拯救中国象 Saving China's elephants

Hello, I’m Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English.With me today is Neil. Hello, Neil.
大家好，我是罗伯。欢迎收听六分钟英语。今天节目的嘉宾是尼尔。你好，尼尔。
Hello Rob!
你好，罗伯。
In this programme we’re going to be talking about endangered species, particularly elephants in China. So let’s start with a question, Neil. Do you know how many elephants are still living in the wild in China? Is it:a) Fewer than 15,000b) Fewer than 1,000c) Fewer than 300
在今天的节目中，我们将要探讨濒临灭绝的物种，特别讨论中国象。今天我们先进入提问环节。你知道中国的野生象现存有多少头吗？a) 不到 15,000头b) 不到 1,000 头c) 不到 300 头
I don’t know but I’m going to have a guess and say b) fewer than 1,000.
我不太清楚，我猜是b) 不到 1,000 头。
I’ll let you know if you’re right or wrong at the end of the programme.
节目的最后，我们再看你回答是否正确。
So Rob, have you ever come across any animal species under threat?
罗伯，你是否见过一些生存面临威胁的物种？
Yes, I have, I went to Australia a few years ago and saw some turtles on the beach laying their eggs and they’re very rare, aren’t they?
见过，几年前我曾去过澳大利亚，在海滩上看见很多海龟在孵蛋，现在已经很稀有了，不是吗？
They are very rare. I’ve always wanted to see them but I haven’t had the chance. I was lucky enough to see a panda when I was in China onceand they’re threatened with extinction, too, of course.
现在确实很稀有。我一直想去看看，但是没有机会。我去中国的时候，曾经很幸运的看到了熊猫。如今他们也濒临灭绝了。
The sad thing is, Neil, these animals are in danger largely because of the activities of human beings. There are all sorts of reasons why this is happening.
可悲的是，濒危动物的处境大多是因为人类活动造成的。其中有各种各样的原因。
Yes, it’s really upsetting. And it could easily be prevented if people thought a bit harder about the impact their lives make on wild animals. Take those sea turtles you were talking about, for instance. They’re under threat for all sorts of reasons, over-fishing being one of them.
这确实令人沮丧。如果人们能够认识到他们的生活对野生动物造成的巨大影响，这种情况是可以轻易避免的。以你刚刚提到的海龟为例。他们的生存面临威胁的原因很多，其中之一是过度捕捞。
Then there are various species of rhinoceros which could disappear in a few years’ time.Again, people poach these creatures – poach means hunt illegally - because their horns are used for medicinal purposes. And, of course, in country areas, miles from civilisation, it’s almost impossible to keep a check on illegal killings.
几年后，犀牛有可能也会灭绝。人们偷猎犀牛，偷猎也就是非法猎杀，因为犀牛角有很高的药用价值。在乡村，文明不发达，不可能有效监视非法猎杀现象。
It really makes you think, doesn’t it Rob?
这件事值得深思，不是吗？
Actually, it’s not that simple, Neil. Human beings are also under pressure and often have strong arguments in favour of their actions. This Chinese farmer explains. He uses an expression that means "arrived". Can you tell me what it is?
确实，这并不是一件简单的事。人类的压力也很大，总是会用看似有力的借口来声援自己的行为。一个中国农民对此进行解释。他用一个词组来表示“到达”。你能告诉我是什么吗？
There are too many elephants around here.We used to grow sugar cane but then the elephants started showing up and ate it all. So we gave up growing it. There was barely anything we could grow. No matter what we planted there was nothing to harvest …. Now we grow rubber. It’s the only thing they won’t eat.
这附近有很多大象。我们之前在这里种甘蔗，但是大象出现就会把甘蔗都吃掉。所以我们不再种了。但是除了甘蔗我们基本上种不了别的作物。无论我们种什么，都没有收成。所以现在我们种橡胶。这是大象唯一不能吃的东西。
He said "showing up". This means the elephants arrived.
他用的是“出现”。就是指大象来了。
And he said they "gave up" growing it. This means they stopped growing it.
他还说他们“放弃”种植甘蔗。也就是说他们停止种甘蔗。
The plight of the Asian elephant in China makes a pretty bleak picture, I must say. I understand that they are victims of all sorts of abuse.
中国的亚洲象的前景着实悲凉。我想他们也是遭遇了各种滥捕滥杀。
Yes, experts say their numbers have declined by 50 per cent in the last 75 years. Poaching is one reason why.They are hunted not for their tusks – that happens to the larger African elephant – but for their skins to make leather goods and for their meat.
