科學傢發現，世界上最瀕危的兩棲動物之一，長相奇異、永遠微笑著的墨西哥鈍口螈，也叫美西螈，在被放歸於人工濕地後能夠茁壯成長。
There are hundreds of thousands of Mexican axolotls in laboratories and home aquariums around the world, studied for their remarkable ability to regrow any lost limb. But in their native wetlands in Xochimilco in Mexico City, the population has been decimated by pollution and invasive species.
數十萬隻美西螈被飼養在全球各地的實驗室和傢庭魚缸中，人們借此研究它們非凡的肢體再生能力。然而，在它們的原生棲息地，墨西哥城的索奇米爾科濕地，野生美西螈的數量因污染和外來物種的入侵而大幅減少。
Now, though, researchers who’ve bred axolotls in captivity have taken a major step towards bringing them back. The team released a small group at two sites in the city’s wetland. They fitted the amphibians with radio trackers so they could follow their progress.
不過現在，圈養和繁育美西螈的研究人員向將它們放歸自然的方向邁出瞭重要的一步。研究團隊將一小群美西螈放歸至墨西哥城濕地的兩處地區。研究人員為它們裝上瞭無線電追蹤器，以便追蹤它們的生長情況。
All 18 animals have survived, and a few that were recaptured had gained weight, showing that despite being raised in tanks, they were now hunting. It’s early days, but if the wild axolotl can be saved in a city of more than 20 million people, scientists say that will be a symbolic success story.
被放歸的 18 隻美西螈全部存活瞭下來，其中一些被重新捕獲的個體的體重也增加瞭，這表明盡管這些美西螈之前被圈養在水缸中，但它們現在已開始進行捕獵。雖然實驗尚處在早期階段，但科學傢表示，如果野生美西螈可以在一個人口超過 2000 萬的城市中生存下來，那這將是一個標志性的成功案例。
詞匯表
remarkable 非凡的，引人註目的
limb 肢體
wetlands 濕地
decimated 大幅削減，毀滅
in captivity 圈養
radio trackers 無線電追蹤器
raised 飼養，養育
聽力練習
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is the overall tone of this report?
a. positive
b. negative
c. neutral
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. There are small numbers of axolotls, both in captivity and in the wild.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
2. There are fewer axolotls in their natural habitat because of _______ and _______.
3. How did the researchers follow the axolotls’ progress once released?
a. They bred them in captivity.
b. They put them in the wetland.
c. They attached radio trackers to them.
4. What is the significance of the axolotls gaining weight?
a. It means they can hunt and feed themselves in the wild.
b. It means there is enough food in the wetlands.
c. It means the researchers must restrict their food supply.
5. Scientists believe the axolotls will be saved from extinction.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. Now, ________________, researchers who’ve bred axolotls in captivity have taken a major step towards bringing them back.
2. They fitted the amphibians with radio trackers ________________ follow their progress.
答案
一、聽第一遍音頻，回答問題。
1. What is the overall tone of this report?
a. Positive. The research had a positive result. All 18 animals have survived, and a few that were recaptured had gained weight, showing that despite being raised in tanks, they were now hunting.
二、用一分鐘閱讀下列問題，然後聽第二遍音頻並回答問題。
1. b. False. There are many in captivity. There are hundreds of thousands of Mexican axolotls in laboratories and home aquariums around the world.
2. There are fewer axolotls in their natural habitat because of pollution and invasive species.
3. c. They attached radio trackers to them. They fitted the amphibians with radio trackers so they could follow their progress.
4. a. It means they can hunt and feed themselves in the wild. A few that were recaptured had gained weight, showing that despite being raised in tanks, they were now hunting.
5. c. Not given. The report says if the wild axolotl can be saved in a city of more than 20 million people, scientists say that will be a symbolic success story, but this is conditional and hypothetical. There is no mention that the scientists believe the axolotls will be saved from extinction.
三、聽第三遍音頻，將句子補充完整。（提示：可以反復聽，直到聽清楚每一個詞）
1. Now, though, researchers who’ve bred axolotls in captivity have taken a major step towards bringing them back.
2. They fitted the amphibians with radio trackers so they could follow their progress.
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