An unacceptable number of species are still being lost forever despite world leaders’ pledging to reverse(彻底转变)the trend,a report has warned.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN)says the commitment to reduce biodiversity loss by 2010 will not be met.
It warns that a third of amphibians(两栖动物),a quarter of mammals and oneineight birds are threatened with extinction.The analysis is based on the 44,838 species on the IUCN Red List.
“The report makes for depressing reading,”said coeditor Craig Hilton Taylor,manager of the IUCN’s Red List Unit.
“It tells us that the extinction crisis is so bad,or even worse than we believed.”
“But it also shows the trends these species are following and is therefore an essential part of decisionmaking processes.”
The Convention(公约)on Biological Diversity(CBD)came into force in 1993 with three main aims:
●To conserve biological diversity
●Use biological diversity in a sustainable fashion
●Share the benefits of biological diversity fairly
Currently,168 nations have signed the convention,which set the target“to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global,regional and national level”.
JeanChristophe Vie,deputy head of the IUCN’s species Programme,warned that the scale of“wildlife crisis”was far worse than the current global economic crisis.
“It is time to recognize that nature is the largest company on Earth working for the benefit of humankind,”he said.
“Governments should put as much effort,if not more,into saving nature as they do saving economic and financial sectors.”
“When governments take action to reduce biodiversity loss,there are some conservation successes but we_are_still_a_long_way_from_reversing_that_trend.”
The assessment lists 869 species as Extinct or Extinct in the Wild and this figure rises to 1,159 if the 290 Critically Endangered species tagged as Possibly Extinct are included.Overall,the report categorizes at least 16,928 species as being threatened with extinction.
“All of the plants and animals that make up Earth’s amazing wildlife have a specific role and contribute to essentials like food,medicine,oxygen,water,”said Mr.Vie.“We need them all,in large numbers.We quite literally cannot afford to lose them.”
What do we know from the first two paragraphs?
A.Biodiversity loss is reported to be worsening.
B.World leaders promised to protect biodiversity.
C.IUCN fails to meet its commitment to biodiversity.
D.World leaders committed to environment protection.
解析:选B。推理判断题。根据文章的前两段可知,尽管世界各国领导人承诺要彻底转变物种灭绝的趋势,但是大批物种正在永久性地消失。联合国自然保护联盟指出,到2010年减少物种灭绝的承诺不能实现。
The report is depressing because it suggests________.
A.an increasing number of species have died out
B.the species on the Red List are the most valuable
C.the extinction crisis is more serious than thought
D.the extinction crisis is as bad as the global economic
crisis
解析:选C。推理判断题。根据文章的第三、四、五段可知,有44,838种物种被列为濒临灭绝的物种,而且,它们的濒危情况比我们认为的还糟糕。所以这个报告令人沮丧。
Which of the following is the purpose of CBD?
A.To avoid more species becoming extinct.
B.To make a list of all the endangered species.
C.To share the benefits of biological diversity.
D.To promote sustainable social development.
解析:选A。推理判断题。文章第七段列出了《生物多样性公约》的三个目标:1.保护生物多样性;2.使生物多样性可持续发展;3.公平地分享生物多样性的好处。选项A的陈述与第一个目标一致。
What does JeanChristophe Vie mean by saying“we are still a long way from reversing that trend”?
A.It will be long before we can increase the biodiversity.
B.Governments take little action to protect biodiversity.
C.All nations should work together to achieve the target.
D.Much remains to be done to reduce biodiversity loss.
解析:选D。句意推测题。根据文章的后半部分可知,国际自然保护联盟物种项目主任JeanChristophe Vie说:“各国政府采取了一些举动以减少生物多样性丧失,这取得了一些成就,但我们远未能够扭转目前趋势。”可见,我们在保证物种的多样性不再丧失之前,我们还有很多事情要做。
D
According to the Greek branch of WWF,the brown bear is in danger in our country.Its population is about 1,004,150 bears.We find it in Central and Northern Pindos and also in Western Rodopi.
Another species in danger,not only in Greece but also all over Europe,is the lynx(山猫), the biggest European feline.Very few lynxes live now in Greece because of the hunting for their fur and because of the damage they cause in stockbreeding(畜牧业).We find them in the mountain range of Pindos and in forests in the Northern borders of our country.
The Mediterranean seal is the most threatened mammal in Europe.It has disappeared from the European coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and that’s why Greece is very important for its protection.The main reasons for its disappearance are the damage of its living areas,the killing by fishermen because of the damages it does to their nets,the lack of food and the pollution of the sea.
Animal in danger in Europe is also the wolf.Greece is one of the European countries where the wolf seems to be found in a satisfying amount.But still,they are not more than 500.The wolf lives in almost the whole mainland,except Peloponnisos from where it was disappeared during the 40’s decade.It_also_lives_in_the_mountains_of_Sterea_Hellas,but_there_isn’t_a_permanent_population_there.
The deer,the biggest vegetarian animal in Greece,is under an immediate danger.Because of the exaggerated(过大的) hunting its populations are minimised and today there are very few left only in the peninsula(半岛) of Sithonia,the mountain range of Rodopi and Parnassos.
Where does the brown bear live according to the passage?
A.Sterea Hellas. B.Sithonia.
C.Eastern Rodopi. D.Pindos.
解析:选D。由第一段最后一句可知,大棕熊的栖息地在Northern Pindos和Western Rodopi。
So few lynxes live now in Greece because people hunt them to ________.
A.send them to zoos B.get food
C.get fur D.feed them in cages
解析:选C。由第二段第二句可知,在希腊人们猎杀山猫的原因是为获取毛皮和减少山猫给畜牧业带来的损失。
Which is the biggest vegetarian animal in Greece?
A.The brown bear.
B.The Mediterranean seal.
C.The wolf.
D.The deer.
解析:选D。由文章最后一段第一句可知,希腊最大的食草动物是鹿。
What can we infer from the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph?
A.In Sterea Hellas there are still many wolves living there.
B.Wolves only visit Sterea Hellas at times.
C.In Sterea Hellas people still hunt wolves for furs.
D.In Sterea Hellas wolves live a good life.
解析:选B。由划线句子可知,这些狼只是不时地去那里居住,斯特瑞亚哈拉斯地区的山脉并不是它们永久的居住地。
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