权把你自己的观点强加给我。
• They tried to enforce agreement with their plans.他们企图迫使人们同意他们的计划。