2017年12月大学英语四级长篇阅读练习题（3）思维导图

A)Earlierthismonth,theUnitedStatesFishandWildlifeServiceannounceditwouldappoint"criticalhabitat"fortheendangeredjaguar.Jaguars--theworld'sthird-largestwildcats,weighingupto250pounds,withdistinctiveblackrosettes(玫瑰花色)ontheirfur--areaseparatespeciesfromthesmaller,tawny(黄褐色的)mountainlions,whichstillroamlargeareasoftheAmericanWestintheUnitedStatesandtakethefirststepstowardmandating(批准)ajaguarrecoveryplan.Thisisapolicyreversaland,onthesurface,itmayappeartobeavictoryfortheconservationcommunityandforjaguars,thelargestwildcatsintheWesternHemisphere.

B)Butassomeonewhohasstudiedjaguarsfornearlythreedecades,Icantellyouitisnothinglessthanaslapinthefacetogoodscience.What'smore,bychangingtherulesforanimalpreservation,itstandstoweakentheEndangeredSpeciesAct.

C)Thedebateonwhattodoaboutjaguarsstartedin1997,when,attheurgingofmanybiologists(includingme),theFishandWildlifeServiceputthejaguarontheUnitedStatesendangeredspecieslist,becausetherehadbeenoccasionalsightingsofthecatscrossingnorthovertheUnitedStates-Mexicoborder.Atthesametime,however,theagencyruledthatitwouldnotbe"prudent"(谨慎的)todeclarethatthejaguarhascritical.habitat--ageographicareacontainingfeaturesthespeciesneedstosurvive--intheUnitedStates.Determininganendangeredspecies'criticalhabitatisafirststeptowarddevelopingaplanforhelpingthatspeciesrecover.

D)The1997decisionnottodeterminecriticalhabitatforthejaguarwastherightone,becauseeventhoughtheycrosstheborderfromtimetotime,jaguarsdon'toccupyanyterritoryinourcountry--andthatprobablymeanstheenvironmenthereisnolongeridealforthem.

E)Inprehistorictimes,thesebeautifulcatsinhabitedsignificantareasofthewesternUnitedStates,butinthepast100years,therehavebeenfew,ifany,residentbreedingpopulationshere.Thelasttimeafemalejaguarwithacub(幼兽)wassightedinthiscountrywasintheearly1900s.

F)Twowell-intentionedconservationadvocacygroups,theCenterforBiologicalDiversityandDefendersofWildlife,suedtheFishandWildlifeServicetochangeitsruling.Thusin2006,theagencyreassessedthesituationandagaindeterminedthatnoareasintheUnitedStatesmetthedefinitionofcriticalhabitatforthejaguar.Despiteoccasionalsightings,mostlywithin40milesoftheMexicanborder,therewerestillnodatatoindicatejaguarshadtakenupresidenceinsidetheUnitedStates.

G)Afterthissecondrulingwasmade,anArizonarancher(牧场主),withsupportfromthestateGameandFishDepartment,setinfrared-camera(红外摄像机)trapstogathermoredata,andessentiallyconfirmedtheFishandWildlifeService'sfindings.Thecamerasdidcapturetransientjaguars,includingonemalejaguar,nicknamedMacho,B,whoroamedtheArizonaborderlandsformorethanadecade.ButMachoB,nowdead,mighthavebeenthesoleresidentAmericanjaguar,andhisextensivetravelsindicatedhewasnothavinganeasytimesurvivinginthisdry,ruggedregion.

H)Despitethecontinuedevidence,thetwoconservationadvocacygroupscontinuedtosuethegovernment.Apparently,theywantjaguarstorepopulatetheUnitedStatesevenifjaguarsdon'twan!to.LastMarch,afederaldistrictjudgeinArizonaorderedtheFishandWildlifeServicetorevisitits2006determinationoncriticalhabitat.

I)Thefactshaven'tchanged:thereisstillnoareaintheUnitedStatesessentialtotheconservationofthejaguar.But,havingassertedthistwicealready,theservice,nowunderanewpresident,hasbenttothetiresomelitigation(诉讼).OnJan.12,FishandWildlifeofficials,claimedtohaveevaluatednewscientificinformationthathadbecomeavailableaftertheJuly2006ruling.TheydeterminedthatitisnowprudenttoappointcriticalhabitatforthejaguarintheUnitedStates.

J)ThismeansthatFishandWildlifemustnowalsoformulatearecoveryplanforthejaguar.Andsincejaguarshavenotbeenabletoreestablishthemselvesnaturallyoverthepastcentury,thegovernmentwilllikelyhavetogotosignificantexpensetoattempttobringthemback--especiallyifthecatshavetobereintroduced.

K)Sowhynotdoeverythingwecan,atwhatevercost,tobringjaguarsbackintotheUnitedStates?Tobeginwith,theAmericanSouthwestis,atbest,marginalhabitatfortheanimals.Moreimportant,therearebetterwaystohelpjaguars.Southofourborder,fromMexicotoArgentina,thousandsofjaguarsliveandbreedintheirtruecriticalhabitat.Governmentsandconservationgroups(includingtheoneIhead)arealreadyworkinghardtoconservejaguarpopulationsandconnectthemtooneanotherthroughaninitiativecalledtheJaguarCorridor.

L).ThejaguarsthatnowandthencrossintotheUnitedStatesmostlikelycomefromthenorthernmostpopulationofjaguars,inSonora,Mexico.Ratherthandemandjaguarsreturntoourcountry,weshouldhelpMexicoandotherjaguar-rangecountriesconservetheanimals'truehabitatit

M)TherecentmovebytheFishandWildlifeServicemeansthattherarefederalfundsdevotedtoprotectingwildanimalswillbewastedoneffortsthatcannothelpsavejaguars.ItalsostandstoweakentheEndangeredSpeciesAct,becauseifcriticalhabitatisredefinedasanyplacewhereaspeciesmighteverhaveexisted,andwhereyouorImightwantittoexistagain,thenthedoorisopenformanyothersenselesseffortstobringbacklong-lostcreatures.

N)TheFishandWildlifeofficialswhosejobistoprotectthecountry'swildanimalsneedtogrowastrongerbackbone--stickwiththeiroriginal,correctdecisionandsavetheirmoneyformoreusefulpreservationwork.Otherwise,whenfundsareneededtopreserveallthosesmall,ugly,non-charismaticendangeredspeciesatthebackoftheline,theremaybenomoneyleft.

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