2017-04-14 Two-thirds of Great Barrier Reef damaged in ‘unprecedented’ bleaching 三分之二的大堡礁珊瑚群遭受“史无前例”的白化危机

文字稿

澳大利亚的科学家们称大堡礁目前面临史无前例的白化危机，三分之二的珊瑚已经遭到破坏。据航空测量调查结果显示，作为世界上最大的生命结构体，大堡礁中段部分的珊瑚白化现象正在加速，受此影响的地区包括昆士兰州海岸及其周边 2300公里的海域。请听 Phil Mercer 的报道。

For the first time mass bleaching has affected the Great Barrier Reef in consecutive years. When it bleaches, the coral isn’t dead, but it does become far more fragile and can eventually die.

What concerns Australian researchers is that more frequent bleaching, which is caused by rising water temperatures, makes it harder for the reef to recover. The scientists are warning Australia that to save one of nature’s true wonders it must take decisive action on climate change.

The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 130 species of sharks, 500 types of worms and 1,600 varieties of fish.

词汇表

mass bleaching 大面积的（珊瑚）白化
consecutive 连续性的
fragile 脆弱的，容易受伤害的
frequent 常见的，频繁发生的
recover 恢复
decisive 果断的
is home to 是….的所在地、家园
varieties 不同种类

测验

请听报道并回答下列问题。

1. What happened to the corals last year?

2. What is the cause of coral bleaching?

3. True or false? Bleaching will kill the corals immediately or soon after it happens.

4. Which phrase in the text means ‘changes to weather over a long period of time’?

答案

1. What happened to the corals last year?
The Great Barrier Reef suffered bleaching last year as well as this year.

2. What is the cause of coral bleaching?
Rising water temperature is the cause of coral bleaching.

3. True or false? Bleaching will kill the corals immediately or soon after it happens.
False. Bleaching won’t kill the corals immediately, but makes coral fragile and die eventually.

4. Which word in the text means ‘changes to weather over a long period of time’?
Climate change.