摘自《六级晨读》🎨

学习导读：

海龟，虽然寿命很长，但并不是每只都有机会活这么长。能够出生已经不简单了，而这还得靠志愿者的帮助，接下来在海中的成长才是挑战。原来，人类以为的长寿动物也如此不易。对于海龟是这样，其实对于我们来说更是这样的。来看看这篇文章是如何把“丑陋”的海龟与长盛不衰的环保话题联系起来的吧。

[For hundreds of millions of years], turtles have struggled out of the sea [to lay their eggs] [on sandy beaches], [long before there were nature documentaries 1to celebrate them, or GPS satellites 2 and marine biologists to track them, or volunteers to hand-carry the hatchlings down to the water’s edge] [lest they become disoriented 3 [by headlights] and crawl 4 towards a motel parking lot [instead].] A formidable 5 wall (of bureaucracy 6) has been erected 7 to protect their prime 8nesting [on the Atlantic coastlines]. [With all that attention paid to them], you’d think these creatures would [at least] have the gratitude 9 [not] (to go extinct 10).
亿万年以来，海龟们为了到沙滩上产卵都挣扎着从海里爬出来。那时候还没有自然记录片来记录它们的活动，没有GPS卫星和海洋生物学家跟踪它们，也没有志愿者用手把幼龟放到水边，以防它们被照明灯弄得迷失方向，反而爬进旅馆的停车场。官方已经发布命令给海龟在大西洋沿岸的筑巢地竖起了保护屏障。在这么多的关注下，你可能会认为海龟们至少该为自己免于灭绝而表示感激。
注：1. documentary adj. 文献的。例：

The importance of documentary veracity cannot be ignored.
文献精确的重要性不能被忽略。
n. 纪录片。文中此意。例：

He had accused a man of murdering his two sons after seeing a TV documentary.
他指控一个人在看了电视纪录片后谋杀了他的两个儿子。
[选自:BBC: NEWS | Health | Clark doctor decision challenged]

2. satellite n.卫星，人造卫星。例：

Since the advent of satellite and cable TV, viewers have been turning away from traditional broadcasters.
由于卫星和有线电视的出现，观众渐渐的不用传统广播了。
[选自: BBC: NEWS | Business | Q&A: What lies ahead for ITV?]

v. 通过卫星传播

3. disoriented adj. 迷失方向的；感到糊涂的。例：

But that day I was totally disoriented even though I was standing right in front of the shop windows.
但是那一天我完全迷失了方向，即使我正站在商店橱窗前。
[选自: FORBES: The Day We Lost Our Innocence]

4. crawl vi. 蠕动，爬行；缓慢地行进。文中此意。例：

The lovely baby crawl towards his father.
可爱的小宝宝向他的爸爸爬去。
When he was learning to crawl, the boy began developing ugly, purple bruises around his joints.
学习爬行时,男孩开始变得愈发丑陋，关节周围都是紫色的瘀伤。
[选自: CNN: MAGAZINE | ASIANMOW | Asiaweek | Profiles In Courage]

n. 蠕动，爬行；缓慢地行进。例：

Traffic on this road was moving at a crawl.
这条路傻瓜的车辆缓慢地行进着。
5. formidable adj.可怕的，令人敬畏的，强大的（文中此意），难以应付的。例：

But Corley has more experience at the highest level than Witter and represents a formidable hurdle.
但是科里比维特在最高级别赛事上有着更多经验，这意味着他是一个强大的障碍。
[选自: BBC: SPORT | Boxing | Witter ready for final world shot]

The enemy surrendered to our formidable army.
敌军向我们强大的军队投降了。
6. bureaucracy n. 官僚，官僚主义，官僚作风；（公司的）管理人员。例：

The bureaucracy is usually inefficient form of government.
官僚主义往往是政府效率低下的一种形式。
7. erect vt. 树立，建立，使竖立。文中此意。例：

But plans to erect 127 wind turbines have split the community and the candidates.
但是建立127个风力发电机的计划分裂了社区人员和候选者。
[选自: BBC: Scottish election: Energy issues drive island voters]

adj. 直立的，垂直的。例：

Erect trees lined both sides of the road
道路两旁笔直的树排成行。
8. prime adj. 主要的，首要的；最好的，一流的。文中此意。例：

