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VOA慢速英语 2007 0109b

时间:2007-07-05 01:59:41

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(单词翻译)

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Doug Johnson.

VOICE TWO:


Hammerhead sharks in the waters surrounding the small Pacific island of Malpelo, a Colombian wildlife sanctuary1 and a popular area for divers2

And I'm Faith Lapidus. On our program this week, we tell about sharks. They are among the oldest animals on Earth.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Not long ago, Kyle Gruen was swimming near the Hawaiian island of Maui when he felt something bite him. Mister Gruen was wearing special eyeglasses for use in water. He could see his attacker. It was a purple and gray shark.

The twenty-nine-year old Canadian was wounded on his left upper leg and hand. But he turned and pushed away the shark with his other foot. He watched the blood flow from his body as he swam away.

Others hurried to help Mister Gruen. Soon the Canadian man was in a hospital operating room, having his injuries repaired.

VOICE TWO:

Before leaving the hospital, Mister Gruen had a visit from Nicolette Raleigh. A shark had bitten Miz Raleigh earlier near Maui. The shark struck the fifteen-year-old girl as she stood in water only about a half-meter deep. She suffered a serious wound in her right leg.

Like Mister Gruen, she needed an operation. But she has recovered. Shortly after his operation, Kyle Gruen left the hospital to take part in the marriage ceremony of a friend.

VOICE ONE:

Miz Raleigh and Mister Gruen survived shark bites. But a young member of America's Peace Corps3 did not. Tessa Marie Horan was swimming near Tonga when a shark attacked and killed her. It was one of four such tragic4 incidents worldwide last year. That is about the same as in two thousand five.


Chinese visitors watch a diver interact5 with a shark at Ocean World in Chengdu, Sichuan

Taken together, shark attacks are far from the most dangerous incidents that can harm human beings. George Burgess directs the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida. As the name suggests, his group keeps records of shark attacks. Mister Burgess says people have more to fear from some snakes, insects and lightning than from sharks.

VOICE TWO:

It is hard to get people to think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy. But these fish perform a valuable service for earth's waters and for human beings. Yet business and sport fishing are threatening their existence. Some sharks are at risk of disappearing from Earth.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

One reason for the shark's bad image is that people still watch a movie called Jaws6. The nineteen seventy-four film takes place in an American coastal7 town. The people there sought protection from a great white shark that killed swimmers in the ocean.

The number of shark attacks reported has risen during the past century. But the worldwide attack totals in two thousand five were similar to those of recent years. Shark expert George Burgess says more bites have been reported in this century because more people are in ocean waters.

VOICE TWO:

Surprisingly, the International Shark Attack File has records of attacks back to the sixteenth century. It says five hundred ninety-nine unprovoked attacks took place between fifteen eighty and March fifteenth of last year. Of that number, one hundred thirty three were deadly. An unprovoked attack means the person is alive when bitten and in the shark's living space or habitat. Also, the person must not have interfered8 with the shark.

How does the I.S.A.F. know about attacks hundreds of years ago? With some difficulty, says Mister Burgess. His team of scientific researchers works hard to confirm them. They investigate stories in old newspapers, which sometimes noted9 reports of seagoing ships and swimmers. The researchers investigate stories of attacks in books and historic10 documents.

VOICE ONE:

Mister Burgess says the I.S.A.F. has a worldwide team of scientists who offer their time to report attacks. He says the media also provide stories about shark bites. And people who have observed attacks communicate with his team. Mister Burgess says modern technology has made it easier to get the news of shark bites. Every report is investigated for confirmation11 and placed in computer record systems.

In two thousand five, fifty-eight unprovoked shark attacks took place around the world. That was seven less than the year before. The majority of the attacks took place in American waters. Four were deadly. During the same year, business and sport fishing killed an estimated one million or more sharks.

VOICE TWO:


A basking12 shark is unloaded in Sesimbra, Portugal, after being caught, already dead, in the nets of a fishing boat off the coast. The seven-meter shark weighed almost three tons.

Warm weather may influence both fish and shark activity. Many fish swim near coastal areas because of their warm waters. Experts say sharks may follow the fish into the same areas, where people also swim. Mister Burgess says most shark activity during the current season is taking place in the Southern hemisphere13. Waters near Australia and South Africa are popular with these fish.

Mister Burgess says most sharks do not purposely bite humans. They are thought to mistake a person for a sea animal, like a seal or sea lion. That is why people should not swim in the ocean when the sun goes down or comes up. Those are the times when sharks are looking for food. Experts also say that bright colors and shiny jewelry14 may cause sharks to attack.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

There are hundreds of kinds of sharks. Most are about two meters long. The dogfish shark, however, is less than twenty centimeters in length. The biggest whale shark can grow to twenty meters in length. Sharks do not have bones. The skeleton15 of a shark is made of cartilage. Human noses and ears are also made of cartilage.

A shark has an extremely good sense of smell. It can find small amounts of substances in water, such as blood, body liquids and chemicals produced by animals. Sharks also sense electrical and magnetic energy linked to nerves and muscles of living animals.

VOICE TWO:

These powerful senses help sharks find their food. Sharks eat fish, other sharks, and plants that live in the ocean. Some sharks will eat just about anything. Many unusual things have been found in the stomachs of tiger sharks. They include shoes, dogs, a cow's foot and metal protective clothing.

