The well-known Red List that details which species are threatened with extinction is inaccurate, according to a new assessment. It concludes the list fails to reflect the true threat to species, by not taking full account of the threat posed by people.
The Red List, which is compiled by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), gauges a species’ risk of extinction mainly on the basis of its population size, rate of decline and geographic range.
But Alexander Harcourt and Scan Parks at the University of California, Davis, argue that this is not enough. They compare an endangered species to a house that has been left unlocked. The house is vulnerable to burglary, but it only becomes threatened when there is a burglar nearby.
In the same way, a small population of animals susceptible to extinction only becomes actively threatened when it is being poached or its habitat is destroyed. Harcourt and Parks advocate modifying he Red List criteria to include local human population density.
Although a large number of people nearby may not in itself be a threat, they argue that hunting pollution and habitat destruction, for example, are all likely to increase as people encroach on wildlife. What is more, data on human density is readily available. We have the numbers, why not use them? says Harcourt.
To illustrate their point, the researchers reassessed 200 primate species from the 1996 Red List, They found that 17 species designated as being at relatively low risk by the Red List should now be reassigned as high priority.
Contrary to the expectations of many, the researchers also found that two high-profile species, the gorilla and the pygmy chimpanzee, or bonobo, should be downgraded to a lower level of threat.
But Craig Hilton-Taylor, Red List Programme Officer based in Cambridge, England, says that theIUCN has already introduced a specific classification system for threats-such as human density. The system runs in parallel to the main Red List classification.
Besides, part of the Red List’s value is that you can make comparisons with past assessments, he says, and tweaking the criteria would make this impossible. Weve been asked by everyone, please don’ t change the system again, says Hilton-Taylor.
Harcourt maintains that making explicit threats part of the criteria is not only more accurate, it may also help highlight future problems. Matt Walpole, a conservation researcher at the University of Kent at Canterbury, England, agrees: Where population data is lacking, it might be a useful way of flagging up potentially threatened species. [417 words]
1. The Red List used to determine the risk of extinction a species may run by assessing all of the following, EXCEPT ______
A. human population data
B. the species’ population size
C. the species’ rate of decline
D. the geographic range of the species
2. An endangered species is compared to an unlocked house in order to show that ______
A. an unlocked house is vulnerable to burglary
B. an unlocked house is not threatened without a burglar nearby
C. no other comparisons are more intelligible than this one
D. the Red List fails to reflect the threat posed by people to rare species
3. In order to indicate the level of threat posed by people to rare species, _____ has/have been introduced.
A. a specific classification system
B. a more accurate assessment system
C. the Red List criteria
D. the Red List classification
