雪豹
吕斌斌 Nina Dutton
雪豹是一种大型猫科动物，原产於亚洲中部山区。除了中国以外，雪豹都住在印度、蒙古、尼泊尔、巴基斯坦、俄罗斯、阿富汗等地。这种动物的毛是浅色的，又长又浓。要不是雪豹不是在雪峰住，说不定这种动物没有那么多毛，也没有那么长的尾巴用来平衡。这种“大猫”有个方面很奇怪：雪豹不能咆哮。雪豹往往可以捕食到什么动物就吃什么动物，牠们喜欢吃岩羊、野羊、山羊、鹿、兔等等。
这几个年代雪豹少起来了。随着人们开始用很多土地来作建筑，越来越少栖息地让雪豹来生息。雪豹之所以减少，也是因为人捕杀它们，要么偷猎者想卖雪豹的皮，要么农人想保护他们的牛和羊，怕给雪豹吃掉。
有些人觉得人的权利比动物的权利重要，这不是太不公平了吗？我觉得人用太多自然资源，留给动物的不够。在保护雪豹方面，人们最好不要用那么多土地，应该留多些树林、山、和另外的栖息地给野生的动物和植物。另一个办法解决雪豹的问题是，别捕杀这种大型猫科动物。
词汇Vocabulary:
| 1. 雪豹 | xuěbào | snow leopard |
| 例句: 雪豹是一种大型猫科动物。
Example: Snow leopards are a type of large feline. |
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| 2. 大型 | dàxíng | large scale, wide scale, broad scale |
| 例句: 雪豹是一种大型猫科动物。
Example: Snow leopards are a type of large feline. |
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| 3. 猫科 | māokē | Felidae (the cat family) |
| 例句: 雪豹是一种大型猫科动物。
Example: Snow leopards are a type of large feline. |
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| 4. 原产 | yuánchǎn | native to |
| 例句: 牠们原产於亚洲中部山区。
Example: They are native to the mountains of Central Asia. |
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| 5. 浅色 | qiǎnsè | light color |
| 例句: 这种动物的毛是浅色的，又长又浓。
Example: This animal’s fur is light-colored, thick and long. |
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| 6. 浓 | nóng | thick |
| 例句: 这种动物的毛是浅色的，又长又浓。
Example: This animal’s fur is light-colored, thick and long. |
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| 7. 要不是 | yàobushì | if not for , but for |
| 例句: 要不是雪豹不是在雪峰住,说不定这种动物没有那么多毛。
Example: If snow leopards did not live on snowy mountaintops, they probably would not have as much fur. |
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| 8. 雪峰 | xuěfēng | snowy peak |
| 例句: 要不是雪豹不是在雪峰住,说不定这种动物没有那么多毛。
Example: If snow leopards did not live on snowy mountaintops, they probably would not have as much fur. |
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| 9. 用来 | yònglái | to be used for |
| 例句: 牠们没有那么长的尾巴用来平衡。
Example: They do not have such a long tail to use for balance. |
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| 10. 平衡 | pínghéng | balance, equilibrium |
| 例句: 牠们没有那么长的尾巴用来平衡。
Example: They do not have such a long tail to use for balance. |
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| 11. 咆哮 | páoxiào | roar |
| 例句: 这种“大猫”有个方面很奇怪：雪豹不能咆哮。
Example: This “big cat” has a strange aspect: snow leopards cannot roar. |
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| 12. 往往 | wǎngwǎng | frequently, often |
| 例句: 雪豹往往可以捕食到什么动物就吃什么动物。
Example: Snow leopards tend to eat whatever animals they can catch. |
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| 13. 捕食 | bǔshí | to prey on, to catch and feed on |
| 例句: 雪豹往往可以捕食到什么动物就吃什么动物。
Example: Snow leopards tend to eat whatever animals they can catch. |
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| 14. 岩羊 | yányáng | bharal (a wild sheep) |
| 例句: 牠们喜欢吃岩羊、野羊、山羊、鹿、兔等等。
Example: They like to eat bharals, wild sheep, mountain goats, deer, rabbits, and so on. |
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| 15. 野羊 | yěyáng | Wild sheep |
| 例句: 牠们喜欢吃岩羊、野羊、山羊、鹿、兔等等。
Example: They like to eat bharals, wild sheep, mountain goats, deer, rabbits, and so on. |
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| 16. 山羊 | shānyáng | mountain goat |
| 例句: 牠们喜欢吃岩羊、野羊、山羊、鹿、兔等等。
Example: They like to eat bharals, wild sheep, mountain goats, deer, rabbits, and so on. |
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| 17. 鹿 | lù | deer |
| 例句: 牠们喜欢吃岩羊、野羊、山羊、鹿、兔等等。
Example: They like to eat bharals, wild sheep, mountain goats, deer, rabbits, and so on. |
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| 18. 土地 | tǔdì | land, territory |
| 例句: 随着人们开始用很多土地来作建筑，越来越少栖息地让雪豹来生息。Example: Since people began to use more land for building houses, there are less and less habitats for snow leopards to live in. | ||
| 19. 建筑 | jiànzhù | building |
| 例句: 随着人们开始用很多土地来建筑房子，越来越少栖息地让雪豹来生息。Example: Since people began to use more land for building houses, there are less and less habitats for snow leopards to live in. | ||
| 20. 栖息地 | qīxīdì | habitat |
| 例句: 随着人们开始用很多土地来建筑房子，越来越少栖息地让雪豹来生息。Example: Since people began to use more land for building houses, there are less and less habitats for snow leopards to live in. | ||
| 21. 生息 | shēngxī | to inhabit, to live in |
| 例句: 随着人们开始用很多土地来建筑房子，越来越少栖息地让雪豹来生息。Example: Since people began to use more land for building houses, there are less and less habitats for snow leopards to live in. | ||
