文字稿

有證據(jù)顯示澳大利亞的大堡礁正遭受有記錄以來最嚴(yán)重的珊瑚白化現(xiàn)象，科學(xué)家們再次呼吁聯(lián)合國將其列入世界瀕危遺產(chǎn)名錄。請聽  BBC Jon Donnison 的報(bào)道。

The Great Barrier Reef is considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world. But the study from Australia's National Coral Bleaching Taskforce found that in some areas, 95% of the reefs are now severely damaged.

On the northern section running between Cairns in Queensland and Papua New Guinea, only four out of 520 reefs are untouched. Coral bleaching is caused by rising sea temperatures. It can take decades for the coral to recover. And persistent warmer waters kill the reefs altogether.

Last year UNESCO, the UN's scientific body, decided not to list the World Heritage Site as 'in-danger'. Environmentalists are now calling for that decision to be reassessed.

詞匯表

seven wonders of the natural world 自然界七大奇觀
bleaching 漂白的，白化
running 貫穿
untouched 未受破壞的，完好無損的
body 組織，機(jī)構(gòu)
reassessed 重新考慮

測驗(yàn)

請聽報(bào)道并回答下列問題。

1. Are all of the reefs of the Great Barrier Reef seriously affected by bleaching?

2. True or false? Bleaching is caused by the sea getting warmer.

3. Does it take more than 10 years for reefs to recover from bleaching? 

4. Are environmentalists happy with the decision not to list the reefs as 'in-danger'?

答案

1. Are all of the reefs of the Great Barrier Reef seriously affected by bleaching?
No. 95% of the reefs are severely damaged.

2. True or false? Bleaching is caused by the sea getting warmer.
True. Coral bleaching is caused by rising sea temperatures.

3. Does it take more than 10 years for reefs to recover from bleaching?
Yes, it can take decades for the coral to recover.

4. Are environmentalists happy with the decision not to list the reefs as 'in-danger'?
No. They want the decision to be reassessed.