Part Ⅰ Getting ready
Wild animals and wild plants and the wild places where they live are gravely threatened almost everywhere. One species has become extinct in each year of this century; but many hundreds are now on the brink. We can't afford to wait any more. It is time that we take action.
A The following words will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.
1. habitat: the natural home of a plant or animal
2. species: a group of plants or animals of the same kind, which are alike in all important ways and can breed together
3. bludgeon: hit with a heavy object
4. census: a count of a total population
5. logistics: the planning and implementation of the details of any operation
6. degrade: bring down
7. adversely: in the manner of going against, opposing
8. refuge: a place that provides protection or shelter from danger
9. aquatic: living in or on water
10. mussel: a small sea animal living inside a black shell whose soft body can be eaten as food (淡菜)
B Listen to some abbreviations and acronyms of some organizations and some information about them. Fill in the blanks.
1. IUCN- ______________, is the organization established by the ____________ to promote the conservation of and habitats as part of the national ________ of member states.
2. CITES- ____________________________. is an international agreement under the auspices of the IUCN with the aim of regulating ________ in endangered species of __________________. The agreement came into force __________ and by 1991 had been signed by 110 states. It ___________ any trade in a category of ____________ highly endangered species and ___________ trade in a further ___________ species.
3. UNEP- ______________________ , aims to provide __________ and encourage partnerships in caring for the _______ by inspiring information and enabling nations and people to improve their _________________ without compromising that of future generations.
4. WWF- ________________________ is an international organization established _________________ to raise funds for conservation by public appeal. Projects include conservation of particular _________________, for example, the tiger and giant panda. In 1990, it had ______________. members in 28 countries and an annual income of over 100 million. Its headquarters are in Gland,___________.
Biological diversity provides us with a variety of special "ecosystem services", such as clean water, a breathable atmosphere and natural climate control. However, many kinds of wild animals have been so reduced in number that their role in the ecosystem is negligible. Animals like the great apes, the whales, seals, and marine turtles are under particular pressure.
C Listen to the conversation. Match column A, which is a list of the names of some endangered animals, with column B, which gives the information about those endangered animals. Then answer the questions.
Column A
1. Whales
2. Seals
3. Turtles
4. Crocodiles
5. Walruses (海象)
6. Dolphins
Column B
__ bludgeoned to death for fur coats
__ killed to make handbags and shoes
__ hunted for their ivory
__ hunted to extinction
__ eggs rolled off and slaughtered for meat and oil
Questions:
1. What do people at the World Wildlife Fund work for according to the woman?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
2. What are they doing in order to protect those endangered animals?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
3. Can you guess the meaning of "sea sanctuaries"?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Part Ⅱ Christmas bird counts
Compared with one-quarter of the world's plants which are threatened with extinction by the year 2010, three-quarters of all bird species are declining or threatened with extinction. Many people feel that every time we lose a species, the world becomes a poorer place. What should we do?
A Listen to a news report. While listening for the first time, add more key words in the notes column according to the following cues. While listening for the second time, supply the information.
Event: Christmas bird counts Time: from Christmas to____
Sponsored by: the National Audubon Society Participants:
Numbers: _______________________________________________
Background: from all 50 states of the U.S., every Canadian province, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and Pacific islands
Number of bird counts this year: more than_________separate bird counts
The logistics of bird counts: Each individual count is in___________________ circle around the exact center point.
Origin of the National Audubon Society: It was named after _______________ John James Audubon, who illustrated birds in _____________________. The Society was founded in __________________ by conservationists concerned with the decline of birds.
B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the report. Complete the summary of this year's Christmas bird counts.
Christmas bird counts will ___________ from Christmas to January 3rd., ___________ by the National Audubon Society. This year more than 40 000 volunteers from the U.S., Canada, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and Pacific islands will be ___________________________. The counts are not only for _________________ but _______________________________ as well.
This year more than 1 600 separate bird counts have been _______. Some would have as few as ______________________, others with _________. Every individual count is in a ___________ around the exact center point. Bird counters can get a good idea of ___________within the count circle based on __________ they actually see.
The traditional Christmas bird count is ___________ in ornithology.
Part Ⅲ Dolphin captivity
We have learned a great deal by observing the animals kept in the zoo. However, wildlife is wild. Do you think we are protecting them or making them suffer by keeping them in captivity?