4. The level of risk indicated by the Red List to each endangered species should be ______
A. downgraded
B. upgraded
C. reassessed
D. kept as it is
5. The proper title for this passage should be ______
A. Data on Human Density
B. Red Alert over Rare Species
C. Red List Classification
D. Potentially Threatened Species 難句透析：
?、買t concludes Ethe list fails to reflect the true threat to species，by not taking full account of the threat(posed by people)]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】主句主語“It”指前一句提到的“a new assessment”。方括號所標示的部分是“concludes”的賓語從句。圓括號所標示的過去分詞短語用做后置定語，修飾“the threat”。
【釋義】該項評估的結(jié)論認為，由于沒有充分考慮人所造成的威脅，這份紅名單并未反映出對物種的真正威脅。
②In the same way，a small population of animals[susceptible to extinction]only becomes actively threatened when l’it is being poached—or”its habitat is destroyed]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】第一個方括號所標示的形容詞短語用做后置定語，修飾“a small population of animals”。第二個方括號所標示的部分是“when”引導的時間狀語從句，由“or”連接的兩個分句并列而成。 考試大
【釋義】同樣，容易滅絕的數(shù)量較少的動物物種，只有當被人偷獵，或者其棲息地被毀掉時，才受到真正的威脅。
③[Alth0“gh a large number of people nearby may not in itself be a threat]，they argue[that huntin9，pollution and habitat destruction，for example，are all likely to increase(as people encroach on wildlife)]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】第一個方括號所標示的部分是“Although”引導的讓步狀語從句。第二個方括號所標示的部分是“argue”的賓語從句。
【釋義】雖然附近人口眾多本身可能不是威脅，他們論證說，但是由于人對野生動植物的不斷蠶食，例如，打獵、污染和破壞棲息地等都可能增多。
④Contrary to the expectations of many，the researchers also found[that two high-profile species，the gorilla and the pygmy chimpanzee，or bonobo，should be downgraded to a lower level of threat]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】方括號所標示的部分是“found”的賓語從句。
【釋義】與很多人的預料相反，研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)，兩個備受關注的物種，大猩猩和侏儒黑猩猩(又名倭黑猩猩)應該降低其受威脅的級別。
超綱詞匯
bonobo n．(產(chǎn)于非洲剛果河以南的)倭黑猩猩(源自非洲當?shù)卣Z)
burglar n．夜賊
burglary v．入室行竊
encroach vi．(逐步或暗中)侵占，蠶食；超出通常(或正常)界限
IUCN abbr．國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會
poach vt．／vi．水煮(荷包蛋)；把…踏成泥漿；侵入偷獵，竊取
pygmy n．／adj．俾格米人(屬一種矮小人種，身長不足5英尺)；矮人，侏儒；小妖精
tweak v．擰
參考答案：1．A 2．D 3．A 4．C 5．B 全文翻譯
根據(jù)一項新的評估，列出哪些物種正受到滅絕威脅的的“紅名單”并不準確。該項評估的結(jié)論認為，由于沒有充分考慮人所造成的威脅，這份紅名單并未反映出對物種的真正威脅。
由國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會(IUCN)編制的紅名單在評測一個物種所受的絕種威脅程度時，主要是考慮該物種的種群數(shù)量、下降速度以及地理分布等。
但是來自位于加州大學達維斯分校的亞歷山大·哈考特和肖恩·帕克思則認為這些標準并不充分。他們將一個受威脅的物種比作一幢沒有鎖門的房子。這座房子確實有可能被入室行竊，但這也只有可能在周圍有小偷存在的情況下才會發(fā)生?？荚嚧?BR> 同樣，容易滅絕的數(shù)量較少的動物物種，只有當被人偷獵，或者其棲息地被毀掉時，才受到真正的威脅。哈考特和帕克思主張修改紅名單的評測標準，應該將本地人口密度列為其中一項。
雖然附近人口眾多本身可能不是威脅，他們論證說，但是由于人對野生動植物的不斷蠶食，例如，打獵、污染和破壞棲息地等都可能增多。而且，人口密度的數(shù)據(jù)是早就可供使用的。哈考特說，“我們有這些數(shù)據(jù)，干嘛留著不用?”
為了驗證他們的觀點，研究者們重新評估了1996年所制作的紅名單上的200種靈長類動物。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，原先紅名單上列為相對較低威脅的物種中有17種應該被重列入高危物種當中。 考試大
與很多人的預料相反，研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)，兩個備受關注的物種，大猩猩和侏儒黑猩猩(又名倭黑猩猩)應該降低其受威脅的級別。
但是位于英國劍橋的紅名單辦公組成員克里格·希爾頓一泰勒則稱國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會已經(jīng)引入了一種具體的用于分類的體系，可以用于評估諸如人口密度這樣的威脅。這個體系下的分類與紅名單并行不悖。 除此之外，紅名單的一個價值還在于你可以藉此將現(xiàn)有和既往數(shù)據(jù)進行對比，他說，因為更改了評測標準，這樣的對比已經(jīng)不再可能了。希爾頓一泰勒說，“很多人都要求我們不要再次更改標準了?！?BR> 哈考特則堅信將明顯的威脅列入評測標準不僅更加準確，而且還可以幫助凸現(xiàn)未來可能存在的問題。位于英國坎特伯雷的肯特大學的保守派學者馬特·沃珀勒同意他的觀點：“當缺乏對人口數(shù)據(jù)的考慮時，確實有可能將潛在的受威脅的物種的情況描述得太好?！?BR>
The Red List, which is compiled by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), gauges a species’ risk of extinction mainly on the basis of its population size, rate of decline and geographic range.
