VOA标准英语2010年-Washington's National Zoo Says Goodbye

One of the most popular residents at the National Zoo in Washington will be shipped to China on February 4. Tai Shan, the giant panda who became an overnight sensation when he was born at the zoo in 2005, is part of a long-term loan agreement with the Chinese government. About to reach his sexual maturity¹, he'll join a breeding program in China where conservationists are trying to increase the population of the endangered species.

Four and a half years ago, the National Zoo unveiled its new addition to great fanfare².

Tai Shan achieved a certain celebrity³ status here in the U.S. capital as visitors flocked to the zoo to see him and his parents, 10-year-old mother Mei Xiang and 11-year-old father Tian Tian, who were born in China.

Senior curator Brandie Smith says people now associate the National Zoo with giant pandas.

"In 1972, our first pandas arrived as a result of President Nixon and the relationship he built with China. Now our pandas have been with us for ten years. A lot of people come to the National Zoo, and the first animal they want to see is the giant pandas," Smith said.

But China owns all 14 giant pandas living in the United States. It loans the animals to zoos in the U.S. and other countries to raise awareness⁴ of the endangered animals, and to help scientists study them. As part of the agreement, any panda cub⁵ born in the U.S. must one day be returned to China. Smith says the program is very successful.

"I think pandas are an amazing, amazing ambassador for China - people love them, people come to see them. We've had fan clubs spring up around our pandas here because people are so fascinated with them, they want to learn about them, they want to save them," Smith said.

Conservationists say there are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild. China has established over 50 panda reserves to protect the population. And so Tai will be sent to one of the large breeding programs in Sichuan province, where he'll be paired with a mate.

Judy Young is one of the many local residents who has watched Tai grow up.

"He's just a special little panda that we all enjoy being around, and get a lot of joy out of his presence," Young said.

She says she'll still come to the zoo after Tai's departure.

The zoo has been preparing for Tai's send-off, helping⁶ him get used to the crate⁷ that will be used to transport him. And scientists have artificially inseminated Tai's mother, Mei Xiang, in the hopes that she'll soon produce another panda cub for the National Zoo.

 

1 maturity   

n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期

参考例句：

• These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
• This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。

2 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

3 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 cub   

n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人

参考例句：

• The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
• The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 crate   

vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱

参考例句：

• We broke open the crate with a blow from the chopper.我们用斧头一敲就打开了板条箱。
• The workers tightly packed the goods in the crate.工人们把货物严紧地包装在箱子里。