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VOA慢速英语2021--数千只海龟在德克萨斯岛镇获救

时间:2021-02-27 18:20:30

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Thousands of Sea Turtles Rescued on Texas Island Town

A Texas town on the Gulf1 of Mexico has been experiencing a record-breaking winter storm. The people there are facing difficulties that come with such extreme weather -- power outages and shortages of food, water, and gas.

But the people of South Padre Island are also facing another difficulty – cold-stunned3 sea turtles in the surrounding waters.

Cold-stunned sea turtles float to the surface, where they can forget to breathe and drown. They are unable to avoid harm from boats or other dangers such as hungry animal predators4.

For the past several days, wildlife experts and South Padre Island locals have rescued nearly 5,000 sea turtles from the icy cold conditions.

"So, this is the largest recorded cold stunning6 event ... in history. In 1980 an organization was created that tracks these kinds of events ... and it is the single largest cold stun2 event that they have ever tracked."

That is Wendy Knight7. She is executive director of Sea Turtle Inc. The non-profit organization is responsible for a large part of South Padre Island's coastline. The organization has been helping8 to treat the majority of the cold-stunned sea turtles, with much help from the community.

During the month of February, temperatures on the island are usually between 17 and 21 degrees Celsius9. However, temperatures this past week were much colder – between 4 and 9 degrees Celsius.

This unusually cold weather led to a massive sea turtle cold stun.

Allen Foley is a marine10 biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He explains that cold-stunned sea turtles are not actually injured...yet.

"But in cold stunning events, the turtles aren't injured. And even though their bodies are affected11, it's only a temporary thing. Once they get into a little bit warmer water they quickly rebound12 and are perfectly13 fine. ... It's a lot of work and it's a lot of turtles in some events. But the end product is you have a really high success rate."

To save cold stunned sea turtles, Foley says quick action is critical.

"When turtles are rescued and protected from scavengers and predators and they're put into temperatures that are okay for them within a day or 2 or 3 their chances of survival in places like Florida and Texas are really good."

Knight says she is in awe15 of how South Padre Island community members have come together to help the turtles while dealing16 with struggles of their own.

"It is ... it is awing17. We've had hundreds, even thousands of volunteers participate in this process. Most of those people have not had power, electricity, heat...They have personal tragedy happening in their own lives and they're spending 12 and 15 hours a day with us and our staff...That is awing ... when people put their own needs aside to help something that cannot help itself."

On its website, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service lists the sea turtle species found in Texas as either endangered or threatened. Foley predicts that because of the fast actions taken, many of the sea turtles will be saved.

"If they're ending up with 5,000-6,000 turtles, I would guess they're going to be releasing 4,000-5,000 plus back into the wild."

Sea Turtle Inc., Knight explains, was created in 1977 by and for people who cared about sea turtles. The massive cold stun event and the resulting community reaction, she says, is a defining time for South Padre Island.

"It defines what South Padre Island is and the kind of community we are here. And how much we take responsibility for the protection of this endangered species."

Many people in the community helped in the rescue effort, including leaders in business and government.

Ed Caum is executive director of the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. When Sea Turtle Inc. did not have power and needed more room for the rescued turtles, he opened the doors to the convention center. The large building itself did not have power during part of the storm.

Knight describes the community-wide help as "Herculean," or requiring great strength and effort.

"Ed (Caum) and the South Padre Island Convention and Business Bureau opened their doors and let us put 4,200 sea turtles on the floor of their convention center...It's Herculean the effort that people have put in."

Cold stuns18 offer chance for scientific study

Cold stuns, Foley says, happen often. But they are usually not as big as the one Texas is experiencing. Florida, he says, also had a large one back in 2010.

"And actually in Florida, we pretty much have cold-stunned turtles every year, just not thousands."

While the events can be hard on the turtles and the volunteers who save them, cold stuns give scientists valuable information about the animals.

Sea turtles can be secretive animals, Foley explains. But during a cold stun event, those secrets can be learned. Foley says that once a cold-stunned sea turtle comes on land, it can be tagged and studied. Scientists can examine the movement of a sea turtle and also observe its changes in growth, disease, and injuries.

