2014英语四级听力练习:慢速英语9.2(2)

　　From Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.

　　Climate researchers met recently in Cameroon to talk about threats to Africas land and animals. They said they believe the continent may lose as much as 30 percent of its animal and plant species by the end of this century. They blame the expected losses on the warming of earth, population growth and unrestricted development.

　　The researchers represent 20 African, American and European universities. They say countries south of the Saharan desert are losing forest faster than any place on earth. Wood companies are cutting down trees to meet growing demand from China, Europe and the United States.

　　The population is growing at 3 percent per year. There are now homes, factories and farms on land that once was forest. Many African animals and plants no longer have a place to live as result. Climate change also continues to threaten species.

　　Thomas Smith is the director of the Center for Tropical Research at the University of California.

　　With a 1.5 degree rise in global temperature, Africa may lose 30 percent of its animals and plants. And unfortunately with the increase in CO2 that has been now estimated to be up to three degrees in terms of rising global temperatures -- that means we may lose 40 percent of all mammal species in Africa by the end of the century, said Smith.

　　The African chimpanzee is one such animal at risk. Mary Katherine Gonder is a professor in the Department of Biology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

　　She studies chimpanzees in the Congo Basin. She says the forest home is disappearing. She also says hunters continue to kill the animals to sell as food.

　　What will happen over the next 20 years, the distribution of those chimpanzees will change. Their habitat will change fundamentally and they will no longer be around. So it is a real threat. The habitat for those chimpanzees will be gone, said Gonder.

　　Thomas Smith of the University of California says its possible to develop Africa and care for the environment at the same time.

　　With these enormous challenges, we need to develop green economies. We need to make sure that the development we do is sustainable. For example, we are working with parties here to develop new ways of providing green jobs, for example areas that you can preserve, [like] forests, and at the same time produce crops that are appropriate for people to sell and to eat. So we need to be thinking about how to preserve the natural processes and at the same time provide for the economic needs of the country, said Smith.

　　The Congo Basin area of western and central Africa has the second largest equatorial rain forest in the world. It is important to lives of millions of people.

　　And thats the Learning English Agriculture Report. For more agriculture stories, go to our website . Im Caty Weaver.

　　词汇讲解：

　　1. expect vt.期望; 预料

　　例句：So you would expect fewer losses.

　　因此，你会预期损失减少。

　　2. represent vt.表现，象征

　　例句：Now that would represent real progress.

　　这将代表真正的进步。

　　3. threaten vt. 预示; 恐吓; 危及; 预示凶兆

　　例句：This might threaten economic recovery.

　　这些措施可能会威胁经济复苏。

　　4. develop vi.发展; 生长

　　例句：Develop creative imagination through visualization.

　　发展创造性想象力要通过设想。

　　5. change vt.改变，变更

　　例句：You cant change the past.

　　没人能改变过去。

　　6. preserve vt.保护; 保持

　　例句：Who could want to preserve that?

　　谁会想要维持这种局面?

　　7. economic adj.经济的; 经济学的

　　例句：This isnt just economic theory.

　　它不仅仅涉及到经济政策。

　　短语讲解：

　　1. Climate researchers met recently in Cameroon to talk about threats to Africas land and animals.

　　talk about 讨论，谈论

　　例句：We talk about global warming.

　　我们谈到了全球变暖。

　　2. They said they believe the continent may lose as much as 30 percent of its animal and plant species by the end of this century.

　　as much as 差不多

　　例句：Hell know as much as she does, right?

　　他知道的内幕和她一样多对不对?

　　3. Many African animals and plants no longer have a place to live as result.

　　no longer 不再，已不

　　例句：Quality is no longer an issue.

　　质量不再是个问题。

　　4. And unfortunately with the increase in CO2 that has been now estimated to be up to three degrees in terms of rising global temperatures -- that means we may lose 40 percent of all mammal species in Africa by the end of the century, said Smith.

　　in terms of 根据; 用的话; 就而言

　　例句：The decision should be rated up in terms of importance.

　　决定必须根据其重要性来评估。

　　5. The African chimpanzee is one such animal at risk.

　　at risk 有危险

　　例句：He saved three children alive at risk of his life.

　　他拼命救出了三个孩子。

　　6. Thomas Smith of the University of California says its possible to develop Africa and care for the environment at the same time.

　　at the same time 同时; 一起

　　例句：At the same time learning moved online.

　　同时，学习走上了网络。

　　7. We need to make sure that the development we do is sustainable.

　　make sure 把事情弄清楚，核实或查明某事物

　　例句：How do you make sure this is clear?

　　你怎么能确定这足够明确呢?

　　8. For example, we are working with parties here to develop new ways of providing green jobs, for example areas that you can preserve, [like] forests, and at the same time produce crops that are appropriate for people to sell and to eat.

　　for example 例如

　　例句：For example, it can easily remember such things as:

　　例如，它可以轻易地记住下面这些信息。