托福听力荟萃 08（在线收听）

We've just seen two______large birds that cannot fly: the______and the_______. Over here is an interesting_______from the past. This______animal is not the giant______it appears to be, but an_______. This particular kind of auk is very rare,only 78______are known to exist and most are not preserved as well as this one. The greatauk, as you can see, was a rather large bird, and it couldn't fly either.However, evidence suggests that the auk was an excellent swimmer and diver.Unfortunately, those abilities did not protect it from being easy prey for hungry sailors who years ago sailed the very cold and often icy waters of Greenland,Iceland, and Scotland.In fact, records indicate that the auk was rather tasty and that its eggs.Excuse me . . . that its eggs and feathers were useful as well. Still, it isn'tclear what other factors led to the big bird's______around 1844, the last time anyone reported seeing one. Of course, we believe it's important to take extra______to preserve the remaining great auk skins. After all, these specimens should prove______for future scientific research. Does anyone have any questions before we moveon to our next bird exhibit?

【填空答案】

contemporary:adj. 当代的，同时代的

emu:n. ［C］鸸鹋（产于澳洲的一种体型大而不会飞的鸟）

ostrich:n. ［C］鸵鸟

specimen:n. ［C］样本；样品；实例

stuffed:adj. 已经喂饱了的

penguin:n. ［C］企鹅

auk:n. ［C］海雀（北极地区海鸟，体大，短翅，蹼足）

demise:n. ［U］死亡

precaution:n. ［C］预防，警惕，防范

invaluable:adj. 无价的，非常宝贵的，价值无法衡量的

【听力原文】

We've just seen two contemporary large birds that cannotfly: the emu and the ostrich. Over here is an interesting specimen from the past. This stuffed animal is not the giant penguin it appears to be, but anauk. This particular kind of auk is very rare --- only 78 skins are known toexist and most are not preserved as well as this one. The great auk, as you cansee, was a rather large bird, and it couldn't fly either. However, evidence suggests that the auk was an excellent swimmer and diver. Unfortunately, thoseabilities did not protect it from being easy prey for hungry sailors who yeas ago sailed the very cold and often icy waters of Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland. In fact, records indicate that the auk was rather tasty and that its eggs --- Excuse me... that its eggs and feathers were useful as well. Still, itisn't clear what other factors led to the big bird's demise around 1844, the last time anyone reported seeing one. Of course, we believe it's important to take extra precautions to preserve the remaining great auk skins. After all,these specimens should prove invaluable for future scientific research. Does anyone have any questions before we move on to our next bird exhibit?