The vultures in question1 may look ugly and threatening, but the sudden sharp l in three species of Indias vultures is producing alarm rather than 2 .celebration,and it presents the world with a new kind of environmental2 . The dramatic decline in vulture numbers is causing widespread disruption to people living in thesame areas as the 3 .It is also causing serious public health problems4 the Indian sub-continent3.
While 4 their reputation and appearance may be unpleasant to many Indians, vultures have5 played a very important role in keeping towns and villages all over India clean. It is 6 _they feed on dead cows. In India, cows are sacred animals and are 7 left in the open6 when they die in their thousands upon thousands5 every year.
The disappearance of the vultures has 8 an explosion in the numbers of wild dogs feeding on the remains of these dead animals. There are fears that rabies may_ 9 as a result7. And this terrifying disease may ultimately affect humans in the region, since wild dogs are its main carriers. Rabies could also spread to other animal species, causing an even greater problem in the 10 .
The need for action is 11 , so an emergency project has been launched to12 a solution to this serious vulture problem. Scientists are trying to identify thedisease causing the birds deaths and, if possible, develop a cure.
Large-scale vulture 13 were first noticed at the end of the 1980s in India. A population survey at that time showed that the three species of vultures had declined 14 over 90 per cent. All three species are now listed as critically endangered8. As most vultures lay only single eggs and 15 about five years to reach maturity, reversing their population decline will be a long and difficult exercise.
词汇：
vulture .n.秃鹰 ultimately . adv.最终地
species.n.物种，种类 endanger .v.危及，濒危
disruption.n.破坏，毁坏 maturity.n.成熟期
rabies.n.狂犬症
注释：
1.The vulture in question：讨论中的秃鹰(问题)。in question意为讨论中的，考虑中的。
2.rather than：而不是。例：Your proposal is positive rather than negative.(你的提议是积极的，而不是消极的。)
3.the Indian sub-continent：印度次大陆
4.while：虽然。例：While he has published many papers, he is modest.(虽然他发表了多篇论文，他还是很谦虚。)
5.thousands upon thousands：成千上万的
6.in the open：在户外，在野外
7.as a result：结果
8. listed as critically endangered：被列为极度濒危动物
练习：
1. A decline B rise C teeth D eyes
2. A benefit B debate C problem D solution
3. A plants B birds C humans D cows
4. A over B with C through D across
5. A sometimes B long C suddenly D hardly
6. A who B when C because D where
7. A traditionally B occasionally C possibly D finally
8. A came from B adjusted to C resulted from D led to
9. A drop B increase C disappear D change
10. A future B past C villages D mountains
11. A recent B urgent C frequent D rare
12. A neglect B use C remove D find
13. A cures B arrivals C deaths D journeys
14. A along B on C in D by
15. A take B adopt C consume D waste