有关科学家表示，由于森林砍伐等人类活动，世界上许多热带雨林的生物多样性正受到严重威胁。

The world's tropical rainforests are home to more than 16,000 different mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, from colourful monkeys and parrots living high in the canopy, to weird and wonderful frogs and toads on the forest floor.

世界上的热带雨林是超过 16000 种不同的哺乳动物、鸟类、两栖动物和爬行动物的家园：这里有生活在上层树冠区域的色彩鲜艳的猴子和鹦鹉，也有生活在森林地面上奇特又奇妙的青蛙和蟾蜍。

But now a study by Canadian scientists has revealed that while there may be tree cover remaining, most of the tropical rainforests across the globe are too degraded by logging, mining and roads to provide good quality habitat for wildlife.

但现在，加拿大科学家开展的一项研究表明，尽管许多热带雨林可能还被树木覆盖，但全球大多数热带雨林都因伐木、采矿和修路的破坏而严重退化，无法为野生动物提供优质的栖息地。

They're calling for urgent conservation action to protect tracts of undisturbed forest before extinction for many rainforest species becomes a foregone conclusion. And they say as rainforests are one of nature's best defences against climate change, this would also help stabilise the Earth's climate.

科学家们呼吁各国采取紧急保护行动，以保护大片未受侵扰的森林，否则许多热带雨林物种的灭绝将成为定局。他们表示，热带雨林是大自然抵抗气候变化的最佳屏障之一，这也将有助于稳定地球的气候。

词汇表

canopy 树冠
tree cover 树木覆盖
logging 伐木
mining 采矿
habitat 栖息地
conservation action 保护行动
tracts 大片土地
undisturbed 未被打扰的
species 物种
foregone conclusion 预料中的必然结局
defences 保护，防御
stabilise 使…稳定

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. Is this report mainly about a) the benefits of the rainforest, or b) damage to rainforests?

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. There are _______ different mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles living in the rainforests.

2. Rainforests are home to many species of gorillas.

a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. Frogs and toads can be found:

a. in the tree cover
b. in the canopy
c. on the forest floor

4. _______ of the world's tropical rainforests are too degraded to be a good habitat for wildlife.

a. some
b. most
c. all

5. The extinction of many rainforest species is a foregone conclusion.

a. True
b. False
c. Not given

6. Protecting undisturbed forest would help _______ the Earth's climate.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. Is this report mainly about a) the benefits of rainforests, or b) damage to rainforests?

This report is mainly about damage to rainforests. It mentions:
• deforestation
• degradation by logging, mining and roads
• the need for urgent conservation action to protect tracts of undisturbed forest.

二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。

1. There are more than 16,000 different mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles living in the rainforests.

2. c. Not given. The text does not mention gorillas.

3. c. on the forest floor. There are weird and wonderful frogs and toads on the forest floor.

4. Most of the world's tropical rainforests are too degraded to be a good habitat for wildlife.

5. b. False. Action is needed before extinction for many rainforest species becomes a foregone conclusion.

6. Protecting undisturbed forest would help stabilise the Earth's climate.