A starving polar bear was found on the street,scavenging for food

河南濮阳县第三中学 朱 欣

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海词积累

1.stray/streɪ/v.走失

2.scavenge/'skævɪndʒ/v.觅食

3.trudge/trʌdʒ/v.步履沉重地走

4.rubble/'rʌbl/n.碎石;碎砖

5.cub/kʌb/n.幼兽

6.captivity/kæp'tɪvəti/n.囚禁

7.pelt/pelt/n.（动物的）毛皮

8.poacher/'pəʊtʃə(r)/n.偷猎者

A starving polar bearstrayedfar 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 environmentalists. Climate change has been damaging polar bears'sea ice habitats and forced them toscavengefor 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 animaltrudgingacross a busy road with muddy paws,digging throughrubbleand 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 acuband raised incaptivitybypelttraders,according to theSiberian Times.

The experts explained that it is typically males,not females,that migrate long distances.What’s more,this polar bear was too clean to have made such a trudge,the newspaper reported.They told the newspaper it's possible thatpoachersreleased 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.

AsThe 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.

—FromThe Washington Post

Reading Check

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

A.In its natural habitat. B.In a farmer’s house.

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

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

A.They’re in danger of being killed.

B.They’re in danger of lacking food.

C.They’re in danger of losing their habitat.

D.They’re in danger of lacking surviving abilities.

Language Study

Sentences for writing

1.气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。

What’s 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's possible that poachers released the animal to avoid____________and punished.