VOA慢速英语2019--阿根廷动物保护区

Animals 'Own' Argentine Sanctuary¹ 阿根廷动物保护区

By John Russell

04 February 2020

Animals rule the countryside at the "Animal Paradise" sanctuary, 75 kilometers outside Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires.

The sanctuary is a labor² of love - something being operated for pleasure, not for profit.

Gabriela Bezeric and Armando Scoppa have been heading the center for over 25 years. They rescue animals that would otherwise have been killed for meat.

Around 850 animals live in the sanctuary. These "residents" include ducks, pigs and horses. The sanctuary is also home to llamas and capybaras – large mammals native to South America.

Bezeric hopes one day to expand the Animal Paradise.

"I always say that I am going to save all the animals that are at risk of death," she told the Reuters news agency.

Bezeric and Scoppa, who are a married couple, support animal rights. Their ideas stand out in a country where meat consumption is central to the culture and to the economy.

Yamila Buboff volunteers at the sanctuary.

"The Animal Paradise is the product of the work of two visionaries who a long time ago believed in giving a second chance to animals, mostly those destined³ for consumption," she said. "So that they can be treated as the sentient⁴ beings they are and not just as a plate of food."

An economic crisis has held up some of the couple's plans for expansion. They are now looking for financial supporters.

"The important thing is that our ‘Paradise' can keep going," said Bezeric. "Everything I do is for the animals and I want to continue so that this remains⁵ for them."

As he fed "Wolf", one of the sanctuary's horses, Scoppa said that he sometimes worried about the future. He and Bezeric are now in their 70s.

"There are no heirs here, the animals are the only ones to inherit it," he said. "The animals own the place."

Words in This Story

sanctuary – n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter

consumption – n. the act of using up or eating something

visionary – n. a person who has clear ideas about what should happen or be done in the future

sentient – adj. able to feel, see, hear, smell, or taste

heir – n. a person who has the legal right to receive the property of someone who dies

1 sanctuary   

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 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

4 sentient   

adj.有知觉的，知悉的；adv.有感觉能力地

参考例句：

• The living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God's stage.生还者认识到，他们不过是上帝的舞台上有知觉的木偶而已。
• It teaches us to love all sentient beings equally.它教导我们应该平等爱护一切众生。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。