But Alexander Harcourt and Scan Parks at the University of California, Davis, argue that this is not enough. They compare an endangered species to a house that has been left unlocked. The house is vulnerable to burglary, but it only becomes threatened when there is a burglar nearby.
In the same way, a small population of animals susceptible to extinction only becomes actively threatened when it is being poached or its habitat is destroyed. Harcourt and Parks advocate modifying he Red List criteria to include local human population density.
Although a large number of people nearby may not in itself be a threat, they argue that hunting pollution and habitat destruction, for example, are all likely to increase as people encroach on wildlife. What is more, data on human density is readily available. We have the numbers, why not use them? says Harcourt.
To illustrate their point, the researchers reassessed 200 primate species from the 1996 Red List, They found that 17 species designated as being at relatively low risk by the Red List should now be reassigned as high priority.
Contrary to the expectations of many, the researchers also found that two high-profile species, the gorilla and the pygmy chimpanzee, or bonobo, should be downgraded to a lower level of threat.
But Craig Hilton-Taylor, Red List Programme Officer based in Cambridge, England, says that theIUCN has already introduced a specific classification system for threats-such as human density. The system runs in parallel to the main Red List classification.
Besides, part of the Red List’s value is that you can make comparisons with past assessments, he says, and tweaking the criteria would make this impossible. Weve been asked by everyone, please don’ t change the system again, says Hilton-Taylor.
Harcourt maintains that making explicit threats part of the criteria is not only more accurate, it may also help highlight future problems. Matt Walpole, a conservation researcher at the University of Kent at Canterbury, England, agrees: Where population data is lacking, it might be a useful way of flagging up potentially threatened species. [417 words]
1. The Red List used to determine the risk of extinction a species may run by assessing all of the following, EXCEPT ______
A. human population data
B. the species’ population size
C. the species’ rate of decline
D. the geographic range of the species
2. An endangered species is compared to an unlocked house in order to show that ______
A. an unlocked house is vulnerable to burglary
B. an unlocked house is not threatened without a burglar nearby
C. no other comparisons are more intelligible than this one
D. the Red List fails to reflect the threat posed by people to rare species
3. In order to indicate the level of threat posed by people to rare species, _____ has/have been introduced.
A. a specific classification system
B. a more accurate assessment system
C. the Red List criteria
D. the Red List classification
4. The level of risk indicated by the Red List to each endangered species should be ______
A. downgraded
B. upgraded
C. reassessed
