VOA慢速英语--罕见黑犀牛在肯尼亚出生

AS IT IS 2016-03-27 Rare Rhino¹ Birth in Kenya 罕见黑犀牛在肯尼亚出生

The first black rhino in more than 25 years was born in northern Kenya this month.

It was born at the Sera Community Rhino Sanctuary².

The birth comes when poaching has put the black rhino on a list of animals that face extinction³. Only about 5,000 black rhinos⁴ remain.

Female black rhinos usually have one baby at a time. At birth, baby rhinos, called calves⁵, weigh between 40 to 64 kilograms, according to the San Diego Zoo.

Conservationists in Kenya say they are pleased with the birth. But protecting the black rhinos is expensive. A sanctuary in east Africa estimates it costs between $10,000 and $15,000 to protect one rhino.

The Sera sanctuary is becoming a popular home for rhinos. The first rhinos were moved to Sera in 2015. The baby rhino’s birth brought the population at the sanctuary to 11. Officials hope to bring 10 more rhinos to Sera this year.

White rhinos and black rhinos live in the grasslands⁶ and floodplains of eastern and southern Africa, according to the National Geographic⁷ Society.

Words in This Story

rhino – n. informal language use for rhinoceros⁸

poaching – v. to catch or kill an animal illegally

extinction – n.  the state or situation that results when something such as a plant or animal species has died out completely

sanctuary – n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter

calves – v. a baby of a large animal like a rhino

grasslands – n. land covered with grasses and other soft plants but not with bushes and trees

floodplains – n. an area of low, flat land along a stream or river that may flood

1 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。

2 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

3 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

4 rhinos   

n.犀牛（rhino的复数形式）

参考例句：

• There are many reports of people taming and even training Indian rhinos. 有许多关于人们驯养甚至训练印度犀牛的记载。 来自辞典例句
• The rhinos had fed during the night in the rice fields of these villagers. 犀牛夜里在这些村民的庄稼地里也已吃饱了。 来自辞典例句

5 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 grasslands   

n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Songs were heard ringing loud and clear over the grasslands. 草原上扬起清亮激越的歌声。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Grasslands have been broken and planted to wheat. 草原已经开垦出来，种上了小麦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 rhinoceros   

n.犀牛

参考例句：

• The rhinoceros has one horn on its nose.犀牛鼻子上有一个角。
• The body of the rhinoceros likes a cattle and the head likes a triangle.犀牛的形体像牛，头呈三角形。