在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.borders 国界 2.Belgium 比利时 3.humanitarian assistance 人道援助 4.ethnicity 民族 5.famines 饥荒 6.surgeons 外科医生 7.anesthists 麻醉师 8.logistics 后勤 9.participating 参与 10.abide 遵守 11.ethics 伦理 12.duration 持续时间 13.insured 投保 14.vaccination 接种疫苗 15.sanitation 卫生 原文 Doctors Without Borders In 1999，the Nobel Prize for Peace was won by the organization known as“Doctors Without Borders”. This is the English name of the organization，based in Belgium，which won the prize for its humanitarian assistance to people around the world，in areas that have been struck by disaster. The fundamental ideas of Doctors Without Borders is that people who suffer from a disaster have the right to receive the professional help as soon as possible. The organization helps people regardless of their national，race，religion，ethnicity，sex，or political opinions. Also，the assistance provided by Doctors Without Borders is given in response to all kinds of disasters，such as famines，earthquakes，and wars. The people who belong to Doctors Without Borders are experienced medical workers who volunteer their time，effort，and skills in an attempt to help people who are in need. These volunteers include doctors，nurses，surgeons，anesthetists，laboratory technicians，and other medical workers. There are also some non-medical volunteers who work for Doctors Without Borders in position of administration or logistics. Volunteers must first take a course before participating in a humanitarian mission. They promise to abide a code of professional ethics，and they promise to remain neutral in any conflicts within a disaster area. A mission typically last about six months，but the duration varies. The volunteers are insured by the organization，but they are not paid in any way for their work. When Doctors Without Borders began in 1971，it consisted of only a few French doctors who wanted to provide humanitarian aid to people in disaster areas. Over years，it grew rapidly，and by 2001，Doctors Without Borders had 2500 volunteers and working in 80 countries around the world. They have helped people by providing emergency health care，vaccinations，medicine，water，and basic food，and also by developing improved water and sanitation systems. In many areas，Doctors Without Borders has also helped to provide basic medical training to local people. Although Doctors Without Borders remain neutral in any conflicts within a disaster area，the organization dose speak out against abuses of human rights. By remaining independent of the influence of governments and corporations，Doctors Without Borders is able to criticize the people and organizations who cause suffering. The volunteers are witnesses who tell the world about the cruelty that is conflicted upon innocent people. Obviously，the work of Doctors Without Borders is extremely important. The volunteers of this organization are brave and selfless people whose efforts have received the suffering of millions of people.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.literature 文学 2.draining 流 3.silt 淤 4.boundary 分界 5.halves 一半（half的复数） 6.claim 宣称 7.paddle 桨 8.gateway 入口 9.arch 拱门 10.monument 纪念碑 11.Mardi Gras 狂欢节 原文 The Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the longest river within the United States，and the fourth longest river in the world. This river holds a special place in American history and literature，and in the imagination of the ordinary Americans. The Mississippi River begins in the hill of northern Minnesota，near the Canadian border，and flows southward about 3700 kilometers，through ten states，before draining its water and silt into the Gulf of Mexico. Traditionally，the river is viewed as a natural boundary between the eastern and western halves of the United States. Until the year of 1803，the areas to the west of the Mississippi River，and the areas around the mouth of the river，were claimed by Spain and by France. In that year，the French emperor，Napoleon，decided to sell this land to the United States of America. This sale，which was called the Louisiana Purchase，was very important for the United States. By controlling the Mississippi River，the Americans would be able to use it for transporting goods and people in this rapidly developing area. For many years ，river-boats were the main method of long distance transportation for the people living near the Mississippi. Steam-power boats，with large“paddle-wheels”that pushed the boats forward，were very popular in the time before cars and airplanes. One of the most famous cities along the Mississippi River is St. Louis. This city is known as the“gateway to the west”. During the nineteenth century，St. Louis was the last large town that people would pass through on their way to the new farmland to farther west. Today，St. Louis is famous for the“Gateway Arch”，a tall monument that welcomes people to the west. St. Louis is also known as the city where the music known as“the Blues”began Near the mouth of the Mississippi River is another famous city，New Orleans.. In terms of the style of the buildings，New Orleans is said to be the most unusual American city，because it is influenced so strongly by Spanish and French traditions. Even today，the traditional festival of“Mardi Gras”is celebrated in New Orleans each year. New Orleans and the surrounding areas of the state of the Louisiana are famous for spicy“Cajun”food. This style of cooking was developed by the French-speaking settlers of Louisiana The Mississippi River is famous for many stories of American literature. For example，The Adventure of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn，which were written by the author Mark Twain，are both set along the Mississippi River. Today，the federal and government of the United States are working to preserve the natural environment along the Mississippi River. People recognize the importance of keeping this river healthy and clean.