2012肯尼亚角马大迁徙
【时事聚焦】 由央视和凤凰卫视联合推出的大型电视行动《走进非洲》一反常规旅行探险节目单线单队的拍摄方式，24名队员历时三个半月，穿越30多个国家，行程近8万公里。这是一次在同一时间、不同地点进行的多角度、大视野的电视拍摄拉力赛，一次前所未有的考验。每年的6~7月，随着旱季来临和青草逐渐被吃光，上百万头的角马从坦桑尼亚的塞伦盖蒂国家公园(Serengeti, 世界最大的野生动物园)北上，向着肯尼亚的马赛马拉(Masai Mara)国家自然保护区进发，寻找东面印度洋的充足水源和食物，到11月前，再从马赛马拉返回。这是一段3000千米的漫长旅程，途中不仅要穿越狮子、豹子埋伏的草原，还要跨越布满鳄鱼的马拉河。在途中，有数十万角马将死在路上，抛尸荒野，但也有数十万头小角马在路上出生。这是自然界最伟大的迁徙过程之一。详见以下的原版新闻：
Wonderful Kenya wildebeest migration
One of the many famousevents that takes place each year in East Africa is the ‘great migration’,which would make a strong contestant for any wildlife event of the yearcompetition. The ungulates that take part in the migration consist ofwildebeest, zebra and gazelle. They make their way around the Serengeti andNgorongoro Crater of Tanzania and the Masai Mara of Kenya in an anti-clockwisedirection for over 1,000 miles. It is estimated that over 1,400,000 wildebeestmake the year long journey which repeats yearly, as well as 200,000 zebras andgazelle. Along the way many of the animals will meet their end, with some beingcrushed in the crowded stampedes, others drowning in the rivers that they crossand more unlucky ones falling prey to be picked out by hungry predators such aslions or crocodiles.
In search of pastures newand fresh watering holes, the wildebeest set off on their perilous trip. Theexact timing of it can’t be predicted, but we use previous year migration dataas a guideline.
December-March
During this time the herds stay in theSerengeti plains and the Ngorongoro Conservation area. For six weeks, usuallyduring January and February, masses of pregnant females give birth to as manyas 500,000 fresh offspring in total. These young wildebeest then have to begintheir never ending life cycle of migration, with the added danger of predatorspicking them out as an easy meal.
April-May
With the rainy season underway, the herds begin to head North-West to settle in the Western area of theSerengeti with the intention to graze on greener pastures.
June-August
By June the rainy season isover, marking the stage where the wildebeest begin to mate. The ungulates alsobegin to move North during this month.
July is a major month in themigration calendar as it is the time where the herds must cross the GrumetiRiver. Many of the animals will fall victim to hungry crocodiles whilstcrossing the river and some may also drown in the depths of the river.
As August approaches, theherds continue to head North with the insight of reaching the Masai Mara ofKenya to graze upon fresh grasslands. Before they reach the new grazing plainsthey seek, they must cross the Mara River which is populated by crocodileslooking for a struggling, tired weakling from the group to prey upon.
September-November
Theanimals remain situated in the Mara plains for this period of time until lateNovember comes around. This is when the herds make their way South, and thewhole migration process repeats.
【热点话题】 这是一次开拓性的电视直播，是“打开电视看世界”的真正落实;是国家增长实力与电视传播相匹配的实现;是开放观念转换的必然结果;也是满足当下受众心理需要的大举措;显然，这也是显示世界电视大台的标志。壮观的场面让我们再次领略了弱肉强食，适者生存的自然法则。专家分析认为，此话题与雅思考试中animal场景和animal protection联系紧密。
Honey bees in Australia(澳大利亚的蜜蜂)
在剑桥8的Test2 Section 3中，讨论了 Honey bees inAustralia的话题，我们一起来了解一下相关的内容。
l 亚洲蜜蜂如何进入澳洲?
亚洲蜜蜂于2007年经一艘来自巴布亚新几内亚的船只传入澳洲。
l 亚洲蜜蜂和澳洲蜜蜂有什么差别?
They look almost the same, but they areinfested with mites-microscopic creatures which live on them, and which canseriously damage our home-grown bees, or could even wipe them out.
它们外形相似，可是亚洲蜜蜂携带一种蜂螨，这种蜂螨对欧洲蜜蜂危害很大，甚至会威胁澳洲本土蜜蜂的生存。
l 亚洲蜜蜂有什么危害?
危害当地植物的生存，带来难以预估的经济损失，很多人对亚洲蜜蜂过敏。
It can produce an allergic reaction in somepeople, so they are much more dangerous than native bees.
【背景常识】 “央视重金打造'走进非洲’追踪角马大迁徙奇观”这一事件的背后，是关于animalprotection的基本常识。
Animal Protection
Whatever the world is, animal protection has beenand will be an undoubtedly attractive public concern. Animal rights activistsbelieve that human beings should try to protect animals against extinction atall costs. However, on the other hand, some people and individuals say that weshould concentrate more on problems of human beings.
Surely, it is important that problems of human beings such asstarvation, pollution, and all the other troublesome issues should be paidattention to. But there is also not doubt that it is necessary to search forsolutions regarding animal protection. Animals are essential components of theworks of God and they have profound influence on the sustainability of ecosystem.All animals in nature have connection with each other in one way or another infood chains. If one kind of animal die out, the food chain will be destroyedand thus some kinds of species will be at the verge of extinction. The mostworrying thing is that the progressive decline of living species may lead tothe possibility that the nature would lose balance and the ecosystem could notbe sustained.
Inaddition, human beings can benefit a lot from animals. Animals provide goodresources used in daily life or industrial production. For example, someanimals play a meaningful part in the field of drugs. What’s more, it is anestablished fact that animals contribute to researches of engineers anddesigners in terms of animal-based creations. For instance, the invention ofwaterproof clothing is inspired by sharks. However, protecting animals does notmean that human beings will turn blind eyes to problems of the mankind.Protecting basic human rights should be given top priority in regions whereinhabitants struggle with weak economies, deadly diseases and naturaldisasters.
Allin all, it is my point of view that protecting wildlife is a significantstrategy that has far-reaching effects on the future of human beings. Meantime,the basic needs of human beings should be satisfied as well.
【必杀词汇】 专家分析认为，一旦雅思听力考到动物研究的场景，以下词汇必然落入出题者的考察范围之内：
herbivorous 食草性的
carnivorous 食肉性的
omnivorous 杂食性的
mammals 哺乳动物
vertebrate 脊椎动物
backbone / spine 脊椎
reptile 爬行动物
amphibian 两栖动物
fungi 真菌
germ 微生物
prey 猎物
predator 捕食者
reproduce 繁殖
ripen 成熟