A surprise visit from a snowy owl

山东 李全忠

题材体裁 文章词数 建议用时356 7分钟动物 新闻报道

难词探意

1.spectator /spek'teɪtə(r)/ n.观众

2.irruption /ɪ'rʌpʃn/ n.侵入；急速增加

3.curator /kjʊə'reɪtə(r)/ n.馆长；负责人

A snowy owl has left its habitat in the Arctic and made its way to the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, Washington.This large, female bird has been spotted on various rooftops and tall trees in the area.Many Queen Anne residents have come to see and take pictures of the bird.

I recently spoke withspectatorsand a bird expert from Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo.Most of the people I interviewed had never seen a snowy owl before.This was the first time, in fact, that they had seen such a rare bird.When asked why the bird came to Queen Anne, Jun Pua said, “I think the snowy owl is here for food and shelter.” Mila Seavey, 11, and Thor Oakland, 9, thought that maybe the Queen Anne neighborhood offered a nice place for the owl to take a winter nap.

Snowy owls do not migrate.Rather, they arrive in unpredictable periods known asirruptions.In a recent interview with Kevin Murphy, Woodland Park's animalcurator, I learned that irruptions are similar to migrations.But an irruption can change yearly based on food and habitat.I also learned that snowy owls can lay up to 12 eggs a year depending upon the amount of available food.

The snowy owl that arrived in Seattle is a female based on the brown markings on her feathers,which she uses to make it difficult to be seen in her natural habitat.Male snowy owls are pure white.Snowy owls are considered vulnerable and thus protected by the government.Murphy offered this advice to kids who want to help the owls: “Kids can help protect snowy owls by spreading awareness.”Murphy also said that visitors should be respectful of snowy owls, whether in Seattle or a wildlife setting.“When going to see the snowy owl, make sure that you aren't stressing the owl out,” he said,“and keep a distance from it.”

The Queen Anne neighbors have been incredibly respectful of this owl, which Mila and Thor have nicknamed “Silverhead”.“We're grateful that Silverhead has brought a little cheer into our lives during the pandemic,” they said.

Reading Check

1.Why did the snowy owl leave its habitat according to Jun Pua?

A.To lay eggs and protect them.

B.To look for food and shelter.

C.To turn to human for help.

D.To take a winter nap.

2.What may influence snowy owls' egg production according to the text?

A.Environment.B.Weather.

C.Habitat.D.Food.

3.What's the function of the brown markings on the female snowy owl?

A.To make it look more beautiful.

B.To help it find food more easily.

C.To protect it from being discovered in habitat.

D.To attract more attention from male snowy owls.

4.How do Mila and Thor feel about the snowy owl's coming?

A.Appreciative.B.Curious.

C.Tolerant.D.Skeptical.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

This was the first time, in fact, that they had seen such a rare bird.事实上，这是他们第一次看到一只这么稀有的鸟。

【信息提取】This is/was the first time that sb has/had done...意为“这是某人第一次做某事”。

【句式仿写】这是他第一次来到中国。