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.permissive 放任的 2.sexual intercourse 性交 3.prostitution 卖淫 4.contraceptive 避孕 5.norms 标准 6.promiscuous 淫乱的 7.reversed 翻转 8.conservative 保守的 9.monogamous 单配的 10.exclusively 唯一地 11.spouse 配偶 12.commit adultery 通奸 原文 Sexual Attitudes and Behavior During the past several decades，there have been major changes within most Western countries in people's attitudes toward sex，and in sexual behavior. For people who have lived throughout this period，the changes have seemed quite remarkable. Until the early twentieth century，people in most Western countries did not have permissive attitude regarding sexuality. For the most part，young people were expected to wait until marriage before having sexual intercourse. Of course，some premarital sexual did occur，and prostitution was not rare However，sexual behavior was relatively restricted. As the twentieth century progressed，there was a gradual trend toward liberalization of attitudes toward sex. However，this trend was greatly speeded after 1960，when the first birth control pills became available. These contraceptive pills made it possible for women to engage in sexual intercourse without much risk of an unwanted pregnancy. As a result，many women were more willing to have premarital sex than was previously the case. Also during the 1960s，Western countries were reaching high levels of wealth and education. A new and very large generation of young people was approaching adulthood，and there was a mood of rebellion against traditional norms. There was an increase in the number of people who engaged in sex before marriage，and also a greater openness about such behavior. By the 1970s，sexual attitudes had became quite liberal，and many young people were very promiscuous in their sexual behavior. However，this pattern reversed somewhat during the 1980s. There was increased concern about sexual transmitted diseases，including AIDS；moreover，many young women had been uncomfortable with the idea of unrestricted sexual behavior. As a result，sexual attitudes became slightly more conservative during the 1980s and 1990s although they remained much more liberal than in previous decades. In the early twenty-first century，most young people in Western countries begin having sex during their high school years，although some people waited until they are considerably older. Some young people are promiscuous，but most engage in monogamous relationships that typically last for a period several months or a few years. When one relationship ends，another usually begins soon after. This pattern usually continues until marriage. After marriage，most people have sex exclusively with their spouse；however，some people do commit adultery. Sexuality has changed a great deal in recent decades. It will be very interesting to see how people's sexual attitudes and behavior will change in the future.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.profoundly 深刻地 2.ignition 点火装置 3.ignites 点火 4.vapor 蒸汽 5.cylinder 气缸 6.piston 活塞 7.shaft 轴 8.fumes 烟雾 9.paved 铺 10.emission 排放物 原文 The Automobile，or Car In many ways，the automobile has been one of the most important inventions of the modern age. People have been able to travel much more freely，and across much greater distances，than was possible in the past. The automobile，which most people refer to as the“car”，has also had some harmful consequences，such as pollution and accidents. However，it is clear that life has changed profoundly as a result of the car. Modern cars are very complicated，but the basic idea of how a car works can be described briefly. When the keys are turn in the ignition of the car，this creates a spark that ignites some gasoline vapor inside a cylinder. Then，the rapid expansion of the vapor pushes against a part called a piston. The movement of the piston then causes a turning motion in a shaft that is connected to the wheels. The wheels turn，and the car moves. The invention of the car，and the engines used by cars，happened gradually in the late nineteenth century，mainly in France and Germany. In the early twentieth century，an American engineer named Henry Ford developed a new way of making cars. Instead of having one worker produced an entire car，he had each worker perform one part of the production of many different cars. This system was very efficient and allowed the mass production of cars. The first car to be produced in large numbers was called the“Model T”. The Model T Ford and other cars that were soon produced in large numbers were cheap enough that many people could afford to buy them. Many