拯救濒危动物新工具

四川 蒋建平

主题语境：人与自然

篇幅：334词

建议用时：6分钟

1Do you know what is living in your backyard? Almost 380 of the 1,900 nationally listed threatened species can be found in urban areas across Australia and are facing extinc⁃tion and are under pressure from habitat loss and climate change.

2The latest five⁃yearlyState of the Environment Reportwas released (发布) in July 2022 and found there are grow⁃ing pressures on Australian wildlife from habitat loss and climate change.The report found that there are now more than 1,900 species and ecological communities listed as threat⁃ened.Of these,42 critically endangered species have no protection in the National Reserve System,which is Australia's network of protected areas.The number of Australia's threat⁃ened species has seen an 8 per cent rise since 2016.The number of plant and animal species listed as threatened in June 2021 was 1,918,up from 1,774 in 2016.

3Since the release of the report,two new species have been added to the growing list of threatened animals.The mountain skink (石龙子) has been listed as endangered and the southeastern glossy black cockatoo (凤头鹦鹉) has been listed as vulnerable (脆弱的) in August 2022.

4The World Wide Fund for Nature has released a backyard tool for everyday Austra⁃lians to use to help save some of the endangered wildlife found in urban areas.The new in⁃teractive tool“My Backyard”allows users to discover which threatened species live in their local area and what measures can be taken to help protect them.

5WWF⁃Australia chief conservation officer Rachel Lowry said people might be sur⁃prised to learn that bushland and forests near cities are home to some of Australia's rarest animals.“It is a fun and interactive tool that also makes it easier for people to take action to protect Australian wildlife better.Australia's native animals are under increasing pres⁃sure from climate change,habitat destruction and invasive (侵入的) species.But I'd also argue that our silence is influencing our threatened species because they need our voices now more than ever,”Ms Lowry said.

Reading Check

当晩挤在破庙外的和尚们在秋收后搭起的麦草堆里，麦草光滑温暖，袁安面临着他担任大哥以来的第一道难题：前面的路，在哪里？

1.Why does the author list so many figures in paragraph 2?

A.To show rich species in Australia.

B.To compare several reports about wild species.

C.To work out the total number of worldwide species.

D.To prove the rise of endangered species.

2.What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A.The influences of the report.

C.The number of endangered animals.

D.Challenges the mountain skink faces.

3.What can users do by using“My Backyard”?

A.Communicate with WWF.

B.Discover interesting animals.

C.Protect animals at risk in their local area.

D.Learn more about bushland and forests near cities.

4.What's Lowry's attitude to the new tool?

A.Supportive. B.Tolerant.

C.Confused. D.Indifferent.

Language Study

Difficult sentences

1.The number of plant and animal species listed as threatened in June 2021 was 1,918,up from 1,774 in 2016.2021 年6 月被列为受威胁的动植物物种数量从2016 年的1,774种增加到1,918种。

【点石成金】该句中，the number of...作主语，意为“……的数量”，谓语动词使用了单数形式。

2.But I'd also argue that our silence is influencing our threatened species because they need our voices now more than ever.但是，我也认为，我们的沉默正在影响我们的受威胁的物种，因为它们现在比以往任何时候都更需要我们的声音。

【点石成金】该句中，that引导一个宾语从句，宾语从句中又有一个由because引导的原因状语从句。