Unit 4外刊阅读拓展-【拔尖特训】2023-2024学年八年级上册英语 译林版

外刊阅读拓展 ▶ “答案与解析”见P20 太平洋灰鲸,漫长回归路 By the 20th century, humans began to find that the whaling(捕 鲸) was bad to whale populations. One study found that nearly three milion whales of al species(物种) were kiled during the 20th century alone. But few species were as close to ending forever as the Pacific gray whale. Finaly, humans took action to protect these huge animals. In 1973, the USA passed the law, the Endangered Species Act, giving strong protection to species facing death. The Pacific gray whale would be one of the species listed as “endangered”—in danger of dying out. Thanks to the protection, the gray whale slowly began to come back. Specific actions, like keeping ships from moving too fast, are helpful to whales. Slowing the speed of ships in areas where there are endangered species like whales cuts down the risk of kiling whales. It􀆳s kind of like a slow area near schools to protect children coming to or . Many years later, the Pacific gray whale made history. In 1994, the species was officialy removed from the endangered species list. The summer is short in the Arctic waters. October brings low temperatures. It􀆳s time to return south, back to the warm waters of San Ignacio Lagoon(潟湖) and complete the long trip. The whales wil once again fight against orcas(逆戟鲸) and other dangers. A After two months of swimming, the gray whales reach their wintering grounds in December. B Some mother whales wil give birth to a group of babies and the cycle of life wil begin again.