D. kept as it is
5. The proper title for this passage should be ______
A. Data on Human Density
B. Red Alert over Rare Species
C. Red List Classification
D. Potentially Threatened Species 難句透析：
?、買t concludes Ethe list fails to reflect the true threat to species，by not taking full account of the threat(posed by people)]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】主句主語“It”指前一句提到的“a new assessment”。方括號所標示的部分是“concludes”的賓語從句。圓括號所標示的過去分詞短語用做后置定語，修飾“the threat”。
【釋義】該項評估的結(jié)論認為，由于沒有充分考慮人所造成的威脅，這份紅名單并未反映出對物種的真正威脅。
②In the same way，a small population of animals[susceptible to extinction]only becomes actively threatened when l’it is being poached—or”its habitat is destroyed]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】第一個方括號所標示的形容詞短語用做后置定語，修飾“a small population of animals”。第二個方括號所標示的部分是“when”引導的時間狀語從句，由“or”連接的兩個分句并列而成。 考試大
【釋義】同樣，容易滅絕的數(shù)量較少的動物物種，只有當被人偷獵，或者其棲息地被毀掉時，才受到真正的威脅。
③[Alth0“gh a large number of people nearby may not in itself be a threat]，they argue[that huntin9，pollution and habitat destruction，for example，are all likely to increase(as people encroach on wildlife)]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】第一個方括號所標示的部分是“Although”引導的讓步狀語從句。第二個方括號所標示的部分是“argue”的賓語從句。
【釋義】雖然附近人口眾多本身可能不是威脅，他們論證說，但是由于人對野生動植物的不斷蠶食，例如，打獵、污染和破壞棲息地等都可能增多。
④Contrary to the expectations of many，the researchers also found[that two high-profile species，the gorilla and the pygmy chimpanzee，or bonobo，should be downgraded to a lower level of threat]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】方括號所標示的部分是“found”的賓語從句。
【釋義】與很多人的預料相反，研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)，兩個備受關注的物種，大猩猩和侏儒黑猩猩(又名倭黑猩猩)應該降低其受威脅的級別。
超綱詞匯
bonobo n．(產(chǎn)于非洲剛果河以南的)倭黑猩猩(源自非洲當?shù)卣Z)
burglar n．夜賊
burglary v．入室行竊
encroach vi．(逐步或暗中)侵占，蠶食；超出通常(或正常)界限
IUCN abbr．國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會
poach vt．／vi．水煮(荷包蛋)；把…踏成泥漿；侵入偷獵，竊取
pygmy n．／adj．俾格米人(屬一種矮小人種，身長不足5英尺)；矮人，侏儒；小妖精
tweak v．擰
參考答案：1．A 2．D 3．A 4．C 5．B 全文翻譯
根據(jù)一項新的評估，列出哪些物種正受到滅絕威脅的的“紅名單”并不準確。該項評估的結(jié)論認為，由于沒有充分考慮人所造成的威脅，這份紅名單并未反映出對物種的真正威脅。
由國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會(IUCN)編制的紅名單在評測一個物種所受的絕種威脅程度時，主要是考慮該物種的種群數(shù)量、下降速度以及地理分布等。
但是來自位于加州大學達維斯分校的亞歷山大·哈考特和肖恩·帕克思則認為這些標準并不充分。他們將一個受威脅的物種比作一幢沒有鎖門的房子。這座房子確實有可能被入室行竊，但這也只有可能在周圍有小偷存在的情況下才會發(fā)生?？荚嚧?BR> 同樣，容易滅絕的數(shù)量較少的動物物種，只有當被人偷獵，或者其棲息地被毀掉時，才受到真正的威脅。哈考特和帕克思主張修改紅名單的評測標準，應該將本地人口密度列為其中一項。
雖然附近人口眾多本身可能不是威脅，他們論證說，但是由于人對野生動植物的不斷蠶食，例如，打獵、污染和破壞棲息地等都可能增多。而且，人口密度的數(shù)據(jù)是早就可供使用的。哈考特說，“我們有這些數(shù)據(jù)，干嘛留著不用?”
為了驗證他們的觀點，研究者們重新評估了1996年所制作的紅名單上的200種靈長類動物。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，原先紅名單上列為相對較低威脅的物種中有17種應該被重列入高危物種當中。 考試大
與很多人的預料相反，研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn)，兩個備受關注的物種，大猩猩和侏儒黑猩猩(又名倭黑猩猩)應該降低其受威脅的級別。
但是位于英國劍橋的紅名單辦公組成員克里格·希爾頓一泰勒則稱國際自然和自然資源保護協(xié)會已經(jīng)引入了一種具體的用于分類的體系，可以用于評估諸如人口密度這樣的威脅。這個體系下的分類與紅名單并行不悖。 除此之外，紅名單的一個價值還在于你可以藉此將現(xiàn)有和既往數(shù)據(jù)進行對比，他說，因為更改了評測標準，這樣的對比已經(jīng)不再可能了。希爾頓一泰勒說，“很多人都要求我們不要再次更改標準了?！?BR> 哈考特則堅信將明顯的威脅列入評測標準不僅更加準確，而且還可以幫助凸現(xiàn)未來可能存在的問題。位于英國坎特伯雷的肯特大學的保守派學者馬特·沃珀勒同意他的觀點：“當缺乏對人口數(shù)據(jù)的考慮時，確實有可能將潛在的受威脅的物種的情況描述得太好?！?BR>