| 22. 之所以 | zhīsuǒyǐ | the reason for |
| 例句: 雪豹之所以减少，也是因为人捕杀牠们。
Example: Another reason snow leopards are decreasing is that people capture and kill them. |
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| 23. 减少 | jiǎnshǎo | to decrease, to reduce |
| 例句: 雪豹之所以减少，也是因为人捕杀牠们。
Example: Another reason snow leopards are decreasing is that people capture and kill them. |
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| 24. 捕杀 | bǔshā | capture and kill |
| 例句: 雪豹之所以减少，也是因为人捕杀牠们。
Example: Another reason snow leopards are decreasing is that people capture and kill them. |
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| 25. 偷猎者 | tōulièzhě | poacher |
| 例句: 要么偷猎者想卖雪豹的皮，要么农人想保护他们的牛和羊，怕给雪豹吃掉。
Example: Sometimes it is poachers who want to sell the snow leopards’ skin or else it is farmers who want to protect their livestock. |
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| 26. 权利 | quánlì | right |
| 例句: 有些人觉得人的权利比动物的权利重要。
Example: Some people believe that the rights of humans are more important than the rights of animals. |
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| 27. 不公平 | bùgōngpíng | unfair |
| 例句: 这不是太不公平了吗？ Example: Is this not unfair? |
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| 28. 自然资源 | zìránzīyuán | natural resource |
| 例句: 我觉得人用太多自然资源，留给动物的不够。
Example: I feel that humans use too many of the natural resources and don’t set aside enough for the animals. |
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| 29. 留给 | liúgěi | to set aside |
| 例句: 我觉得人用太多自然资源，留给动物的不够。
Example: I feel that humans use too many of the natural resources and don’t set aside enough for the animals. |
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| 30. 野生 | yěshēng | wild, undomesticated |
| 例句: 在保护雪豹方面，人们最好不要用那么多土地，应该留多些树林、山、和另外的栖息地给野生的动物和植物。
Example: In order to protect snow leopards, people should not use as much land, and should leave more forests, mountains, and other habitats for wild animals and plants. |
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| 31. 植物 | zhíwù | vegetation, plants |
| 例句: 在保护雪豹方面，人们最好不要用那么多土地，应该留多些树林、山、和另外的栖息地给野生的动物和植物。
Example: In order to protect snow leopards, people should not use as much land, and should leave more forests, mountains, and other habitats for wild animals and plants. |
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讨论的问题：
1．雪豹有很独特。比如它们的尾巴和毛。这些独特对它们的日常生活有什么用法？
For what do snow leopards use their tails and fur for?
2. 人们开始用土地来做建筑以后，雪豹的栖息变了什么变化？这些变化对雪豹的生活有什么影响?
What changes occurred to the habitats of snow leopard after humans started to use up more land? What influence did this have on their lives?
3. 除了上面说了原因以外，还有什么原因让雪豹的种群减少了那么多？
Except for the reason mentioned above, what are other causes for the decrease in the snow leopard population?
4. 作者提供了一个很重要问题，关于权利，你觉得人们的权利比动物的权力重要吗？为什么？
The author raised an important question regarding rights: do you think human rights are more important that animal rights? Why?
Transcript
Snow leopards are a type of large feline, native to the mountains of Central Asia. Aside
from China, they also live in India, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. This animal’s fur is light-colored, thick and long, with black spots. If snow leopards did not live on snowy mountaintops, they probably would not have as much fur, and they would not have such a long tail to use for balance. This “big cat” has a strange aspect: snow leopards cannot roar. Snow leopards tend to eat whatever animals they can catch. They like to eat bharals, wild sheep, mountain goats, deer, rabbits, and so on.
There have been fewer snow leopards in the past few decades. Since people began to
use more land for building houses, there are less and less habitats for snow leopards to live in. Another reason for the decrease in snow leopards is that people capture and kill them, whether it is poachers who want to sell the snow leopards’ skin, or whether it is farmers who want to protect their livestock.
Some people say that humans use too many natural resources, and don’t leave enough for animals. Is it not unfair to consider people’s rights are more important than animals’ rights? In order to protect snow leopards, people should not use as much land, and should leave more forests, mountains, and other habitats for animals and plants. Another way to solve the snow leopard problem is not to capture and kill these big cats.