The ocean is full of secrets, and some of them are disappearing. One example is the blue-snout guitarfish, a rare sea creature that lives in warm waters. Scientists say it is a critically endangered species. But this month, there is good news from Sanya, a city in Hainan Province.
For the first time in China, scientists there successfully bred this rare fish in an artificial environment. The young fish are healthy and growing well. It is a small step, but a big one for the species.
Why is this important? The blue-snout guitarfish faces many dangers. Overfishing, water pollution, and the loss of their habitat have made their numbers fall quickly. In the wild, fewer and fewer of them can be found. If nothing is done, they may disappear from the ocean forever.
Breeding them in a lab is not easy. The fish need special water temperature, good food, and a quiet environment. Scientists watched them day and night and made careful plans. Their patience finally paid off.
This success is also a reminder. Protecting nature is not only about saving one fish. When we protect sea life, we protect the whole ocean, which humans depend on for food and clean air. Every species has its place in nature.
The story of the blue-snout guitarfish shows what science and hard work can do. It gives us hope that with care and effort, we can still save the wonders of the sea.
Words to know:
- breed (v.) 繁殖；培育
- endangered (adj.) 濒危的
- species (n.) 物种
- artificial (adj.) 人工的
- habitat (n.) 栖息地
- pollution (n.) 污染
- patience (n.) 耐心
- remind (v.) 提醒
长难句拆解 · 非限制性定语从句与并列主语
① When we protect sea life, we protect the whole ocean, which humans depend on for food and clean air. 主干是 we protect the whole ocean（我们保护整片海洋）。句首 When 引导时间状语从句；逗号后的 which 引导非限制性定语从句，指代 the whole ocean，which 在从句里作 depend on 的宾语，for 短语表目的「为了食物和洁净空气」。这类「先行词 + which 从句」常用于升华主题的结尾句。
② Overfishing, water pollution, and the loss of their habitat have made their numbers fall quickly. 主干是 主语（三项并列）have made their numbers fall。三个并列名词短语作主语，谓语用复数 have made；make + 宾语 + 省略 to 的不定式（fall） 是使役结构，表「使数量下降」。列举多个原因时，这种并列结构最简洁有力。
同义替换 · 雅思阅读利器
题目从不照抄原文，全靠同义替换改写。做题时先在题干里圈出「信号词」，再回原文找它们的同义变体，定位速度会明显变快。本文可迁移的替换组：
- rare → scarce / seldom seen（稀有的）
- critically endangered → in grave danger of extinction
- artificial environment → man-made setting / lab conditions
- faces many dangers → is confronted with many threats
- made their numbers fall → caused their population to drop
- patience finally paid off → finally bore fruit / was rewarded at last
- disappear from the ocean forever → be gone from the sea for good
阅读自测 · 3 题
- 判断（T / F / NG） — The blue-snout guitarfish lives in warm waters.
- 简答（不超过 6 个词） — What do the fish need in a lab, besides good food and a quiet environment?
- 判断（T / F / NG） — Overfishing is the only danger the passage mentions.
参考答案与解析
- T — 用 a rare sea creature 定位，紧跟的定语从句 “that lives in warm waters” 直接给出答案，属原文直述。
- Special water temperature. — 用 good food, and a quiet environment 定位，原文是三项并列 “special water temperature, good food, and a quiet environment”。besides 已排除后两项，别照抄过去。
- F — 原文列举 “Overfishing, water pollution, and the loss of their habitat” 三个危险，「唯一」一词以偏概全，属典型的「以偏概全」式干扰项。
中文译文
海洋充满了秘密，而其中一些正在消失。蓝吻琵琶鲼就是一例——这是一种生活在温暖水域的稀有海洋生物。科学家说它属于极危物种。但本月，来自海南三亚的好消息传来。
在中国，那里的科学家首次成功在人工环境下繁育了这种稀有鱼类。幼鱼健康且成长良好。这一步虽小，对这个物种而言却是迈出了一大步。
这为何重要？蓝吻琵琶鲼面临着诸多威胁。过度捕捞、水污染以及栖息地的丧失，使它们的数量急剧下降。在野外，能见到它们的机会越来越少了。若不加干预，它们或许将永远从海洋中消失。
在实验室里繁育它们并非易事。这种鱼需要特定的水温、良好的食物和安静的环境。科学家日夜守候，并制定了周密的计划。他们的耐心终于有了回报。
这一成功也是一个提醒。保护自然不止是拯救一条鱼。当我们守护海洋生物时，我们也守护了整片海洋——人类赖以获取食物与洁净空气之所。每一个物种在自然中都有自己的位置。
蓝吻琵琶鲼的故事彰显了科学与辛勤努力的力量。它让我们看到希望：只要用心与付出，我们仍能拯救海洋的奇迹。