节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-01-31
难易度:Low
关键字:vision, cone, forbid, protection, bird of prey, pesticide
Well, we have some more to discuss about bald eagles, but let's think about what
we've already learned.
We know that they're birds of prey that catch other animals for their food.
They have keen vision, able to see things from a mile away; and they also mate
for life.
They find one male or one female and stay with them for their entire life to
reproduce other eagles.
Let's see what else we find out in the second reading of today's lesson.
(Music).
The American Bald Eagle.
It is believed that at one time there were half a million eagles in North
America.
By 1963, though, their numbers had dropped to 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48
states.
There were many causes, but the major reason was the use of the pesticide DDT.
In 1972 the U.S. forbade the pesticide, and bald eagles now number around 9,800
nesting pairs.
While bald eagles are no longer endangered, there are still laws that provide
protection for them.
People everywhere hope this proud bird will fly free in the skies for many years
to come.
I certainly hope that the bald eagle will be around for many more years to come.
And we see at the beginning of this reading:
It is believed that at one time there were half a million eagles in North
America.
Now that sentence right there makes me think Liz has something waiting for us in
the Grammar Gym.
Let's go check it out.
Welcome to the Grammar Gym, friends.
My name is Liz.
And here's today's Grammar Tip sentence.
It is believed that at one time there were half a million eagles in North
America.
Notice how the sentence starts out with "it is believed that..." When we are
reporting something, we need to make sure our facts are correct.
But what if you're not 100 percent certain?
In the case of today's sentence, there were half a million eagles in North
America.
But did someone really go and count every single eagle in the United States?
No.
But half a million seems like a reasonable number that many people can accept.
So the writer begins with: it is believed that.
So when you're giving information about something and you're not too certain
about your facts, you can begin with this phrase, it is believed.
For example:
It is believed that this bakery was the first one to sell this special kind of
cake.
Or: It is believed that the hero in the story came from this town.
If you want to see more example sentences, you'll find them in the Grammar Tip
section in your magazine.
This is Liz from the Grammar Gym, saying goodbye.
Thank you, Liz.
Well, we do see that there were, at one point, half a million bald eagles in
North America.
But then comes the sad fact.
By 1963 their numbers had dropped to 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states.
So if you do the math, 417 nesting pairs, that means there are almost 1,000 male
and female put together.
And that's... that's more than 500 times less than there were at maybe one time
in history.
That's really sad to me, guys.
Yeah. That is very sad and very scary that so many eagles could disappear so
quickly.
That's right.
Many eagle pairs and eagles are disappearing.
Now there are around 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states... or in 1963
there were.
I hope there are more now.
Well, we see another phrase there: the lower 48 states.
Nathanael, what is that?
Yeah. It's kind of a strange phrase, but it refers to all of the states except
Alaska, which is apart from the rest of them,
as well as Hawaii, which is apart from the rest of the 48 that are all together
on the continent.
And therefore they're called the lower 48 states.
All right, the lower 48 states, or sometimes maybe even the continental... um,
states.
We'd think of Alaska and Hawaii as outside, so.
Of course, there are 50 states in the United States.
But remember this, when you're talking about the ones on the continent, you can
say the lower 48.
There were many causes, but the major reason was the use of the pesticide DDT.
Um, Nathanael, what is pesticide?
A pesticide is usually a chemical that you use on plants most often so they will
grow well and are not attacked by bugs and that sort of thing.
DDT is a specific pesticide.
Yeah, it's one of the more well-known pesticides.
And of course, as a lot of chemicals do, this pesticide has side effects,
unfortunately, especially for the eagles.
Um, but thankfully, in 1972 the U.S. forbade the pesticide, and bald eagles now
number around 9,800 nesting pairs.
Well, that is a big improvement.
I'm glad to hear that they forbade this pesticide.
That key word "forbade." When you forbid something, F-O-R-B-I-D, that means you
put a law against it.
You forbid it from happening.
Well, how else can you use that word?
Well, you don't always have to have a law that forbids something.
You can also forbid something for a shorter amount of time.
Say, you haven't been doing your homework, and your parents forbid you from
playing computer games until you finish it.
Oh, man. I hope your parents didn't forbid you from doing that.
I hope you've been doing your homework.
How else could you use this word?
I could say that I forbade myself from drinking anything with caffeine at night
because I don't sleep well if I do.
OK. You can forbid yourself from doing something.
I forbade myself.
There's a famous place in China called the Forbidden City.
My friend and I went there once, but we got there just after the doors closed.
So the Forbidden City was really forbidden to us, unfortunately.
I will visit again one day.
Well, while bald eagles are no longer endangered, there are still laws that
provide protection for them.
We see this word "endangered." This makes me think of endangered species.
Carolyn, what are endangered species?
Well, endangered species are animals throughout the world that there aren't very
many of.
So maybe the bald eagles when there were only 417 nesting pairs of them, they
would be endangered because they might be extinct soon,
which means there will be no more eagles left in the United States.
OK. Carolyn just said a word "extinct." If something is extinct, E-X-T-I-N-C-T,
that means there are no more.
We don't want it to get to that point.
They are endangered species... or they're no longer endangered species, but
there are still laws that provide protection for them.
And this is a good word for us to know: protection.
If there is protection, that means you are safe.
How can you use that word, Nathanael?
Well, bodyguards give celebrities protection.
That's true.
Celebrities are famous.
And they need someone to be there in case something bad happens.
All right.
So there is protection for these celebrities.
You can have protection "for" somebody or there might be protection "from"
somebody.
The bodyguards are providing protection from other people or from crazy fans.
All right, protection for somebody, protection from other people.
Well, people everywhere hope this proud bird will fly free in the skies for many
years to come.
And we three are included in those people everywhere.
We hope you are too.
Let's protect the endangered species.
Right now it's time for us to continue learning with Michelle.
All right.
(Chinese).
And back to the teachers.
Well, we've been learning a lot about these birds of prey, the American bald
eagle.
And of course, we think it's very important to protect them because there aren't
that many left out there.
So what other ways can we protect the environment, Carolyn?
Well, one way that you can protect the environment is to eat less meat.
And actually, this sounds a little strange.
But if you eat less meat, then they have to produce less crops to feed those
animals.
And it really helps to save a lot of water and other natural resources.
All right.
So that's one you could protect the environment, maybe save some endangered
species.
Nathanael, what can you think of, ways to protect the environment?
I think one good way that we can all help protect the environment is making sure
that our trash is put in the right place.
Sometimes trash out in the wild can endanger animals.
Hmm, that's very true.
Pick up your litter and throw it away in the right place.
Well, friends we've learned a lot this week and this month.
And we'll see you next time right here at Studio Classroom.Goodbye.