new roads were built and paved throughout North America to allow car to be driven from town to town. People were able to travel much more easily and to visit places that had previously been difficult to reach. Some problems also came with the widespread use of cars. One of these problems was air pollution，because car engines burn gasoline，which produces poisonous exhaust fumes. Gradually，new laws and new technology have led to reductions in the air pollution that is caused by cars. Moreover，cars today are much more “fuel efficient”than they were in the past，requiring less gasoline to travel a given distance. However，this pollution is still a problem because of the many millions of cars that are used each day. Another problem has been car accidents，which have caused many thousands of deaths each year. During the 1960s，some journalist brought attention to the unsafe features of many cars. As a result，the safety of the cars has been greatly improved. In addition，the use of seat belt is now required by law. However，car accidents continue to be a serious problem. The future is likely to bring many interesting new changes to the car. Improvements in the safety of cars，in fuel efficiency，and in the cleanliness of car emissions are continuing to be made. Also，the increasing use of the car in economically developing countries will probably have important effect upon people's lives around the world.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.dedicated 敬业的 2.eager 渴望的 3.severe 严重的 4.frustrated 挫败的 5.inability 无力 6.temper tantrums 发脾气 7.tutor 家庭教师 8.outbursts 爆发 9.Braille alphabet 盲文字母表 10.bumps 凸块 11.interpreter 口译译员 原文 Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller The story of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller is the story of a dedicated teacher and an eager student. This story is very remarkable and inspiring because the teaching was done without sight and without sound. Helen Keller was born in the American state of Alabama in 1880. She was a happy and healthy baby，but before she reached the age of two，she was struck by a severe fever. As a result of this fever，she became both deaf and blind. After her illness，the young Helen Keller learned to use her other senses. For example，she touched other people's hands to figure out what they were doing. In this way，she also learned that people could communicate by moving their lips . Helen could not talk；instead，she communicated with her family by making sign movements with her hands and body. However，Helen became very frustrated by her inability to see，hear and talk. She often became very angry and had many“temper tantrums”. When Helen Keller was 6 years old，her family took her to see Dr. Alexander Graham Bell，who was an expert on educating deaf children. This man was also famous for inventing the telephone. As a result of this visit，Helen's parents hired a tutor for their daughter. The tutor was a very intelligent deaf woman named Anne Sullivan. At first，it was difficult to teach Helen because she still made many angry outbursts. Gradually，Anne Sullivan gained Helen's trust. One day，Anne began to teach Helen to communicate. Anne took Helen to a well and pumped some water onto Helen's hand. Then，Anne used her finger to write the letters w-a-t-e-r onto Helen's hand. By repeating this，Anne was able to teach Helen how to write the word“water”. As soon as Helen learned that things could be named in this way，she wanted to learned the named of many other objects and actions. She was curious about many things，and learned a great number of words. She also learned to read by using the Braille alphabet. This alphabet allows the reader to feel letters and words，which are represented by bumps on a paper. Also，Helen learned to talk，by feeling and coping the movements of people's mouths. When Helen Keller was 16 years old，Anne Sullivan went with her to college. Anne acted as Helen's interpreter，and Helen was very successful in her studies. After her graduation，Helen dedicated her life to improve the conditions for the blind，the deaf，and the poor. Anne Sullivan died in 1936 and remembered as the“Miracle Worker”for her triumph in educating Helen Keller. After Anne's death，Helen continued to give lectures in countries around the world，and was active in many political causes. She met with presidents and prime ministers to improve conditions for people who were deaf and blind. At the time of her death，in 1968Helen Keller was one of the most admired people in the world.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.chunnel 海底隧道 2.separate 单独的 3.suspension 悬浮的 4.withstand 承受 5.signal 信号 原文 Modern Engineering Wonders During the twentieth centuries，there were great improvements in engineering technology. These new developments allowed the construction of many amazing tunnels，bridges，towers and office buildings. For centuries，people had dreamed about the possibility of connecting the island of Great Britain to the mainland of Europe. However，it was only in 1994 that such a link was completed，when a tunnel was dug under the English Channel，between England and France. The Channel Tunnel，also was known as the“Chunnel”，actually consist of three separate railway tunnels. These tunnels are about 15 kilometers long. They are located about 150 meters below the bottom of the sea. Obviously，this was an extremely challenging project to undertake. As a result of the Chunnel，it was now possible to travel between London and Paris by train. And the trip takes only 3 hours，of which only 20 minutes are spent inside the tunnel！ A suspension bridge is a bridge that is supported by strong wires that hang from tall towers. The world's longest suspension bridge is the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge，near the city of Kobe，Japan. This bridge is nearly 4 kilometers long，and two towers near the middle of the bridge about 2 kilometers apart！ It took almost 20 years to design this bridge，and 10 years to build it. This bridge was designed to withstand extremely strong winds，because Japan often experiences wind storms called typhoons. The bridge was also designed to withstand powerful earthquakes，which sometimes hit Japan. At the beginning of the twenty-first century，the world's tallest free-standing tower was the Canadian National Tower，or the CN Tower. The CN Tower is 553 meters tall. It is located in the city of Toronto，within the Canadian province of Ontario. This structure was built in 1975 as a television and radio tower. Before the CN Tower was built，TV and radio reception in the Toronto area was poor. This was because the TV and radio signals were blocked by the buildings of downtown Toronto. When the CN tower was built，this problem was resolved. Of course，the CN tower is also a famous tourist attraction. People can ride the very fast elevators that take them to the observation areas，which are at 350 and 450 meters above the ground. Although the CN tower is the world's tallest tower，it is not an office building. The tallest office building in the world are the Petronas Towers，in the city of Kuala Lumpur，Malaysia，and the Sears Tower，in the American city of Chicago. The Sears Tower，which is 442 meters tall，was completed in 1972. In has 110 floors，and its top floor is the highest office floor in the world. However，the Petronas Towers reach slightly higher，to a height of 452 meters The Petronas Towers were completed in 1998. Obviously，the late twentieth century witnessed some amazing achievements of engineering. It will be very interesting to see what new wonders will be constructed in the twenty-first century！

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.the Protestant Reformation 新教改革 2.Catholic 天主教 3.theologian 神学家 4.committing 犯罪 5.sins 罪恶 6.freedom 特权 7.acknowledge the authority 承认权威 8.heretic 异教徒 9.celibate 独身的 10.interpret 解释 原文 The Protestant Reformation Until about 500 years ago，there was only one Christian church in western and central Europe. People from Portugal and Poland all belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. However，soon after the year 1500，people in many parts of Europe broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and began their own churches instead. This was known as the Protestant Reformation. The leader of the early Protestant movement was a German theologian named Martin Luther. Luther believed that many of the priests of the Roman Catholic Church had became too concerned about wealth and luxury. Also，he disapproved of some practices in the Church. One such practice was that priests allowed people to pay money to the Church in exchange for committing various sins. Luther believed that it was wrong to allow people to buy the freedom to commit acts that were against the teaching of the Church. Luther began to criticize the Roman Catholic Church in public，and he refused to acknowledge the authority of the Church. He said that instead he would follow the teachings of the Bible as he understood them. The officials of the Church declared that Luther was a heretic. However，the local German rulers did not punish Luther. Many of them resented the power of the Church and welcomed his ideas. Luther and other Protestant leaders disagreed with the Church on several important issues. The Protestants believed that priests should be allowed to marry，whereas the Roman Catholic Church believed priests should remain celibate. The Protestants believed that people should read the Bible for themselves，whereas the Roman Catholic Church believed that the priests should interpret the Bible for the people. During the decades that follow Luther，the Protestant movement spread throughout much of Europe. Over time，many Protestant churches were formed. During this period，many wars were fought between local rulers who were favored Protestantism，and other local rulers who supported the Roman Catholic Church. In the end，many parts of Europe became Protestant，such as Scandinavia，England，and parts of Germany，Holland and Switzerland. However，the people and rulers of many other areas of Europe preferred remain in the Roman Catholic Church. These areas included most of southern Europe，such as Poland and Ireland. The Roman Catholic Church changed a few of its practices in response to Protestant Criticism，but kept its most important beliefs. In recent times，relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the various Protestant churches have become much more friendly. Some discussions have been held between Catholic and Protestant officials，in order to resolve some of their disagreements.