A starving polar bear was found on the street, scavenging for food 街头求生的北极熊

朱欣

A starving polar bear strayed far away from its natural habitat and wandered into the industrial city of Norilsk in northern Siberia. It is the first polar bear seen in the city in more than 40 years， according to local envi-ronmentalists. Climate change has been damaging polar bears' sea ice habitats and forced them to scavenge for food on land. It has been captured and will be transported to a wildlife park for treatment， according to local reports.

Photos showed the female animal trudging across a busy road with muddy paws， digging through rubble and trash and lying down from apparent exhaustion on the ground. Experts believe the animal， initially thought to have wandered hundreds of miles from its natural habitat in the Arctic， instead may have been taken as a cub and raised in captivity by pelt traders， according to the Siberian Times.

The experts explained that it is typically males， not females， that migrate long distances. Whats more， this polar bear was too clean to have made such a trudge， the newspaper reported. They told the newspaper it's possible that poachers released the animal to avoid being caught and punished. Polar bear poaching has been banned in Russia for more than 60 years. Still， it has been estimated that as many as 200 of them are killed each year in the Far East region.

As The Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker reported， polar bears “are classified as a vulnerable species because of the ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change”， according to the World Wildlife Fund. It was not clear what would be done with the polar bear in the future as it looked too weak to be taken back to its natural habitat.

—From The Washington Post

Reading Check

1. Where is the polar bear likely to be now？

A. In its natural habitat. B. In a farmers house.

C. In the muddy street. D. In the wildlife park.

2. Why are the polar bears classified as a vulnerable species？

A. Theyre in danger of being killed.

B. Theyre in danger of lacking food.

C. Theyre in danger of losing their habitat.

D. Theyre in danger of lacking surviving abilities.

Language Study

Sentences for writing

1. 氣候变化正在破坏北极熊的海冰栖息地，迫使它们去陆地上觅食。

Climate change has been damaging polar bears' sea ice habitats and ______________   scavenge for food on land.

2. 报道称，再者，这只北极熊身上太过干净，不可能是长途跋涉而来。

Whats more， this polar bear was    ______________  clean    ______________   have made such a trudge， the newspaper reported.

3. 他们告诉报社，称有可能是偷猎者们把这只北极熊释放出来，只为避免被抓获罪。

They told the newspaper it？蒺s possible that poachers released the animal to avoid   ______________  and punished.