有長效危害的被禁工業(yè)化學(xué)品可能威脅到在英國附近生活的雄性鼠海豚的生殖能力。多氯聯(lián)苯在幾十年前就被逐漸淘汰了，但這種物質(zhì)會在鯨魚、海豚和鼠海豚的體內(nèi)積聚。

PCBs were once used in everything from plastics to paints. They were banned in the 1980s, but the chemicals take a long time to break down and can linger in the oceans, accumulating in the blubber of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

多氯聯(lián)苯曾經(jīng)被應(yīng)用于從塑料到油漆的各類產(chǎn)品中。盡管在20世紀(jì)80年代，多氯聯(lián)苯已被禁用，但這種化學(xué)物質(zhì)需要很長時間才會分解，而且會滯留在海洋中，在鯨魚、海豚和鼠海豚的鯨脂中積聚。 

Scientists have long suspected PCBs might reduce the pregnancy rate of females. Now, research on hundreds of harbour porpoises washed up around the UK over the past decade raises concerns about male fertility too.

科學(xué)家們一直懷疑多氯聯(lián)苯可能會降低雌性的妊娠率。現(xiàn)在，對過去十年中在英國各地被沖上岸的數(shù)百只港灣鼠海豚的研究，又引起了人們對雄性生殖能力的擔(dān)憂。

Scientists at the Zoological Society of London say harbour porpoises exposed to PCBs had smaller testicles, suggesting an effect on sperm count and fertility. They say while this is preliminary research, which needs to be confirmed, more must be done to clean up the oceans.

英國倫敦動物學(xué)會的科學(xué)家們表示，暴露在含有多氯聯(lián)苯的環(huán)境下的港灣鼠海豚睪丸較小，這表明多氯聯(lián)苯對其精子數(shù)和生殖能力有所影響。他們說，雖然這是初步研究，仍需確認(rèn)，但人們必須做更多的工作來清理海洋污染物。

詞匯表

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) 多氯聯(lián)苯
chemicals 化學(xué)物質(zhì)，化學(xué)品
break down 分解
linger 滯留
accumulating 積聚，積累
blubber （海洋動物的）鯨脂
porpoises 鼠海豚
pregnancy rate 妊娠率
washed up 被沖上岸的
fertility 生殖能力
sperm count 精子數(shù)

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? PCBs can stay in the oceans for a long time.

2. When were PCBs banned?

3. What have scientists long suspected about the effect of PCBs?

4. What concerns does the new research raise?

答案

1. True or false? PCBs can stay in the oceans for a long time.
True. The chemicals take a long time to break down and can linger in the oceans.

2. When were PCBs banned?
They were banned in the 1980s.

3. What have scientists long suspected about the effect of PCBs?
Scientists have long suspected PCBs might reduce the pregnancy rate of female whales, dolphins and porpoises.

4. What concerns does the new research raise?
The new research on harbour porpoises raises concerns about PCBs reducing male fertility too.