高考英语阅读话题：动植物保护 Protecting plants and animals
(新人教B2U2.Wildlife protection; 新外研B1U5Into the wild)
新人教B2U2.Wildlife protection
A DAY IN THE CLOUDS 云中的一天
The air is thin and we have to rest several times on the short hike from camp. To our left, snow-covered mountains disappear into clouds that seem almost close enough to touch. On the plain in front of us, we can just make out a herd of graceful animals. This is why we’re here—to observe Tibetan antelopes.
空气很稀薄，我们不得不在从营地出发的短途徒步旅行中休息几次。在我们的左边，白雪皑皑的山脉消失在云层中，看上去几乎触手可及。在我们面前的平原上，我们隐约看到一群体形优美的动物。这就是为什么我们在这里观察藏羚羊。
Tibetan antelopes live on the plains of Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai. Watching them move slowly across the green grass. I’m struck by their beauty. I’m also reminded of the danger they are in. They are being hunted, illegally, for their valuable fur.
藏羚羊生活在西藏、新疆和青海的平原上。看着它们在绿色的草地上缓慢移动。我被它们的美丽打动了。我还想起了它们所处的危险。因其珍贵的羊毛，它们正遭受非法猎*。
My guide is Zhaxi, a village from Changtang. He works at the Changtang National Nature Reserve. The reserve is a shelter for the animals and plants of northwestern Tibet. To Zhaxi, the land is sacred and protecting the wildlife is a way of life. “We’re not trying to save the animals,” he says. “Actually, we’re trying to save ourselves.”
我的导游是羌塘的一位村民扎西。他在羌塘国家级自然保护区工作。该保护区是西藏西北地区动植物的庇护所。对于扎西来说，这片土地是神圣的，保护野生动植物是一种生活方式。他说：“我们不是在拯救动物。其实我们是在拯救自己。”
The 1980s and 1990s were bad times for the Tibetan antelope. The population dropped by more than 50 percent. Hunters were shooting antelopes to make profits. Their habitats were becoming smaller as new roads and railways were built.
上个世纪80年代和90年代对于藏羚羊来说是一个糟糕的时期。藏羚羊的数量下降了50％以上。猎人为了赚钱而射*羚羊。随着新公路和铁路的修建，它们的栖息地变得越来越小。
In order to save this species from extinction, the Chinese government placed it under national protection. Zhaxi and other volunteers watched over the antelopes day and night to keep them safe from attacks. Bridges and gates were added to let the antelopes move easily and keep them safe from cars and trains.
为了使这个物种免于灭绝，中国政府将其置于国家保护之下。扎西和其他志愿者昼夜守卫着羚羊，保护它们免受袭击。桥梁和大门的增设，让藏羚羊可以轻松移动，并使它们免受汽车和火车的伤害。
The measures were effective. The antelope population has recovered and in June 2015, the Tibetan antelope was removed from the endangered species list. The government, however, does not intend to stop the protection programmes, since the threats to the Tibetan antelope have not yet disappeared.
这些措施是有效的。藏羚羊的数量已经恢复，2015年6月，藏羚羊从濒危物种名单中被剔除。但是，由于对藏羚羊的威胁尚未消失，政府并没有打算停止这些保护项目。
In the evening, I drink a cup of tea and watch the stars. I think about the antelopes and what Zhaxi told me. Much is being done to protect wildlife, but if we really want to save the planet, we must change our way of life. Only when we learn to exist in harmony with nature can we stop being a threat to wildlife and to our planet.
晚上，我喝着茶，看着星星。我想起了藏羚羊和扎西告诉我的。为了保护野生动物，我们已经做了很多工作，但是如果我们真的想拯救地球，就必须改变生活方式。只有学会与大自然和谐相处，我们才不会成为野生动植物和地球的威胁。
Give Ugly a Chance!给难看的动物一个机会！
When it comes to wildlife protection, all species—the good, the bad, and the ugly—should be treated equally. Pandas, dolphins, and other cute wildlife are important, but we must pay attention to less cute animals, too. The world needs all kinds—without variety, our planet cannot survive. So if you want the future to be beautiful, you have to give ugly a chance.
在野生动物保护方面，所有物种——包括好的、坏的和丑的——都应受到平等对待。熊猫、海豚和其他可爱的野生动物很重要，但我们也必须关注那些不那么可爱的动物。世界需要万物，没有多样性，我们的地球就无法生存。所以如果你想让未来变得美丽，你必须给难看的动物一个机会。
Don’t Make Paper with My Home!别用我的家来造纸！
Billions of trees are being cut down every year to make paper for humans. Every tree that is cut down is a part of the habitat of animals such as these koalas. In this way a lot of animal homes are being destroyed! Is it right to make animals homeless so that humans can have more paper?
每年有数十亿棵树被砍伐，以供人类造纸。每一棵被砍倒的树都是这些树袋熊等动物栖息地的一部分。这样，很多动物的家都被摧毁了！让动物无家可归，人类能有更多的纸是对的吗？
新外研B1U5Into the wild;
The Monarch’s Journey黑脉金斑蝶的旅程
Many animals move from one place to another at certain times of the year. This annual movement is called migration. They migrate to find food, seek a partner, or in search of warmer weather. One of the most wonderful migrations in nature is that of the North American monarch butterfly.
