文字稿

最新研究報(bào)告顯示，世界上體型最大和最小的動(dòng)物瀕臨滅絕的可能性最高。科學(xué)家認(rèn)為，動(dòng)物滅絕的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)取決于它們的大小，因此需要采取行動(dòng)保護(hù)體型極端的動(dòng)物。目前，重型動(dòng)物受到捕獵的威脅，而小型動(dòng)物正因?yàn)榄h(huán)境污染和樹(shù)木砍伐而失去生命。請(qǐng)聽(tīng)報(bào)道。

From the hog-nosed bat to the banana frog, some of the world's smallest and most endangered animals aren't exactly well known.

Researchers fear these tiniest of creatures are being overlooked in conservation efforts.

An international team made a data base of thousands of animals to look at the relationship between body mass and extinction risk. 

A clear pattern emerged: animals at both ends of the scale face bigger extinction risks than those in the middle.

Human hunting threatens the heavyweights, meanwhile featherweights are losing vital habitat as land is cleared for development.

Scientists say urgent action is needed on both fronts to help slow the ongoing wave of extinctions.

詞匯表

hog-nosed 長(zhǎng)著豬鼻子的（這里特指蝙蝠的品種）
endangered （動(dòng)植物）瀕危的
overlooked 被忽略
conservation （對(duì)動(dòng)植物、自然環(huán)境的）保護(hù)
data base 數(shù)據(jù)庫(kù)
extinction risk 滅絕風(fēng)險(xiǎn)
emerged （經(jīng)過(guò)觀(guān)察、研究）出現(xiàn)了
at both ends of the scale （體型、重量等）處于兩個(gè)極端的
heavyweights 重型動(dòng)物
featherweights 羽量級(jí)動(dòng)物，小型動(dòng)物
ongoing 持續(xù)的

測(cè)驗(yàn)

請(qǐng)聽(tīng)報(bào)道并回答下列問(wèn)題。

1. What is the relationship between body mass and extinction risk that scientists found? 

2. Why are featherweights losing their habitat? 

3. What do the scientists say we should do about the wave of extinctions? 

4. Which word in the text means 'a regular or repeated way in which something happens'?

答案

1. What is the relationship between body mass and extinction risk that scientists found?
Animals at both ends of the scale face bigger extinction risks than those in the middle.

2. Why are featherweights losing their habitat?
Featherweights are losing their vital habitat because the land is being cleared for development. 

3. What do the scientists say we should do about the wave of extinctions?
Scientists say urgent action is needed on both fronts to help slow the ongoing wave of extinctions. 

4. Which word in the text means 'a regular or repeated way in which something happens'?
Pattern.