VOA慢速英语2013--美国在非洲的计划有助于打击偷猎

 

U.S. Program Helps Fight Poaching in Africa 美国在非洲的计划有助于打击偷猎

From VOA Learning English, welcome to As It Is. I’m Steve Ember

Today we tell about how the United States is trying to help control poaching in Africa.

And, we take note of a very special phonograph record called “Sounds of Earth” that was launched into space on this date in 1977.  We’re still waiting for a reply.

The United States recently launched a 10-million-dollar effort to help fight animal poaching in Africa.  Money from the illegal trade in animal products may be supporting some militant¹ groups on the continent.  But at least one expert says the American effort alone will not be enough to solve the problem.

Johan Bergenas is with the Managing Across Boundaries Initiative at the Stimson Center, a non-profit group in Washington.  He says current anti-poaching efforts have failed to stop the killing² of thousands of animals every year. 

He says poaching across borders is not new as a criminal activity.  He notes that the killing of animals has increased over the past 12 to 18 months.  And cross-border criminal groups and terrorist organizations are involved. 

Johan Bergenas says Somali militants³, for example, have gained from poaching. He says that for a number of years, the Kenya Wildlife Service has reported a strong link between the militants and al Shabab. American officials have shown ties between the Somali-based group and Al-Qaeda.

“The more interesting and dangerous pattern, though, is that transnational criminal groups are now increasingly profiting off of poaching and adjacent activities.”

Mr. Bergenas notes reports from witnesses who had left the groups. Some said the Lord’s Resistance Army is targeting poaching and the profits from that activity to buy supplies, arms and other equipment.

The expert adds that criminals are trafficking other goods in addition to animals and animal parts.  They include drugs, weapons and cigarettes.

Mr. Bergenas says more game park rangers⁴ and others are needed to protect African wildlife. So is more and better equipment.  He compared the technology used by criminals with what is available to crime-fighters.

“These poachers are no longer using non-sophisticated weapons.  They are really going after the use of helicopters, machine guns, vision goggles⁵ (so) that they can see at night.  And we have to respond with the technology that the ’good guys’ have in managing these issues.”

The Stimson Center official says recent action taken by the Obama Administration is a big step in the right direction.  The World Wildlife Foundation and the African Wildlife Foundation have also praised the effort.

President Obama recently declared an executive order to fight wildlife trafficking.  African countries will receive 10-million dollars in aid to help toward that goal. 

The order calls for a presidential task force to develop and enact⁶ a plan to support efforts against illegal wildlife trade within six months. The plan  would help with the organization of area law enforcement and stop the illegal trade of products.  It also would attempt to reduce the demand for illegally traded animal parts.

But Mr. Bergenas says that, welcome as it is, the 10-million dollars from the United States is not enough to solve the wildlife trafficking problem. 

He says America and its European allies need to take a different approach when they become partners with African nations against illegal trafficking.  The goal would be to be more effective in dealing⁷ with their special problems, whether they are poaching or international terrorism.

The Stimson Center official says use of drone aircraft – might be one way to deal with poachers.  He said such aircraft carry cameras -- not weapons.  He said the airplanes might answer some important questions.

 “When the poachers are sent into these game parks to kill the rhino⁸ or the elephants – and to take their tusks⁹ and their horns – how did they get there?  How are they able to get around police, wildlife services and other counter-poaching efforts?...”

Mr. Bergeras also said African animals can be saved by reducing the demand for animal parts in Asia. 

You are listening to As It Is from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.

Remembering "Sounds of Earth" - Will They Answer?

Scientists and philosophers have long wondered: Is there life on other planets? In other solar systems? And if there is, as many believe, what might extraterrestrial beings think of…us?

It was on this date in 1977, that the American space agency sent a phonograph record about life on Earth into space. It was carried aloft in an unmanned spacecraft called Voyager II. Space agency officials hoped that these “Sounds of Earth” might possibly find their way to life on other planets.

Scientist Carl Sagan and his team decided¹⁰ what to include on the record. Many experts praised “Sounds of Earth” and the idea of attempting to communicate with other life forms. The record was made on a disc of gold-plated copper¹¹. It measured about 30 centimeters across. It came with a phono cartridge¹² and stylus, or needle, and pictures showing how to play it.

It contained information about human beings and science, and provided sounds like thunder, wind and rain, and calls of earthly creatures like birds and dogs. 

There were spoken greetings in 55 languages. World leaders including Jimmy Carter, then president of the United States, sent messages.

And there was music of many kinds, including both Eastern and Western classical music…and Chuck berry singing about an earthling named Johnny B Goode.

Another copy of “Sounds of Earth” was placed on Voyager I. That unmanned spacecraft was launched two weeks after Voyager II. Both spacecraft explored the outer solar system and sent back to Earth information and pictures of faraway planets. 

But, so far, we’ve had no response to this recorded sampling of Earth culture. But, as the English expression goes, the night is young…and who knows? Perhaps we’ll still get an answer…from somewhere in the distant, infinite reaches of a galaxy¹³ far, far, away.   

Earthling Steve Ember here, inviting¹⁴ you to join us next time for another As It Is, from VOA Learning English.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

5 goggles   

n.护目镜

参考例句：

• Skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes from the sun.滑雪者都戴上护目镜使眼睛不受阳光伤害。
• My swimming goggles keep steaming up so I can't see.我的护目镜一直有水雾，所以我看不见。

6 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 rhino   

n.犀牛，钱, 现金

参考例句：

• The rhino charged headlong towards us.犀牛急速地向我们冲来。
• They have driven the rhino to the edge of extinction.他们已经令犀牛濒临灭绝。

9 tusks   

n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头

参考例句：

• The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。
• Elephant tusks, monkey tails and salt were used in some parts of Africa. 非洲的一些地区则使用象牙、猴尾和盐。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

11 copper   

n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的

参考例句：

• The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
• Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。

12 cartridge   

n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子

参考例句：

• Unfortunately the 2G cartridge design is very difficult to set accurately.不幸地2G弹药筒设计非常难正确地设定。
• This rifle only holds one cartridge.这支来复枪只能装一发子弹。

13 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

14 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。