一种在英国境内 40 年未见的、极度濒危的蜘蛛物种最近被重新发现。人们在一处偏远的自然保护区内发现了这种蜘蛛，该自然保护区只有乘船才能抵达。

The two tiny arachnids, measuring just three millimetres long, were found by scientists surveying the Newtown National Nature Reserve using a type of handheld vacuum device. It sucks up material on the ground and safely deposits it inside a container.

这两只小蜘蛛只有三毫米长，科学家在使用手持真空吸入设备调查纽敦国家自然保护区时发现了它们。这种设备能够吸起地面上的物体，然后将其安全地存放在一个容器中。

The scientists searching the remote part of the Isle of Wight had almost given up hope of finding the animal, also called the white-knuckled wolf spider. But minutes before they had to board a boat to leave, they found one tiny creature followed by a second. The species had last been seen in Britain in 1985. The British Arachnological Society has welcomed the rediscovery of what it called one of the country's epic lost species.

在怀特岛上这个偏远地区进行搜寻的科学家曾一度放弃了找到这种动物的希望，这种动物也被称为 “白关节狼蛛”。但就在他们需要登船离开的几分钟前，他们接连找到了两只小蜘蛛。该物种最后一次在英国被看到是 1985 年。英国蜘蛛学学会对重新发现该物种表示庆祝，并称其为英国最赫赫有名的失踪物种之一。

词汇表

arachnids 蜘蛛，蛛形纲物种
handheld 手持的
vacuum 真空
sucks 吸
deposits 存放
remote 偏远的，遥远的
species 物种
epic 赫赫有名的

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. According to the article, were the spiders easy to find?

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. The scientists used ______ to find the spiders.
a. a large machine
b. their hands
c. a small machine

2. The search process was dangerous for the spiders.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. Scientists were searching a site in a rural area.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. This species has never been seen in the UK before.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The ________________ arachnids, measuring just three millimetres long, were found by scientists surveying the Newtown National Nature Reserve using a type of handheld vacuum device.

2. The scientists searching the remote part of the Isle of Wight had ________________ hope of finding the animal, also called the white-knuckled wolf spider. 

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. According to the article, were the spiders easy to find?

The spiders were not easy to find. They were tiny, measuring just three millimetres long, the scientists had almost given up hope of finding them and they were only found minutes before the scientists had to board a boat to leave the nature reserve.

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. c. The two tiny arachnids, measuring just three millimetres long, were found by scientists surveying the Newtown National Nature Reserve using a type of handheld vacuum device.

2. b. False. It sucks up material on the ground and safely deposits it inside a container.

3. a True. The scientists searching the remote part of the Isle of Wight had almost given up hope of finding the animal, also called the white-knuckled wolf spider.

4. b. False. The species had last been seen in Britain in 1985.

三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）

1. The two tiny arachnids, measuring just three millimetres long, were found by scientists surveying the Newtown National Nature Reserve using a type of handheld vacuum device.

2. The scientists searching the remote part of the Isle of Wight had almost given up hope of finding the animal, also called the white-knuckled wolf spider.