Save kākāpōs

山东 张 静

1New Zealand's critically endangered kākāpōs have begun to return to the country's mainland for the first time in almost 40 years.Kākāpōs are the heaviest parrots in the world, with some more than six pounds, and they have a lifespan of up to 90 years.They can't fly,so kākāpōs climb trees and search on the ground for nuts and seeds to eat.The big birds used to be widespread across New Zealand,but were hunted to near extinction.Popular Sciencedescribed these“curious”birds as already being“doomed to early extermina‑tion”all the way back in April 1895.

2The roughly left 250 or so indi‑vidual birds are managed by New Zea‑land's Department of Conservation(DOC)on five islands that are free of en‑emies.Now equipped with genetic sci‑ence, research platform Genomics Aote‑aroa is funding high‑quality genetic se‑quencing(基因测序)of almost the entire kākāpō population.

3Establishing genetic sequencing methods is expected to not only play a part in kākāpōs' survival,but also other endangered species' survival throughout the world.Conservation genomics (基因组学)is part of a growing trend in the field.In 2019,a team from the University of Hawaii used advanced DNA sequencing technology to create a nearly complete genome assembly (基因组装) for Hawaii's only remaining family of the crow family alalā.The sequencing gave conservationists critical clues into the disease susceptibility (易 感 性), population‑level diversity, and genetic load of the alalā to better inform their policies.

4The same information could help the kākāpō thrive.This work over the last year has produced two very significant outcomes.First, it has given the team an in‑depth under‑standing of kākāpō biology.It has also produced a high‑quality code and reusable pipeline,which allows other researchers to rapidly use these methods in their own work.

5“Kākāpōs suffer from disease and low reproductive output, so by understanding the genetic reasons for these problems, we can now help mitigate them,”Andrew Digby, the DOC's Science Advisor for Kākāpō Recovery,said in a statement.“It gives us the ability to predict things like kākāpō chick growth and susceptibility to disease,which changes our on-the-ground management practices and will help improve survival rates.”

Reading Check

1.What do we know about Kākāpōs?

A.They had no enemies from nature.

B.They were predicted to be numerous.

C.They are frequently hunted at present.

D.They are in urgent need of being rescued.

2.Why are alalās mentioned in paragraph 3?

A.To remind us to save other birds.

B.To call on more to focus on wild plants conservation.

C.To prove genome assembly to be effective.

D.To explain the definition of genome assembly.

3.What is Andrew Digby's attitude to genetic sequencing?

A.Negative.

B.Supportive.

C.Indifferent.

D.Ambiguous.

➢语篇解码

➢语言学习

Ⅰ.语料荟萃

语篇单词critically adv.严重地endangered adj.处于危险中的lifespan n.寿命extinction n.灭绝curious adj.好奇的roughly adv.大约；粗略地individual adj.个人的fund v.在资金上扶持high‑quality adj.高质量的population n.（人口）数量establish v.建立critical adj.关键的clue n.线索inform v.通知thrive v.繁荣；蓬勃发展significant adj.重要的；显著的reproductive adj.繁殖的_____________o_______________________________________________________________________utput_n.输出；产量

（续表）

Ⅱ.语句分析

1.Establishing genetic sequencing methods is expected to not only play a part in kākāpōs'survival,but also other endangered species'survival throughout the world.建立基因测序方法不仅仅是为了鸮鹦鹉的生存，也是为了世界上其他濒危物种的生存。

【点石成金】本句中，Establishing genetic sequencing methods是动名词形式作主语。

2.It gives us the ability to predict things like kākāpō chick growth and susceptibility to disease, which changes our on‑the‑ground management practices and will help improve survival rates.它使我们能够预测鸮鹦鹉雏鸟的生长和对疾病的易感性，这也改变了我们的实地管理实践，有助于提高存活率。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，主句中的to predict things like kākāpō chick growth and susceptibility to disease 是不定式作后置定语；which 引导非限制性定语从句。

➢语言运用

Ⅰ.例句仿写

1.在空中飞行很好玩。

__________________________is great fun.

2.这个软件是一个容易使用且灵活的工具，它可以方便图书管理员从藏书中选择制作数字化内容，制作图书目录，以实现增加信息获取量的目标。

The software is an easy and flexible tool, ___________________________digitized content from their collection and to develop catalogue,fulfilling the objective of broadening access to information.

Ⅱ.写作实践

假定你是学生会主席，你校将举办主题为“Take action to protect the wildlife”的活动。请你以学生会的名义写一份倡议书，号召全校同学保护野生动物。内容包括：

1.保护野生动物的重要性；

2.保护野生动物的倡议。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Take action to protect the wildlife

Respected teachers and fellow students,

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The Student's Union