文字稿
在英國，佈谷鳥的數量在過去25年間減少瞭70%。為解開其數量驟減的謎團，研究人員為一批佈谷鳥裝上瞭極小的追蹤系統。科學傢發現這群鳥會沿兩條遷徙路線飛至非洲中部，且其中一條路線非常危險。請聽 Victoria Gill 的報道。
The signature sound of Britain’s spring is fading. The number of cuckoos that breed here has declined by more than 70% over the past 25 years. To find out why, researchers tagged male birds with tiny GPS backpacks.
Over five years, the team tagged 42 birds tracking a total of 56 round-trip migrations. The scientists found that the birds took two different routes to Central Africa – an easterly route via Italy and a more direct route via Spain.
Despite it being shorter, more birds were lost along this western route. This could mean that increasingly dry summers in Spain linked to climate change are having an impact on the birds’ ability to find food. The team will continue to track cuckoos to work out what might help more of them survive this increasingly perilous journey.
詞匯表
signature 特征鮮明的
cuckoos 佈谷鳥，杜鵑
breed 繁殖，繁衍
tagged （為跟蹤、觀察或識別）給（動物）別上標牌
GPS backpacks 全球衛星定位裝置包
round-trip 往返（旅程）的
migrations （動物）遷徙
easterly 向東的
climate change 氣候變化
work out 弄懂，想清楚
perilous 極危險的
測驗
請聽報道並回答下列問題。
1. What did researchers do to find out why the number of cuckoos in Britain had declined?
2. True or false? The scientists tracked a total of 56 one-way journeys.
3. Which two routes did these birds take to Central Africa?
4. What could be the possible reason why the journeys via Spain were so risky, according to the research?
答案
1. What did researchers do to find out why the number of cuckoos in Britain had declined?
The researchers tagged male birds with GPS backpacks to track their migrations.
2. True or false? The scientists tracked a total of 56 one-way journeys.
False. The scientists tracked 56 round-trip journeys over five years’ time.
3. Which two routes did these birds take to Central Africa?
These birds took an easterly route via Italy and a westerly one via Spain to Central Africa.
4. What could be the possible reason why the journeys via Spain were so risky, according to the research?
The increasingly dry summers in the country linked to climate change are affecting the birds’ ability to find food.
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