A new study shows that the Dugong(儒艮) is functionally extinct（功能性灭绝）in China. The Dugong is a kind of large but friendly sea animal. They are sometimes called“sea cows”because they eat large amounts of sea grass.For hundreds of years, the animal had been very common in southern Chinese waters. However.human activities such as fishing have put the Dugong in danger. They have also suffered habitat(栖息地) loss caused by human activities. In China, about 257 dugongs were killed for food between 1958 and 1976. As a result records of dugongs in Chinese waters have dropped rapidly since the 1970s. And since2008,there have been no records of them at all in China.The Dugong has been listed as a Grade 1National Key Protected Animal since 1988 in China. They can be found in many countries, but they are in danger of dying out.Now most of them live in warm waters of Australia.Professor Samuel Turvey, one writer of the study, said, "In 2007, China's Yangtze River dolphin was almost announced extinct. Sadly, our new study shows the loss of another valuablemammal(哺乳动物) in China. Once again, it is a loss caused by human activities.""The likely extinction of the Dugong in China is a huge loss. It gives us a wake-up call that extinctions can happen before we take useful actions to protect the animals,"he added.1.Why is the Dugong called "sea cows" sometimes?________________________________________________________________2.What influences do human activities have on the Dugong?________________________________________________________________3. Where do most of dugongs live now?________________________________________________________________4.How does Samuel Turvey feel about the study result?________________________________________________________________5.What can we learn from the likely extinction of the Dugong in China?________________________________________________________________译文一项最新的研究表明，儒艮在中国已经功能性灭绝。儒艮是一种友好的大型海洋动物。它们吃大量的海草，所以有时它们被称为“海牛”。数百年来，这种动物在中国南部水域非常常见。然而，捕鱼等人类活动已经使儒艮处于危险之中，它们也因为人类活动而丧失了栖息地。在中国，约有257只儒艮在1958年至1976年间被捕食。结果，自20世纪70年代以来，中国水域中的儒艮数量迅速下降。自2008年以来，中国就再也没有了关于它们的记录。自1988年以来，儒良在中国被列为国家一级重点保护动物。在许多国家都能找到它们，但它们仍然处在濒危的边缘。如今，大部分儒艮都生活在澳大利亚温暖的水域里。这项研究的其中一位作者Samuel Turvey教授说：“2007年，中国的白鳍豚几乎被宣布灭绝。难过的是，我们的新研究显示中国又失去了一种珍稀哺乳动物。这也是人类活动造成的损失。”他补充道：“如果儒艮灭绝了，这对中国来说将会是一个巨大的损失。这给我们敲响了警钟——在我们采取有效措施来保护动物之前，灭绝就可能发生。”语篇解读儒艮，又被称为“海牛”，是一种温顺的食草海洋动物。然而近年来，由于人类活动的影响，儒艮数量急剧减少。一项新的研究发现，中国的儒艮已经功能性灭绝了。答案详析1.Because they eat large amounts of sea grass.根据第一段最后一句“They are sometimescalled ‘sea cows' because they eat large amounts of sea grass.”可知，儒艮吃大量的海草，因此它们有时也被称为“海牛”。2.Human activities have put the Dugong in danger and caused habitat loss to them.根据第二段中的“However,human activities such as fishing have put the Dugong in danger. They have also suffered habitat loss caused by human activities.”可知，捕鱼等人类活动已经使儒艮处于危险之中，它们也因为人类活动而丧失了栖息地。故人类活动对儒艮的影响包括使它们处于危险之中和使它们丧失了栖息地。3. In warm waters of Australia.根据第三段最后一句“Now most of them live in warm waters of Australia.”可知，如今，大部分儒艮都生活在澳大利亚温暖的水域里。4. He feels sad/sorry. 根据最后一段第二句“Sadly, our new study shows the loss of another valuable mammal in China.”可知，Samuel Turvey教授说，难过的是，他们的新研究显示中国又失去了一种珍贵的哺乳动物。由此可知，他对研究结果感到难过、遗憾。5. We should take useful actions to protect the animals in time. 根据最后一段中 Samuel Turvey教授说的话“The likely extinction...gives us a wake-up call that extinctions can happen before we take useful actions to protect the animals”可知，儒艮在中国的功能性灭绝给我们敲响了警钟：在我们采取有效措施来保护动物之前，灭绝就可能发生。由此可知，这件事告诉我们要及时采取有效措施来保护动物。长难句分析原句：（最后一段最后一句)It gives us a wake-up call that extinctions can happen before we take useful actions to protect the animals.译文：这给我们敲响了警钟：在我们采取有效措施来保护动物之前，灭绝就可能发生。分析：这是一个复合句。其中 that extinctions can happen...to protect the animals为that引导的同位语从句，作a wake-up call的同位语；在该从句中，又包含一个before引导的时间状语从句。
