美人鱼终成绝唱？原型儒艮功能性灭绝【吉言英语】

【头条播报】
The dugong, the charismatic marine mammal that has inspired mermaid fairy tales, has been declared functionally extinct in China. Researchers from the Zoological Society of London and the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that although the species may still exist in the region, their dwindled numbers are no longer able to maintain a viable population. The dugong, which mainly feeds on seagrass, was once a common sight in the coastal city of Beihai in Guangxi but no records of dugong have been recorded since 2008 after a serious population decline in China.

【分句讲解】
①The dugong, the charismatic marine mammal that has inspired mermaid fairy tales, has been declared functionally extinct in China. 
儒艮，一种充满魅力的海洋哺乳动物，是美人鱼童话故事的灵感来源，已被宣布在中国功能性灭绝。

1. declare v. 宣告，宣布

declare war 宣战

declaration n. 宣告
issue a declaration 发布公告
sign a declaration 签署公告
the declaration of war 宣战

2. extinct adj. 灭绝的，消失的

an extinct species 已灭绝的物种

3. charismatic adj. 有魅力的，有领袖气质的

a charismatic leader 魅力超凡的领袖

charisma n. 吸引力，个人魅力
The President has great personal charisma.
总统具有超凡的个人魅力。

4. marine adj. 海洋的

marine biology 海洋生物学
marine mammal 海洋哺乳动物 

5. inspire v. 激励，鼓舞，启发灵感

inspire sb to do sth 激励某人做某事

inspiration n. 灵感，启发灵感的人或事物
draw inspiration from sth 从……中获得灵感
Both poets drew their inspiration from the countryside.
两位诗人都是从乡村得到创作灵感。 

②Researchers from the Zoological Society of London and the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that although the species may still exist in the region, their dwindled numbers are no longer able to maintain a viable population.
伦敦动物学会和中国科学院的研究人员表示，尽管儒艮可能仍然存在于该地区，但数量太少，已无法满足种群繁衍需要。

1. dwindle v. 减小，缩小

dwindling audiences 越来越少的观众

dwindle from ... to ... 从……下降到……
Membership of the club has dwindled from 70 to 20.
俱乐部会员人数已从 70 减少到 20。

2. maintain v. 维持，保养

maintain law and order 维持治安
maintain standards 保持水平
maintain a balance 保持平衡

The house is large and difficult to maintain.
房子很大，难以养护。 

3. viable adj. 可行的；能独立生存的，可生长发育的

viable organisms 可存活的生物

③The dugong, which mainly feeds on seagrass, was once a common sight in the coastal city of Beihai in Guangxi but no records of dugong have been recorded since 2008 after a serious population decline in China.
儒艮主要以海草为食，曾经是广西北海的常见景观，但自从2008年中国儒艮数量严重下降后，再没有相关记录。

1. a + adj. + sight 一个……的景象/景观

a common sight 一个常见的景观
a rare sight 一个罕见的景象
He was a sorry sight, soaked to the skin and shivering.
他浑身湿透，打着寒战，一副凄惨的样子。

2. feed on 以……为食

Butterflies feed on the flowers of garden plants.
蝴蝶以园林中草木的花为食。

feed v. 喂食；养活
Have you fed the cat yet?
你喂了猫没有？
They have a large family to feed.
他们要养活一大家人。 

3. record n. 记录; 唱片

You should keep a record of your expenses.
你应该记下你的各项开支。

a record company 一家唱片公司
break the record 打破纪录
set a new record 创造新记录

record v. 记载，做记录
Her childhood is recorded in the diaries of those years.
她的童年生活都记在当年的日记里。 

4. decline n. 衰落，减少 v. 下降，衰落；拒绝

urban decline 城市衰落
economic decline 经济衰退

Her health was declining rapidly.
她的健康状况迅速恶化。

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