外刊阅读：A war on cats
很多人喜欢猫，因为它们很可爱。但猫是食肉动物，会捕食小动物。在有些地方，因为猫的捕猎，一些物种已经灭绝了。
A war on cats
by Laura Moss
Australia is home to some of the most dangerous animals in the world, and the federal government has set its sights on one particular predator that it claims is the country's single biggest threat to native species: cats.
federal /ˈfed(ə)r(ə)l/ adj. 联邦的
particular /pəˈtɪkjulə(r)/ adj. 特定的
predator /ˈpredətə(r)/ n. 捕食者、食肉动物
claim /kleɪm/ v. 声称
single /ˈsɪŋɡ(ə)l/ adj. 单个的（表示强调）
threat /θret/ n. 威胁
native /ˈneɪtɪv/ adj. 本土的、当地的
species /ˈspiːʃiːz/ n. 物种（单数和复数都是species）
For several years, the government has been working to kill 2 million feral cats that threaten the country's indigenous wildlife. Recently, they've turned to deadly sausages made of kangaroo meat, chicken fat and poison to kill the cats. The goal is to eliminate the cats by 2020.
feral /ˈfer(ə)l/ adj. 野生的（尤指本来是家养但是后来逃脱的）
threaten /ˈθret(ə)n/ v. 威胁（由threat加后缀-en变成动词）
indigenous /ɪnˈdɪdʒɪnəs/ adj. 土生土长的
wildlife /ˈwaɪldlaɪf/ n. 野生动植物（由wild和life组成）
turn to something 开始使用某物
deadly /ˈdedli/ adj. 致命的、致死的
sausage /ˈsɒsɪdʒ/ n. 香肠、腊肠
kangaroo /ˌkæŋɡəˈruː/ n. 袋鼠
fat /fæt/ n. 脂肪、油脂
poison /ˈpɔɪz(ə)n/ n. 毒药
eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ v. 清除、消灭
As part of what Gregory Andrews, Australia's first threatened species commissioner, calls "a war on cats," Australia instituted "24-hour containment requirements for domestic cats in 2015." The project requires pet cats in designated containment areas to be allowed outside only on a leash or in an enclosure.
commissioner /kəˈmɪʃ(ə)nə(r)/ n. 专员
institute /ˈɪnstɪtjuːt/ v. 建立、实行
containment /kənˈteɪnmənt/ n. 控制、抑制
requirement /rɪˈkwaɪəmənt/ n. 要求（由require加后缀-ment变成名词）
domestic /dəˈmestɪk/ adj. 家养的
project /ˈprɒdʒekt/ n. 计划、方案
designate /ˈdezɪɡneɪt/ v. 指派、划定
leash /liːʃ/ n. （拴狗的）绳子
enclosure /ɪnˈkləʊʒə(r)/ n. 围起来的场地
Colonists introduced cats to the continent in the 18th century, and today Australia has 20 million to 30 million feral felines that scientists say are the reason Australia has seen the extinction of more mammals than any other nation.
colonist /ˈkɒlənist/ n. 殖民者
introduce /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/ v. 引入、引进
continent /ˈkɒntɪnənt/ n. 大陆、大洲
feline /ˈfiːlaɪn/ n. 猫、猫科动物
extinction /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃ(ə)n/ n. 灭绝
mammal /ˈmæm(ə)l/ n. 哺乳动物
nation /ˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 国家
"Each cat kills between three and 20 native animals a day," Andrews said. "So if you assume four animals a day, that's carnage of 80 million native animals a day."
assume /əˈsjuːm/ v. 假定、假设
carnage /ˈkɑːnɪdʒ/ n. 大屠杀
Species at risk include the hairy-nosed wombat（毛鼻袋熊）, the northern quoll（袋鼬） and the boobook（鹰鸮）, an owl species. Researchers estimate that feral cats have led directly to the extinction of at least 22 of Australia's species.
risk /rɪsk/ n. 风险
hairy /ˈheəri/ adj. 多毛的、毛茸茸的（由hair加后缀-y变成形容词；hairy-nosed就是有着毛茸茸鼻子的）
owl /aʊl/ n. 猫头鹰
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
estimate /ˈestɪmeɪt/ v. 估计、估算
lead to 导致
The government is combating its feral cat problem through several means. Part of the initiative involves community monitoring of feral cats, as well as trapping programs. However, $3.6 million – about half of the plan's budget – is dedicated to eradicating the animals. In addition to poison bait, the Australian government has used detector dogs and shooting to eliminate the animals.
combat /kəmˈbæt/ v. 跟…战斗、跟…斗争
means /miːnz/ n. 方法、方式（单数和复数都是means）
initiative /ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/ n. 新方案
community /kəˈmjuːnəti/ n. 社区
monitor /ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/ v. 监控
as well as = and also
trap /træp/ v. 用陷阱捕捉
program /ˈprəʊɡræm/ n. 计划、方案
budget /ˈbʌdʒɪt/ n. 预算
dedicated /ˈdedɪkeɪtɪd/ adj. 专用的
eradicate /ɪˈrædɪkeɪt/ v. 消灭、根除
in addition /əˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ to 除了…之外
bait /beɪt/ n. 诱饵
detector /dɪˈtektə(r)/ n. 探测器（由detect加上表示人或物的后缀-or）
The plan has drawn criticism from cat lovers across the globe, with more than 160,000 signatures on half a dozen online petitions asking Australia to spare the cats. "The $6 million you plan to spend in destroying these animals would be much better spent in setting up a large-scale sterilization（绝育） campaign," French actress Brigitte Bardot wrote in an open letter to Environment Minister Greg Hunt.
criticism /ˈkrɪtɪsɪz(ə)m/ n. 批评
globe /ɡləʊb/ n. 全球、全世界
signature /ˈsɪɡnətʃə(r)/ n. 签名
petition /pəˈtɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 请愿书
spare /speə(r)/ v. 饶恕、放过
destroy /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ v. 毁灭、摧毁
set up 建立
scale /skeɪl/ n. 规模
campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ n. 运动、社会运动
actress /ˈæktrəs/ n. 女演员
minister /ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/ n. 部长
Kelly O'Shanassy, chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation, has called the program "commendable;" however, she says it fails to address habitat loss, which is an even greater threat to vulnerable species.
chief /tʃiːf/ adj. 首席的
executive /ɪɡˈzekjutɪv/ n. 高管（chief executive一般指总经理或总裁）
conservation /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ n. （动植物、环境、文物等）保护
foundation /faʊnˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 基金会
commendable /kəˈmendəb(ə)l/ adj. 值得表扬的
fail to do something 没有做某事
address /əˈdres/ v. 处理、应对
habitat /ˈhæbɪtæt/ n. 栖息地
loss /lɒs/ n. 减少、失去
vulnerable /ˈvʌln(ə)rəb(ə)l/ adj. 易受伤害的
"The strategy fails to meaningfully address the biggest threat to threatened species and ecological communities – the loss and fragmentation of habitat – either through investment in new protected areas or by safeguarding existing critical places," she said.
strategy /ˈstrætədʒi/ n. 策略
meaningfully /ˈmiːnɪŋf(ə)li/ adv. 意义重大地（由meaningful加后缀-ly变成副词）
ecological /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/ adj. 生态的
fragmentation /ˌfræɡmenˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 碎片化
investment /ɪnˈvestmənt/ n. 投资（由invest加后缀-ment变成名词）
safeguard /ˈseɪfɡɑːd/ v. 保护、保卫（由safe和guard组成）
existing /ɪɡˈzɪstɪŋ/ adj. 现存的
critical /ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l/ adj. 至关重要的
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