与科学家原本预料的情况相反，虽然气候变化使海冰不断减少，但自上世纪 90 年代初以来，挪威北极地区斯瓦尔巴特群岛的北极熊反而变得更胖、更健康了。

There's long been concern about the effect that melting ice was having on their ability to hunt seals, their staple diet. But in the Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard, something surprising has happened. The bears there have gained weight, and for a polar bear, fatter means healthier. Rising temperatures, though, mean that there are now 100 more ice free days per year in Svalbard than when this study began, so the bears are now hunting on the land.

长期以来，人们一直担心海冰融化会影响北极熊捕食海豹的能力，而海豹正是他们的主食。但在挪威的斯瓦尔巴特群岛，一个令人意想不到的情况发生了。那里的北极熊体重增加了，而对于北极熊来说，更胖就意味着更加健康。不过，不断上升的全球气温也意味着斯瓦尔巴特群岛现在每年平均无冰天数比这项研究开始时增加了 100 天，因此那里的北极熊现在开始在陆地上进行捕食。

This unexpected, good news, scientists say, is temporary. As sea ice recedes more, bears may have to travel further between their hunting grounds, using up valuable fat reserves for energy.

科学家们表示，这个出乎意料的好消息只是暂时的。随着海冰进一步消退，北极熊可能需要往返于更远的猎场之间，迫使它们大量消耗本就宝贵的脂肪储备以获取能量。

词汇表

melting 正在融化的
hunt 捕猎，捕杀
staple 主要的
diet 饮食
gained 增加了，增长了
unexpected 出乎意料的
temporary 暂时的
recedes 消退，缩减
grounds 场地，场所
fat reserves 脂肪储备

听力练习

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. Which sentence best suits the key information of this story?
a. Why are polar bears in Svalbard hunting on land?
b. Why has the temperature in Svalbard risen?
c. Why have the polar bears in Svalbard gained weight?

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. Polar bears mostly eat seals.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

2. For polar bears, fatter means better…
a. ability to hunt.
b. health.
c. appearance.

3. Fewer icy days means that polar bears will hunt in the sea.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. Polar bears use their fat reserves to stay warm in the snow.
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. But in the Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard, ________________ has happened.

2. As ________________ recedes, more bears may have to travel further between their hunting grounds, using up valuable fat reserves for energy.

答案

一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。

1. c. But in the Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard, something surprising has happened. The bears there have gained weight, and for a polar bear, fatter means healthier.

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. a. True. There has long been concern about the effect that melting ice was having on their ability to hunt seals, their staple diet.

2. b. The bears there have gained weight, and for a polar bear, fatter means healthier.

3. b. False. Rising temperatures, though, mean that there are now 100 more ice free days per year in Svalbard than when this study began, so the bears are now hunting on the land.

4. c. Not given. The text mentions that the fat reserves are used for energy, but it doesn't mention how they help polar bears stay warm in the snow.

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. But in the Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard, something surprising has happened.

2. As sea ice recedes, more bears may have to travel further between their hunting grounds, using up valuable fat reserves for energy.