蘇格蘭環(huán)境大臣羅塞安娜·坎寧漢姆表示，從今年五月起，河貍將成為蘇格蘭地區(qū)的一個(gè)受保護(hù)物種。這項(xiàng)讓人期待已久并保受爭(zhēng)議的舉措激起了很多農(nóng)民的反對(duì)，并引發(fā)了一場(chǎng)應(yīng)如何管控河貍數(shù)量的爭(zhēng)議。

文字稿

They were extinct for 400 years, but beavers were illegally released in Tayside in the first part of this century.

河貍本已在蘇格蘭消失了四百年，但在本世紀(jì)上半葉，河貍在泰賽德市被非法放生。

Their population has grown rapidly to more than 400 and many farmers have complained about their dams flooding prime agricultural land.

它們的總數(shù)量已經(jīng)快速增長(zhǎng)到了 400 多只，而且很多農(nóng)民已經(jīng)就河貍筑壩，淹沒(méi)優(yōu)質(zhì)農(nóng)業(yè)用地的問(wèn)題進(jìn)行了投訴。

But after ministers decided against a cull, they've now made moves to protect them. That will make it an offence to kill, injure or capture beavers without a licence.

但相關(guān)部門(mén)大臣決定不允許對(duì)它們進(jìn)行選擇性宰殺，并已采取措施保護(hù)這個(gè)物種。這意味著無(wú)執(zhí)照宰殺、傷害及捕捉河貍將會(huì)是一種違法行為。

Farming leaders have said they need to be controlled effectively. Scottish Natural Heritage is expected to publish guidance on how that can be achieved in the coming weeks.

農(nóng)民代表們說(shuō)，應(yīng)有效地控制河貍的數(shù)量。預(yù)計(jì)蘇格蘭自然遺產(chǎn)署將在接下來(lái)的幾周內(nèi)公布如何實(shí)現(xiàn)有效控制河貍數(shù)量的指導(dǎo)方針。

1. 詞匯

dams 堤壩
agricultural land 農(nóng)業(yè)用地
cull 選擇性宰殺（動(dòng)物）
offence 犯罪、違法行為
capture 捕捉
licence 執(zhí)照
effectively 有效地
guidance 指導(dǎo)方針、意見(jiàn)

2. 閱讀理解：請(qǐng)?jiān)谧x完上文后，回答下列問(wèn)題 。

1. True or false? The ministers’ moves to protect the beavers mean unlicensed killing, injuring or capturing the animal will be illegal.  

2. What have the farmers complained about?

3. What is Scottish Natural Heritage expected to publish in the coming weeks?

4. Which word in the text means ‘not existing’?

3. 答案

1. True or false? The ministers’ moves to protect the beavers mean unlicensed killing, injuring or capturing the animal will be illegal. 
True. Their moves to protect them will make it an offence to kill, injure or capture beavers without a licence.

2. What have the farmers complained about?
They have complained about the beavers’ dams flooding prime agricultural land.

3. What is Scottish Natural Heritage expected to publish in the coming weeks?
It is expected to publish guidance on how that can be achieved in the coming weeks.

4. Which word in the text means ‘not existing’?
Extinct.