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.individualism 个人主义 2.collectivism 集体主义 3.ethnic 民族的 4.obligation 义务的 5.inclination 倾斜 6.versus 对抗 原文 Cultural Differences：Individualism and Collectivism The many cultures of the world differ in a great variety of ways. One of the most interesting ways in which cultures vary in the extent to which they are“individualistic”or“collectivistic”. An individualist society and collectivist society are different in many ways. In an individualistic culture，each person tends to think himself or herself in terms of his or her characteristics and preferences the things that make the person unique and different from others. In a collectivistic culture，each person tends to think himself or herself in terms of his or her social relationships and roles the things that make the person a part of a larger group，such as an extended family or an ethic group. Another difference between individualist and collectivist cultures involves the tendency to help others. In an individualist society，people feel some obligation to help persons who share some group identity such as their distant relatives，or persons from the same town，but obligation is not as nearly as strong as in collectivist cultures. On the other hand，people in collectivist cultures tend to feel very little inclination to help other people who are not belong to their groups，whereas people in individualist cultures are more often willing to help others even if they are not belong to the same group. Another difference between individualist and collectivist cultures involves the relationship between people and the groups to which they belong. In an individualist culture，people usually join or leave group when it is in their personal interest to do so. In a collectivist culture，people usually stay with one group for a long time. For example，people in individualist societies are more willing to quit their job，and take a new job at another company. People in collectivist societies usually prefer to stay with one company throughout their career. Similarly，people in individualist countries usually get married for reasons of personal choice，and are more likely to get divorced. However，people in collectivist societies usually get married according the wishes of their relatives，and are less likely to get divorced. Western countries，such as west Europe and North America，are usually considered to be very individualist. However，not all individualist countries are similar in every way. For example，the individualism of the United States is viewed as more“competitive”，than that of socialist countries，such as Sweden. In contrast of Western countries，the countries of most parts of Asia and Africa are usually considered to be very collectivist. Collectivist countries also differ from each other in many ways. The idea of individualism versus collectivism is an interesting way to understand some of differences between cultures. By learning about ideas like this，one can better appreciate the customs of other peoples.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.sexual harassment 性骚扰 2.blatant 明目张胆的 3.sexual favors 性服务 4.comply 服从 5.prospect 展望 6.sexual access 性接触 7.demeaning 贬低的 8.vulgar 粗俗的 9.speculate 猜测 10.pornographic 色情的 11.intimidation 恐吓 12.penalties 惩罚 13.perceived 注意到 14.potential 潜在的 原文 Sexual Harassment When an employee is subjected unwanted sexual advances or comments by a co-worker or an employer，we say that the employee is experiencing sexual harassment. In some workplaces，sexual harassment is a serious problem. In its most blatant form，a boss may demand sexual favors from an employee and threaten to fire the employee if she fails to comply. Similarly，the employer might promise a promotion or raise in exchange for some sexual favor. Whenever an employer uses the prospect of reward or punishment as a way to obtaining sexual access to an employee，sexual harassment has occurred. This is not the only form of sexual harassment. Sometimes，an employee may be subjected to demeaning comments by her employer or co-workers. For example，a boss may make vulgar comments about the physical appearance of the employee. Another example is that a co-worker might make remarks that speculate about the sexual behavior of the employee. In both of these cases，the employee is treated disrespectfully on the basis of her sex，so both cases would represent sexual harassment. Some forms of sexual harassment are more subtle. If a group of workers exchanges offensive jokes of a sexual nature in such a way that they can be easily overheard by other workers，then this is also a form of sexual harassment. Similarly，if workers post pornographic pictures in their workplace，in such a way that they can be seen by other workers，then this also represents sexual harassment. In both cases，the workplace becomes an environment in which the employee is made to feel uncomfortable because of her sex. Sexual harassment usually involves a female employee who is being bothered by a male employer or co-worker. In some cases，a woman might sexually harass a man，or one person might sexually harass another person of the same