A The following words and phrase are used in the news interview. Listen to the words first. Study the definitions carefully.
1. ire: anger
2. instigate: provoke to some action
3. sonar: a method for finding and locating objects under water by means of the sound waves they reflect or produce
4. bounce off: (sound or light) reach the surface and is reflected back
5. marine: of, near or living in the sea
6. breed: produce offspring
7. metabolically: pertaining to what is needed to function
8. alter: change
9. stranded: left abandoned
B Listen to the news interview. There are five persons in it. Match column A with column B to indicate who's who. Then write out the thesis statements they are arguing about.
Column A
1. AlanTu
2. Peter Jones
3. RickTroud
4. Deborah Duffield
5. Jean Michel Cousteau
Column B
1 an announcer for Colorado Public Radio (CPR)
__ a former navy dolphin trainer
__ a biology professor
__ an environmentalist & explorer
__ a reporter for CPR
Thesis Statement No. 1: _________________________________
C Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the interview. Write out each person's pros (agree with the thesis) or cons (disagree with the thesis) for each thesis statement in note form.
Dolphins should be kept in captivity
Pros Cons
Rick Troud - can't live full lives
. separated from mother____
_________________________
. concrete tank- __________
-can't swim more
Jean Michel - rejecting captivity-suicidal
Cousteau -sophisticated brain
Deborah little difference in ____ -
Duffield _________________________
There are educational benefits of keeping marine mammals in captivity
Pros Cons
Rick Troud - anti-educational
. ___________________
___________________
. beating each other
to death; _________
___________________
Deborah Duffield playing an important role in -
basic understanding of the
animals- ___________________
____________________________
Part Ⅳ More about the topic: Birds-A Source of Wealth
The vitality of the Earth is reflected in the diversity of its inhabitants. The more successful we are at maintaining or improving the living conditions of the Earth's many residents, the better our chances will be of sustaining the quality of all species' lives on Earth.
A Listen to what Mr. LeBaron says about the information concerning birds. Complete the outline.
Outline
Ⅰ. Total number of known species-about __________
Ⅱ. ______________________________________
A. larger numbers living in the
e.g. more than ___________ counted in Panama
B. far fewer species native to
Ⅲ. Value
A. importance to the environment
1. indicator of the quality of environment
2. sensitive to ____________________
B. ____________________________________
1. getting pleasure out of looking at birds and listening to birds
2. mental quality of life degraded without birds
Ⅳ. _______________________________________
A. some species-declining
B. many types-increasing
B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the material.
Part Ⅴ Do you know...?
In general, an endangered species is one that's in immediate danger of becoming extinct. Its numbers are usually low, and it needs protection in order to survive.
Listen to some facts about endangered species. Pay special attention to the numbers.
● Scientists have cataloged more than __________________________ of the species that exist on Earth today. By some recent estimates, at least _________ that many species inhabit the planet.
● Up to ___________ become extinct every day. Scientists estimate that the total number of species lost each year may climb to ____________ by the year 2000, a rate far exceeding any in the last ____________ years.
● Around the world more than __________ protected areas exist in the form of parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. These areas cover a total of about _____________________ (5 million square km, or _____ of our total land area).
● Today, more than __________ in the United States are classified as endangered. More than __________ animal species are endangered worldwide.
● Little-noticed aquatic animals are in big trouble. In North America, _____________ of our fish species, ______________________ of our crayfish species and nearly ________________ of the mussel species are in trouble.
Part Ⅵ Reminder of key points in this unit
Verb & Verb Phrase Noun & Noun Phrase Other
Part Ⅰ regulate conservation under the aus-
come into force habitat pices of
compromise convention
roll off partnership
breed public appeal
slaughter walrus
bludgeon sea sanctuary
nesting site
make a donation
Part Ⅱ bird count longest-running
volunteer virtually
Pacific islands
ornithology
logistics
diameter
census
bird watcher
conservationist
feather
Part Ⅲ instigate ire aquatic park
bounce off concrete tank in captivity
reject sonar family-oriented
alter census suicidal
debate sophisticated
marine mammal stranded
fractured skull/rib/jaw
Part Ⅳ signal Panama adversely
degrade esthetic value
indicator
habitat alteration
degradation
Part Ⅴ catalog estimate
inhabit wildlife refuge
reserve
aquatic
crayfish
mussel