Mr Berlusconi has been prime minister three times since he first took office in 1994.
这已是总理贝卢斯科尼自1994年第一次就职以来的第三次连任。
[选自: BBC: NEWS | World | Europe | Italy crisis: Silvio Berlusconi resigns as PM]

prime minister 首相

a prime example 最好的例证

n. 青春，全盛期，青壮年时期。例：

In the prime of life
正直盛年
We should do what you want to do in the prime of life
趁年轻我们应该做自己想做的事情。

9. gratitude n. 感谢，感激。例：

Do your best, Pivnick suggests, and hope that her gratitude will get you a promotion.
做到最好，帕瓦尼克建议到，希望她的感激能让你升职。
[选自: FORBES: How To Deal With A Younger Boss]

10. extinct adj.灭绝的；熄灭了的。例：
an extinct species
已灭绝的物种
The species was made extinct in Ireland in the 18th century, mainly due to human persecution.
由于人类的迫害，这个物种于18世纪在爱尔兰灭绝。
[选自: BBC: NEWS | N. Ireland | Northern Ireland Red Kite project hailed success]

But Nature is indifferent [to human notions 1] (of fairness), and a report [by the Fish and Wildlife Service] showed a worrisome drop [in the populations of several species] (of North Atlantic turtles), ^notably 2 loggerheads 3^, (which can grow to [as much as 4] 400 pounds.) The South Florida nesting 5 population, ^the largest^, has declined [by 50%] [in the last decade], [according to Elizabeth Griffin], {a marine biologist with the environmental group Oceana}. The figures prompted 6 Oceana [to petition 7 the government to upgrade the level of protection for the North Atlantic loggerheads from “threatened” to “endangered”] – [meaning they are in danger of disappearing without additional help].
但是自然对人们的平等观念却非常冷淡。渔业以及野生动物组织的一项报告显示，北大西洋里有好几种海龟的数量都在下降，实在令人担忧。尤其是一种能够长到400磅的大海龟，据环境保护组织Oceana的海洋生物学家Elizabeth Griffin说，南弗罗里达海岸数量最多的海龟在过去的十年里锐减了50%。这些数字迫使Oceana向政府请求将对北大西洋大海龟的保护程度由“受到威胁”提升到“濒临灭绝”——这意味着如果没有额外的保护，它们将面临消失的危险。

注：1. notion n. 概念，意念；看法，想法，观点。例：
The President pushed back strongly on the notion of there being any linkage with missile defense.
总统强烈驳回与**防御系统有关联的看法。
[选自: WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]

Kenny’s notion of rural life is a lot of sunshine and fun.
肯尼心目中的乡村生活应该是充满阳光和欢乐的。

2.notably adv. 显著地，特别地。例：

This idea has been adopted by other managers as well, most notably superstar CEO Andrew Grove.
这个想法得到了其他管理人员，特别是明星首席执行官安德鲁•格罗夫的采纳。
[选自: FORBES: Most Popular | Managers: If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, Broadcast It]

The organization had many enemies, most notably among feminists.
这个组织有许多敌人,特别是在男女平等主义者中。
3. loggerhead n. 红海龟，笨蛋

4. as much as

①表示数量 “多达”，文中此意。

We can take as much as our buyer can supply.
买主能提供多少我们就能要多少。
②表示程度 “尽量”

You ought to rest as much as possible.
你应当尽量多休息
③表示经常性

Do you dine out as much as you did in London?
你还想在伦敦那样经常在外面吃饭吗？

5. nest n. 窝，巢 vi. 筑巢。例：
The seabirds nest on rocks off the coast.
鸟在靠近海岸的岩石上筑巢。

6. prompt adj. 敏捷的，迅速的；即刻的。例：

Our new manager is prompt on the job.
我们新来的经历工作很敏捷。

These bills on your desk need prompt payment.
你桌上的这些账单需要立即支付。
vt. 激起；促进，推动。文中此意。例：

The Ohio-California split could prompt the nation's high court to take up the issue.
俄亥俄州-加利福尼亚分裂可能促使美国最高法院接手来解决这一问题。
[选自: CNN: NEWS | Tech | Ruling lets California police search your phone without a warrant]

The traffic accident prompt the driver to renew his insurance.
这起交通事故促使这位司机为自己的保险续期了。

7. petition n. 请愿书，申请书；诉状。例：

A petition was signed by hundreds of local residents.
数百名当地居民在请愿书上签字了。
The court denied Mark’s petition.
法院拒绝了马克的诉状。
vt. (向...)情愿，正是请求。文中此意。例：

Thompson will have to petition for an exemption of the 18-year-old age requirement.
汤普森将为免除（满足）18岁的年龄要求而请愿。