sex. However，these cases are not as common. Also，in some cases，the person who commits sexual harassment is not a boss or co-worker，but a customer or visitor to the workplace. Sexual harassment is a form of intimidation and abuse of power that causes much stress for many employees. In recently years，many steps have been taken to reduce the occurrence of sexual harassment. Educational campaigns have been designed to teach people that sexual harassment is wrong. Stronger penalties for sexual harassment have been introduced. Another way to reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment is to develop a culture of respect in the workplace. People need to be aware of how their jokes or comments might be perceived by others，and to imagine how they would feel if one of their relatives were subjected to sexual harassment. Employers and employees must recognize that sexual harassment is a serious concern and treat potential cases of sexual harassment very seriously. Each company should have clear policies about sexual harassment，and each should establish a fair and efficient process for dealing with complaints of this kind. In this way，the workplace can be a comfortable environment for all persons.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.obesity 肥胖的 2.triumphs 胜利 3.abundance 充裕的 4.malnutrition 营养不良 5.prevalent 普遍存在的 6.excess 过量的 7.diabetes 糖尿病 8.genetic 遗传的 9.associated 相关的 10.adequate 充足的 11.fad 时尚 12.mineral 矿物质 原文 Obesity and Nutrition For people in many countries，one of the great triumphs of modern life is that there is great abundance of food. In those places，problems such as starvation and malnutrition are no longer prevalent，and people do not worry about going hungry. Despite the fact that there is plenty food in modern countries，people still face many healthy problems that are related to their diet. One problem is that modern technology has made it possible to produce cheap and tasty food that is not very healthy. This leads to the problems that many people are obese，or very overweight. One example of this is the“fast food”that is served in many restaurants. This food is often cooked by frying. Fried food contains a high proportion of fat. Also，fast food meals are often very large. When people frequently eat large amounts of fried“fast food”，they will likely eat too much fat. This excess can lead to weight gain. Of course，many people enjoy the taste of fried fast food and like to eat it occasionally. However，eating this kind of food too often is bad for one's health. Another example of health problems caused by modern food products involves soft drinks and other sweetened beverages. These drinks，sometimes called“pop”，have a sweet taste that many people enjoy on occasion. However，these drinks contain large amounts of sugar. When people drink soft drinks very frequently，they consume a great deal of sugar. This excess sugar can lead to weight gain. The weight gain that can result from consuming too much fast food and too much soft drinks can have several harmful effects. For example，people who are very obese have an increased risk of heart disease and of diabetes. Of course，fast food and soft drinks are not the only causes of obesity. Other eating habits may be involved，and so are lack of exercise and genetic factors. To avoid the health problems that are associated with obesity，it is important that one does not eat too much food. However，this dose not mean that one should try to eat as little as possible. People need an adequate amount of food in order to stay healthy. Also，it is important to avoid new“fad”diets that become popular from time to time，because these are often unsafe. Some of these diets that are recommend in popular books do not contain adequate amounts of nutrients，such as vitamins and minerals. Instead，one should try to eat foods that are nutritious. For example，foods such as fruits，vegetables，grains，and lean meats have many vitamins and minerals that are needed for good health. People whose diet consists mainly of these foods will probably be much healthier，on average，than people whose diet contains too many foods that have high levels of fat or sugar. In addition，many of these nutritious foods are also very tasty and enjoyable to eat！

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.extinctions 灭绝 2.presence 存在 3.eliminated 淘汰 4.disrupt 扰乱 5.emerged 出现 6.prehistoric 史前时期 7.pigeon 鸽子 8.prairie 大草原 9.bison 野牛 10.habitat 栖息地 11.ivory 象牙 12.rhinoceros 犀牛 13.tragic 悲剧地 14.aphrodisiaca 壮阳药 15.stimulants 兴奋剂 原文 Extinctions Ever since human beings appeared on the earth，we have had a serious impact on other living things. One of the most serious of the human presence had been the extinction of other species. Since the arrival of humans，many species of animals and plants have died out as a result of human activity. The extinction of species is a serious problem. When certain species are eliminated，this may disrupt the balance of nature，leading to overpopulation of some species and extinction of others. These changes may have an impact on humans. Also，some of the species that become extinct might have had benefits for human beings. For example，some scientists believe that some of the plants growing in rain forest