ENVIRONMENT REPORT - US Proposes Ban on Snakehead Fish

ENVIRONMENT REPORT -August 9, 2002: US Proposes¹ Ban on Snakehead Fish

By Cynthia Kirk
This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

American Interior² Secretary Gale³ Norton has proposed⁴ a ban on importing and selling twenty-eight kinds of fish
known as the snakehead. Experts say the fish is a threat to the environment because it eats other fish, plants and
animals.

The snakehead fish is native to the Yangtze River in China. It has appeared in at
least seven American states. It can grow to be almost one meter long. The
snakehead can breathe air and can stay out of the water for as many as three days.
The fish can leave the water and move across land to find food in other bodies of
water.

The snakehead has a wide mouth, sharp teeth and powerful jaws⁵. Some people say it
looks like a snake’s head. The fish can swallow other large fish. It also eats small
animals, including frogs, birds and mammals. Biologists say the snakehead has no known enemies.

Snakeheads are usually sold in fish markets or in pet stores in the United States. They are known for their
excellent taste.

In May, a northern snakehead was discovered in a small lake in Crofton, Maryland. A local man has since
admitted that he put two snakeheads into the pond two years ago. He said he had bought the fish from a market in
New York City. At first, he was going to cook the fish and eat them, but he later decided⁶ not to do this.

Biologists recently caught about one-hundred baby snakeheads in the pond in
Crofton. They fear that hundreds more may be in the water. If the fish escape from
the pond, they could move to the Little Patuxent River, about seventy meters away.
Scientists fear the fish could kill the wildlife in the river.

A group of scientists decided that the fish had to be killed before this could happen.
After several tests, they decided that poisoning the pond with chemicals was the
best way to kill the snakeheads.

The northern snakehead is only one of many kinds of snakeheads. But it is of most
concern because it is the only kind that can survive through winters. Other species⁷
require warmer climates for survival⁸.

Snakeheads also have been discovered in Hawaii, Florida, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
But Maryland is the only state where reproduction of the species has been confirmed.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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(Photo -Cait Gillespie)
Wanted sign in Maryland:
'Have You Seen This Fish?'

1 proposes   

v.提议，建议( propose的第三人称单数 )；打算；提供（解释）；提出（行动，计划或供表决的方案等）

参考例句：

• He proposes a short rest before we continue the work. 在继续这项工作之前，他建议暂休一会儿。 来自辞典例句
• Aristotle proposes to cure such hardships by means of equity. 亚里士多德提出用衡平的方法来解决这样的困难。 来自辞典例句

2 interior   

adj.在内的，内部的，内地的，国内的；n.内部

参考例句：

• There is water in the interior of the cave.在山洞的内部有水。
• They went into the interior room.他们进了内室。

3 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

4 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

5 jaws   

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。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 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。

8 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。

9 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？