Sharks grow slowly. About forty percent of all sharks lay eggs. The others give birth to live young. Some sharks carry their young inside their bodies as humans do. A cord connects the mother to the fetus16.

Some sharks are not able to reproduce17 until they are twenty years old. Most reproduce only every two years. And they give birth to fewer than ten young sharks. For this reason, over-fishing of sharks is of special danger to the future of the animal.

VOICE ONE:

Medical researchers want to learn more about the shark's body defense18 system against disease. Researchers know that sharks recover quickly from injuries. They study the shark in hopes of finding a way to fight human disease.

Sharks are important for the world's oceans. They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too great. This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

People hunt sharks for sport, food, medicine and their skin. Experts say the international market for some kinds of sharks has increased because many parts of a shark are valuable.

Collectors pay thousands of dollars for the jaws of a shark. Shark liver oil is a popular source of Vitamin A. The skin of a shark can be used like leather.

In Asia, people enjoy a kind of soup made from shark fins19. Experts say a fisherman can earn a lot of money for even one kilogram of shark fins.

Finning20, as it is called, means cutting the fins off a live shark. Many times, the fish is then thrown back into the water. The goal is to save space on the boats. Animal activists21 denounce22 this as cruel.

VOICE ONE:

Each year, thousands of sharks die in traps set for other fish. Some scientists say that about the half the sharks caught were not the target of the fishing. But no one really knows that if returned to the water, these sharks go on living. If too many sharks in one area are killed, that group of sharks may never return to normal population levels.

In two thousand four, sixty-three nations approved laws to protect sharks. But, as George Burgess says, some laws are effective near land. Laws can be difficult to enforce on the high seas.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Doug Johnson. Our reports are online at www.unsv.com. Join us again next week for Science in the News in VOA Special English.

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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 sanctuary iCrzE     
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区
参考例句:
  • There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
  • Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。
2 divers hu9z23     
adj.不同的;种种的
参考例句:
  • He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人,要他们和他作伴。
  • Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作,同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。
3 corps pzzxv     
n.(通信等兵种的)部队;(同类作的)一组
参考例句:
  • The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
4 tragic inaw2     
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的
参考例句:
  • The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
  • Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。
5 interact w5Ix9     
vi.相互作用,相互影响,互通信息
参考例句:
  • All things are interrelated and interact on each other.一切事物互相联系并相互作用。
  • The policeman advised the criminal to interact with the police.警察劝罪犯与警方合作。
6 jaws cq9zZq     
n.口部;嘴
参考例句:
  • The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
  • The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。
7 coastal WWiyh     
adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
8 interfered 71b7e795becf1adbddfab2cd6c5f0cff     
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉
参考例句:
  • Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 noted 5n4zXc     
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。
10 historic AcNxw     
adj.历史上著名的,具有历史意义的
参考例句:
  • This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
  • We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。
11 confirmation ZYMya     
n.证实,确认,批准
参考例句:
  • We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
  • We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前,我们需要书面确认。
12 basking 7596d7e95e17619cf6e8285dc844d8be     
v.晒太阳,取暖( bask的现在分词 );对…感到乐趣;因他人的功绩而出名;仰仗…的余泽
参考例句:
  • We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
  • A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 hemisphere xy4yd     
n.半球,半球地图
参考例句:
  • This animal is to be found only in the Southern Hemisphere.这种动物只有在南半球才能找到。
  • In most people,the left hemisphere is bigger than the right.多数人的左脑比右脑大。
14 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
15 skeleton OE7z0     
n.骨骼,框架,骨干,梗概,提要
参考例句:
  • A long illness made a skeleton out of him.长期的卧病使他骨瘦如柴。
  • Her notes gave us just the bare skeleton of her theory.她的笔记只给我们提供了她的理论的梗概。
16 fetus ekHx3     
n.胎,胎儿
参考例句:
  • In the fetus,blood cells are formed in different sites at different ages.胎儿的血细胞在不同时期生成在不同的部位。
  • No one knows why a fetus is not automatically rejected by the mother's immune system. 没有人知道为什么母亲的免疫系统不会自动排斥胎儿。
17 reproduce yVkxZ     
v.生育,繁殖,复制,重做
参考例句:
  • The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
  • The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。
18 defense AxbxB     
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩
参考例句:
  • The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
  • The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
19 fins 6a19adaf8b48d5db4b49aef2b7e46ade     
[医]散热片;鱼鳍;飞边;鸭掌
参考例句:
  • The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关,与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网
  • Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句
20 finning 46406f087517b35b6fea96d176f35d98     
n.鱼鳍式划水(仰卧水面,两脚并拢,两手放身旁上下拍水使身体向头的方向移动)
参考例句:
  • Fish could be sighted finning near the surface. 我们可以看到鱼把鳍露出水面。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • A shark was finning around the surface of the ocean. 一条鲨鱼把鳍露出海面游动。 来自互联网
21 activists 90fd83cc3f53a40df93866d9c91bcca4     
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
  • Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 denounce ymRz9     
vt.谴责,声讨,告发
参考例句:
  • We should denounce a heresy.我们应该公开指责异端邪说。
  • He had thought to denounce or even assault this man.他本来想要申斥,甚至痛打这个人一顿。

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