Dedicated to saving bluebirds 百岁老人的知更鸟不了情

刘同功

现已百岁高龄的Alfred Larson几十年如一日地致力于北美蓝知更鸟的保护工作，他的努力使这一濒危鸟类的种群数量恢复至历史最高水平，他的事迹也被拍成了一部纪录片。

主题语境：动物保护篇幅：336词建议用时：7分钟

100-year-old Alfred Larson has gone through a lot in his lifetime， but one thing that keeps him going is bluebirds.

When Alfred retired in 1978， he wanted to find a hobby or something to do so that it would keephim busy and provide him with a sense of purpose. When he read a National Geographic article about crafting wooden nest boxes for bluebirds to help boost their populations， he decided to give it a try.

In an interview with Audubon， Alfred explained that he started building bird boxes on his ranch using leftover pieces of wood and scraps.

More than four decades has passed by， and Alfred is still going strong and promoting bluebird conservation efforts. Back in 2018 at 96， Alfred was monitoring nearly 350 nest boxes on six different trails in Southwest Idaho. Speaking with Audubon， he said， “I settled on a simple design that was easy to build and easy to monitor. I kept adding more boxes on these trails， and these birds responded.”That year， he banded over 900 birds. We can only imagine the impact he's made on the population over thespan（跨度）of the past over four decades.

To celebrate his accomplishments， film-maker Matthew Podolsky worked with Alfred for weeks to create a beautiful 30-minute documentary Bluebird Man. The film explores Alfred's upbringing and how everything led him to the work he does today. In the documentary， Podolsky said， “Alfred is a living example of how much one person can achieve when they set their mind on a task. But he's also an example of the benefits that a project like this can have for people. Bluebirds have given meaning to Alfred's life， and they are truly the secret of his longevity （長寿）.”

Alfred turned 100 in March 2022， and while he's not as active as he was a few years ago， he's still beaming with life. The impact he's had on the populations of bluebirds in North America will remain his legacy， long after he stops building boxes.

Reading Check

1. How did Alfred help save bluebird populations？

A. By feeding them personally.

B. By building nests for them.

C. By preventing illegal hunting.

D. By caring for young birds.

2. What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph？

A. Alfred is devoted to saving bluebirds.

B. Alfred's nest boxes have unique designs.

C. More bluebirds are now found in Idaho.

D. Alfred has close connections to bluebirds.

3. What has contributed to Alfred's longevity according to Podolsky？

A. His bird conservation work.

B. His positive attitude towards life.

C. The environment he lives in.

D. His diet and peaceful lifestyle.

4. Which words can be used to best describe Alfred Larson？

A. Modest and helpful.

B. Lucky and generous.

C. Careful and devoted.

D. Serious and sensitive.

Language Study

I. Difficult sentence in the text

The impact he's had on the populations of bluebirds in North America will remain his legacy， long after he stops building boxes.在他不再修筑鳥巢的很长一段时间内，他对北美蓝知更鸟种群的影响将会永存，成为他留给这个世界的遗产。

【点石成金】本句是一个复合句。he，s had on the populations of bluebirds in North America是一个定语从句，其前省略了关系代词that;long after后是一个时间状语从句。

II. Text-centered chunks

provide...with 为……提供……

a sense of 一种……感

give it a try 试一试

pass by经过;（时间）过去

make an impact on 对……有影响

over the span of the past over four decades 历时四十多年

set one's mind on 下决心做……

beam with life生机勃勃;容光焕发