海灘小屋
——企鵝的另一個家

山東 馮愛麗

一種新型的白色小屋正從南非的海灘和海岸附近干燥的島嶼上拔地而起，這些白色的海灘小屋正是為來自南大西洋的非洲企鵝提供的臨時的家。

主題語境：保護企鵝 篇幅：347詞 建議用時：7分鐘

1A new form of house is popping up along the beaches of South Africa and on the dry islands off its coast—tiny white beach nests.With good ventilation (通風) and a sea view,they're just big enough to fit a family of African penguins which grow up quite well in the cold currents of the South Atlantic Ocean.But when they come to land, their thick black coats absorb the heat, and they desperately look for cover—both for themselves and their fragile eggs.

2Historically, the penguins dug holes in layers of guano (海鳥糞) that lined Africa's penguin colonies, but in the 1800s, traders started selling guano as fertilizer, leaving the penguins and their eggs increasingly exposed to hunters and the burning sun.This, combined with other threats such as egg hunting, overfishing and climate change, has caused African penguin populations to decline sharply.That's why conservationists have come to the rescue with the African Penguin Nest Project (APNP), which aims to build artificial nests to give penguin parents a safe and shaded place to raise their chicks.

3While guano trade gradually disappeared, recreating the layers that accumulated over thousands of years isn't a choice.Seabird populations have declined so much over time,so there are simply not enough birds to recreate it,says Kevin Graham,director of the project.It will take around 600 years to produce one usable guano layer,he adds.

4Instead, the project decided to build artificial nests which look fairly simple—a round structure made from two molded (模制的) shells with a small entrance measuring about 20 centimeters wide.Graham and other scientists closely studied old guano nests and worked out how to best copy“Mother Nature”.

5Getting the right temperature and humidity, the nests create an air conditioning effect.“Eggs are extremely delicate.They're only to be incubated (孵化) at about 38 to 39 degrees.The project started to build the nests in 2018 and the huts have usage rates of at least 99%,”he explains.

Reading Check

Detail 1.

What can we learn about earlier penguins?

A.Their black coats couldn't absorb the heat.

B.They were traded in markets in the 1800s.

C.Their waste was used as excellent fertilizer.

D.They used guano layers to house themselves.

Detail 2.Why was the African Penguin Nest Project started?

A.To fight against egg hunting and overfishing.

B.To offer penguins a shelter to live and breed.

C.To call on people to cure injured penguins.

D.To use artificial nests to save more seabirds.

Detail 3.Why is it difficult to build natural nests for penguins?

A.The cost is too high.

B.Artificial nests are better than natural ones.

C.There isn't enough guano to build nests.

D.The temperature is too low.

Inference 4.What's the attitude of Graham to the project?

A.Positive.B.Indifferent.

C.Ambiguous.D.Doubtful.

Language Study

Ⅰ.日積月累

pop up 突然出現

islands off its coast 沿岸島嶼

come to land 登陸

desperately look for 迫切尋找

be exposed to 暴露在……

come to the/one's rescue 拯救

aim to do sth 力求做到某事

raise the chicks 撫養雛鳥

artificial nests 人造巢穴

work out 解決；想出

usage rate 使用率

Ⅱ.語法填空

Many white beach nests 1.________(build) along the beaches of South Africa and on the dry islands off its coast.They're big enough to fit a family of African penguins when they come to land.Now they needn't 2.________(desperate) look for shelters for themselves 3.________their fragile eggs.Without layers of guano nowadays, the penguins and their eggs may 4.________(expose) to hunters and the burning sun.The African Penguin Nest Project 5.________(aim) to build artificial 6.________(nest) for them 7.________(work) out a plan and has come to 8.________rescue so far.This will make it possible for penguin parents 9.________(raise) their chicks.At present, the huts have 10.________(use)rates of at least 99%.