许多动物都会在每年的特定时间从一个地方迁移到另一个地方。这种一年一度的行为叫做“迁徙”。它们为了觅食、寻找伴侣或温暖的环境而迁徙。自然界中最壮观的迁徙之一是北美洲黑脉金斑蝶的迁徙。
Every autumn, millions of these beautiful insects with fine black and orange wings begin a long and difficult journey. Somehow they manage to travel around 4,000 kilometres south and find their way to California or Mexico. However, until recently no one knew how they did this.
每年秋天，数百万这种翅膀橙黑相间的美丽昆虫都会开始漫长而艰辛的旅程。它们总是设法完成大约4000公里的南行之旅，成功到达加利福尼亚或墨西哥。然而，直到最近人们才明白它们是如何做到的。
A team of scientists led by Professor Eli Shlizerman at the University of Washington has now found the answer. They have found out that the monarch is able to tell the time of day. It uses its eyes to measure the position of the sun. These two pieces of information — the time of day and the point where the sun is in the sky — allow the butterfly to determine the way to go. Eventually, it manages to reach the places where it will spend the winter.
一支由伊莱·史莱泽曼教授领导的来自华盛顿大学的科学家团队现已找到了答案。他们发现，黑脉金斑蝶可以判断时间，并能用眼睛来测量太阳的位置。这两条信息——一天中的时间和太阳在天空中的位置——让黑脉金斑蝶判定前进方向，最终成功抵达过冬的地点。
The solution to the mystery of the monarch’s amazing ability comes at a time when it is in serious trouble. Its population has crashed by as much as 90 per cent in the last few years. Sadly, human activity is the main reason why the number of monarch butterflies is falling. In many of the places where the butterfly can be found, people are destroying the natural environment. They cut down trees and use chemicals that kill the plants that monarch caterpillars eat.
黑脉金斑蝶这一惊人能力的奥秘被揭晓时，这一生物正处于水深火热的生存状态中。其数量在近几年内减少了百分之九十之多。可悲的是，人类活动是黑脉金斑蝶数量下降的主要原因。在黑脉金斑蝶生存的许多地方，人们正破坏着那里的自然环境。他们砍伐树木，他们所用的化学制剂*死了黑脉金斑蝶幼虫食用的植物。
The research on the monarch’s behaviour has however led to a greater awareness of this creature. People have been working together to record its migration and make sure that there are enough plants for it to feed on. If this works, there may come a time when the number of monarch butterflies increases once again. The more we know about this lovely creature, the greater the chance it will survive and keep its place in the natural world for a long time to come.
不过，对黑脉金斑蝶行为的研究也使得人们对这种生物有了更多的认识。人们已经在共同努力，记录它的迁徙，并确保它有足够的食物。如果这些努力产生效果，黑脉金斑蝶的数量在未来有可能会再次回升。我们对这个可爱的生物了解越多，它们在自然界中得以长久生存并保持其地位的可能性就越大。
An Encounter with Nature一次与自然的邂逅
As a nature photographer, I have to brave the elements. But despite the wind and the rain, I still enjoy working outside in the wild. One of the best things about this job is that you can observe animals in their natural environment.
作为一名自然摄影师，我必须要风雨无阻地行动。但尽管风吹雨淋，我仍然享受在野外工作。这份工作的好处之一是你可以观察到自然状态下的动物。
My favourite place to take photos is Yellowstone National Park. As the world’s first national park, Yellowstone is famous for the variety of its wildlife, but it is probably best known for its bears. These huge, strong animals can live for 30 years. Despite a weight of up to 300 kilograms, they can run at a speed of around 64 kilometres per hour and are also excellent swimmers.
我最喜欢的拍照地点是黄石国家公园。作为世界上第一个国家公园，黄石公园以其野生动物的多样性而闻名，不过其中最广为人知的还是那里的熊。这种体型庞大而强壮有力的动物寿命长达30年。虽然体重最高可达300公斤，它们却能以每小时约64公里的时速奔跑，还非常擅长游泳。
Last spring in Yellowstone, I followed a path that took me through a dark forest. When I finally stepped out of the trees, the view was breathtaking. An eagle flew over the snow-capped mountains, which were reflected in the still lake below. While I was concentrating on photographing this amazing scene, I suddenly had a feeling that I was being watched. Slowly, and with the camera still held to my eye, I turned... and froze. Only meters away from me was a bear. With water falling off its thick, brown hair, the bear stared back at me. Time stood still as the bear and I both waited to see who would move first. My legs started shaking. Somehow, I forced my finger to press the button. A second later, the bear turned and ran back into the forest. When I recovered from the shock, I looked at my camera. My most frightening but magical experience was now captured forever in a single image.
去年春天，我沿着黄石公园的一条小路穿过一片昏暗的森林。当我终于走出森林时，眼前的景色令人叹为观止。白雪皑皑的山峰倒映在山脚下平静的湖面上，一只鹰掠过山顶。当我正聚精会神地拍摄这惊人的景观时，我突然感觉有什么在盯着我。我慢慢地转身，相机还端在眼前……然后我僵住了。那是一只熊，离我只有几米远。它也盯着我，水珠从厚厚的棕色皮毛上滴下来。时间凝固了，我和熊都等着看谁会先动。我的双腿开始颤抖。但我竟然还硬是按下了快门。一秒钟过后，那头熊转身跑回了森林。等我从震惊中缓过神来，我查看了相机。这个可怕至极却又如此神奇的经历已经被永久地定格在一张照片中。
From time to time I look at the photo as a reminder to show respect to all animals. It is after all we who are the visitors to their world.
我不时会看看这张照片，提醒自己要尊重所有的动物。毕竟我们才是他们世界的访客。