areas might be valuable for treating human diseases. If these plants become extinct as a result of human activity，then these treatments will never be found. The earliest extinctions caused by humans occurred very long ago. Modern human emerged in Africa over 100000 years ago，and some of those people migrated to other parts of the world. When they reached new areas，they found that it was very easy to hunt the large animals，which had not previously been hunted by humans. As these prehistoric people moved into the Europe，Australia，and the Americas，they killed large numbers of large animals. Within a few hundred years，many species of animals had become extinct. For example，prehistoric people reached New Zealand less than 100 years ago，but they soon hunted a huge bird，called the giant moa，to extinction. With the beginnings of modern technology，several hundred years ago，many other species were driven to extinction. Hunters armed with guns were able to kill vast numbers of animals. In North America，these led to the extinction of bird species such as the passenger pigeon，which has previously been very numerous. Other species were nearly wiped out，such as the large prairie mammals called bison. There were once million of these animals，but now only a few thousand remain. Today，many more species of animals and plants are going extinct. Sometimes this happens because of human expansion into areas that are the habitat of certain species. When people clear a forest，some species may be lost. In the near future，many other extinctions are possible or likely. In some cases，the problem is due to human greed. For example，some people buy ivory that is taken from bodies of animals such as elephants or rhinoceros. Hunters sometimes kill these animals simply to take their ivory，and the result is a tragic decline in populations. Another example involves bears in North America. Some people buy the sexual organs of these animals for use as aphrodisiacs or sexual stimulants. The result is that the hunters kill these animals simply to obtain these organs，and this leads to a reduction in the number of bears. Fortunately，many countries have laws to prevent the hunting of species that are facing extinction，knowns as “endangered species. However，some hunting of these endangered animals continues. Only by refusing to buy the products that are made from endangered species can we prevent this terrible crime.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.torso 躯干 2.accurately 准确 3.tournament 锦标赛 4.participate 参加 5.proceed 前进 原文 Soccer Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. The basic rules of the sport are simple：two teams of eleven players to kick the soccer ball into the opposing team's goal. Only one player on each team，the goal-keeper，is allowed to touch the ball with hands or arms. Perhaps part of the reason for the popularity of the soccer is its simplicity. The game require no expensive equipment，merely ball and a playing surface，preferable a large grassy area. For children in most parts of the world，soccer is the sport that is played most widely Soccer is also known as football，especially in England. However，soccer should not be confused with American Football，Australian Rules Football，and Rugby Football，which are very different sports. Although the basic rules of soccer are easy to learn，it is very difficult to master the skills of the game. The best soccer players have developed，through natural talent and hard work，a remarkable ability to control the soccer ball with their feet，knees，torso and head They can pass the ball very accurately ，or shoot the ball very hard. The most famous soccer tournament is the World Cup. Every four years，teams representing countries from around the world play in a tournament to decide which country has the best soccer team in the world. Because soccer is such a popular sport，it is not possible for every country in the world to be represented at the World Cup tournament. To decide which countries may participate in the World Cup，it is necessary to have tournaments within various regions of the world. The countries that perform well with their parts of the world can then proceed to the World Cup. In the past，most of the available places at the World Cup have been reserved for team from Europe and from South America. The reason for this is that soccer has been extremely popularity in these continents，which have produced the winning teams in previous World Cup tournaments. Recently，however，several African and Asian countries have played quite well at the World Cup，so there are now additional places provided for teams from Africa and Asia. Someday，teams from these areas will win the World Cup. However，there will be no doubt be strong competition from countries that have traditionally had very strong teams，such as Argentina，England，Brazil，France，Germany，Italy and the Netherlands. In many parts of the world，soccer has been an increasingly popular sport for women. There are many soccer leagues and tournaments available for women athletes，and it seem likely that the number of women who play soccer will someday equal the number of men who play soccer. Among children in many parts of the world，soccer is equally popular for boys and girls.