For Wendy Knight, the recent cold stun has shown her something else. It has been a lesson in how effective a widespread community effort can be.

"And the collaboration19 between Sea Turtle Inc. and the South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city of South Padre Islands is just proof of that."

Words in This Story

predator5 – n. an animal that lives by killing20 and eating other animals : an animal that preys21 on other animals

scavenger14 – n. an animal (as a vulture) that feeds on dead or decaying material

track – v. to search for by following evidence until found

marine – adj. of or relating to the sea

staff – n. a group of people who work for an organization or business

awe – n. a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder : awe – v. to fill (someone) with awe

tragedy – n. a very sad, unfortunate, or upsetting situation : something that causes strong feelings of sadness or regret

participate – v. to take part

species – n. a group of similar living things that ranks below the genus in scientific classification and is made up of individuals able to produce offspring with one another

collaboration – n. to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something


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1 gulf 1e0xp     
n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂
参考例句:
  • The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
  • There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
2 stun FhMyT     
vt.打昏,使昏迷,使震惊,使惊叹
参考例句:
  • When they told me she had gone missing I was totally stunned.他们告诉我她不见了时,我当时完全惊呆了。
  • Sam stood his ground and got a blow that stunned him.萨姆站在原地,被一下打昏了。
3 stunned 735ec6d53723be15b1737edd89183ec2     
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
  • The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
4 predators 48b965855934a5395e409c1112d94f63     
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 );奴役他人者(尤指在财务或性关系方面)
参考例句:
  • birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
  • The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 predator 11vza     
n.捕食其它动物的动物;捕食者
参考例句:
  • The final part of this chapter was devoted to a brief summary of predator species.本章最后部分简要总结了食肉动物。
  • Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard and a fearsome predator.科摩多龙是目前存在的最大蜥蜴,它是一种令人恐惧的捕食性动物。
6 stunning NhGzDh     
adj.极好的;使人晕倒的
参考例句:
  • His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
  • The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。
7 knight W2Hxk     
n.骑士,武士;爵士
参考例句:
  • He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
  • A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。
8 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
9 Celsius AXRzl     
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。
10 marine 77Izo     
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
参考例句:
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • 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。
11 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
12 rebound YAtz1     
v.弹回;n.弹回,跳回
参考例句:
  • The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
  • Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。
13 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
14 scavenger LDTyN     
n.以腐尸为食的动物,清扫工
参考例句:
  • He's just fit for a job as scavenger.他只配当个清道夫。
  • He is not a scavenger nor just a moving appetite as some sharks are.它不是食腐动物,也不像有些鲨鱼那样,只知道游来游去满足食欲。
15 awe WNqzC     
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧
参考例句:
  • The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
  • The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。
16 dealing NvjzWP     
n.经商方法,待人态度
参考例句:
  • This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
  • His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。
17 awing 0806fd45f33c073b8e630f5cdfb6d010     
adj.& adv.飞翔的[地]v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的现在分词 )
参考例句:
18 stuns 665500bd52ea3f8441b1ac501846cfe3     
v.击晕( stun的第三人称单数 );使大吃一惊;给(某人)以深刻印象;使深深感动
参考例句:
  • But sometimes, a moment stuns us as it happens. 但总有那么一个瞬间让我们惊喜。 来自互联网
  • Shield Stun: Stuns the top of the aggro chart, 3s stun. 盾牌昏迷:最大眩晕,3秒钟晕眩。 来自互联网
19 collaboration bW7yD     
n.合作,协作;勾结
参考例句:
  • The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
  • He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。
20 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
21 preys 008ad2ad9007c4d7b3ecfb54442db8fd     
v.掠食( prey的第三人称单数 );掠食;折磨;(人)靠欺诈为生
参考例句:
  • His misfortune preys upon his mind. 他的不幸使她心中苦恼。 来自辞典例句
  • The owl preys on mice. 猫头鹰捕食老鼠。 来自辞典例句

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