是的，专家表示在过去75年中，亚洲象的数量减少了近一半。主要原因之一就是非法狩猎。人们进行非法捕杀，不仅是为了获取象牙（大多猎取更为庞大的非洲象象牙），也为了获取象皮做皮革制品，同时获取他们的肉。
They are also losing their habitats – that’s the places where they live - because of the growth in the number of plantations, particularly rubber, but also other cash crops.These agricultural monocultures, as they are called, spell death for the elephants’ lifestyle. Logging or deforestation – in which whole forests are destroyed - also adds to their problems.
大象还失去了他们的栖息地，也就是说他们生活的地方。因为种植园的兴起，尤其是橡胶和一些经济作物的大量种植。人们所谓的农业单一作物给大象的生存造成了致命的威胁。人们伐木毁林，整片森林被毁灭殆尽，使大象的生存更为艰难。
What’s more, in some places, their migratory routes have been cut off by human populations living in newly established villages.In a more general sense, just expanding human population is forcing them out of their natural environments.
而且，在某些地方，因为人类新建的村庄，大象迁徙的步伐被阻断。一般意义上来说，人口的扩张将大象排挤出赖以生存的自然环境。
There’s another very unpleasant way in which these creatures are suffering, Rob. Many of the young elephants are taken away from the herd and are turned into performing circus animals for tourists.
还有一种悲惨的状况，是很多大象所遭受的。有许多小象被拖出象群，为游客表演马戏。
Really, Neil?
这是真的吗？
Yes, I hear that sometimes nails are driven into their feet, they are deprived of sleep, food and water.This is to make them easy to train.
是真的，有时候人们还在他们脚上钉钉子，同时这些象没有充足的睡眠、食物和水。只因为这样子比较好训练。
That’s so cruel.But there are people trying to improve the situation, Neil.For example, there’s a rehabilitation programme – that’s a scheme to bring them back to a normal life- which rescues elephants at risk and give them protection within a special sanctuary. Then there are some people who are trying to get people to get farmers to work in a different way. Let’s listen to a forestry policeman. He uses an expression to describe the way people farm the land. Can you tell me what it is?
这太残忍了。但是很多人正努力尝试改善这一情形。例如，最近有一个康复计划，该计划意图帮助大象回归正常的生活，致力于拯救濒危大象，设立专门的保护区对他们进行保护。有些人尝试让农民改变耕种方式。我们来听听林业警察是怎么说的。他用了一个表达来描述人们耕种土地的方式。你能告诉我是什么吗？
It makes me sad. I want people to know that they shouldn’t cut down the forest and that there are consequences if they do. I want them to change their farming practices, to change how they make a living. We could become a tourist destination. People could make money from that.
这种情况令我很心痛。我想让人们知道他们不应该砍伐森林，让他们知道这么做的后果是什么。我想让人们改变农耕方式，改变谋生方式。我们可以将这里开发成旅游胜地。人们也可以由此赚钱。
He said "farming practices". This means the way people farm the land.
他说到“农耕方式”，也就是说人们种植土地的方式。
And he said "make a living". This refers to people earning enough money in order to survive. let’s hope the elephants still living in the wild in China can be saved. So, would you like the answer to the quiz question now?
他还提到“谋生”。这是指人们赚到足够生存的钱。让我们共同祝愿生活在中国的野生象能够得到有效的保护。那么，你现在想知道之前问题的答案吗？
Yes, OK. You asked me how many elephants are still living in the wild in China. Was it fewer than 15,000, fewer than 1,000, or fewer than 300? And I guessed 1,000.
当然想。你问我如今中国的野生象有多少头。不到 15,000头，不到 1,000 头还是不到 300 头？我猜的是不到1000头。
I’m afraid the answer is actually fewer than 300.
很抱歉，正确答案是不到300头。
That’s a real cause for concern.
那真的要引起人们的关注了。
Well, we’re almost out of time. So, let’s remind ourselves of some of the words we’ve said today, Neil.
好了，我们节目的时间快到了。我们再回忆一下今天提到的单词吧。
poach
偷猎
habitats
栖息地
showing up
出现
gave up
放弃
farming practices
农耕方式
make a living
谋生
rehabilitation programme
康复计划
Well, that’s it for today. Until next time. Goodbye!
今天的节目就到这里。我们下次再会！再见！
Goodbye!
再见！