據最新估計，世界上至少有 500 億只野生鳥類。

Counting the number of wild birds in the world is no easy task. Scientists turned to a database, known as eBird, where birdwatchers record sightings of everything from woodpeckers to herons, to ospreys.

統計世界野生鳥類的總數并非易事。科學家們求助于一個名為 “eBird” 的數據庫，觀鳥者在數據庫記錄下觀察到的啄木鳥、鷺、鶚等鳥類的信息。

The researchers came up with an estimate of 50 billion individual wild birds currently living on the planet. That's about six birds for every human being.

研究人員們估計，目前生活在地球上的野生鳥類有500億只，相當于地球人口的六倍左右。

The house sparrow tops the charts, followed closely by the European starling, the ring-billed gull, and the barn swallow.

其中，家麻雀數量位居榜首，緊隨其后的是歐椋鳥、環嘴鷗和家燕。

詞匯表

task 差事，任務
birdwatchers 觀鳥者
woodpeckers 啄木鳥
herons 鷺
ospreys 鶚，魚鷹
came up with 得出了
starling 椋鳥
gull 海鷗
swallow 燕子

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. Who are the people that record sightings of birds in the eBird database?

2. True or false? The study includes all birds on the planet.

3. How many wild birds are there for each human?

4. Which wild bird is the most common, according to the study?

答案  

1. Who are the people that record sightings of birds in the eBird database?
Birdwatchers record sightings in the database.

2. True or false? The study includes all birds on the planet.
False. It only includes wild birds, and not those in captivity.

3. How many wild birds are there for each human?
There are around six wild birds for every human.

4. Which wild bird is the most common, according to the study?
The house sparrow tops the charts.