Save the whales
📘 Nhóm 1: Ra ngoài, hoặc từ bên trong ra bên ngoài
Front (Tiếng Anh) | Back (Tiếng Việt + Ví dụ) |
|---|---|
eat out | ăn ở ngoài |
take out | mang ra ngoài |
let out | cho ra / thốt ra |
lock out | khóa không cho vào |
leave out | bỏ sót / bỏ qua |
go out | đi ra ngoài |
run out | chạy ra ngoài / cạn kiệt |
fly out | bay ra / bay đi |
walk out | bỏ đi / đình công |
📘 Nhóm 2: Phân phát
Front (Tiếng Anh) | Back (Tiếng Việt + Ví dụ) |
|---|---|
send out | gửi đi |
hand out | phát ra |
give out | phát ra / phân phát |
pass out | phát ra / ngất xỉu |
📘 Nhóm 3: Kết thúc hoặc chấm dứt hoàn toàn
Front (Tiếng Anh) | Back (Tiếng Việt + Ví dụ) |
|---|---|
die out | tuyệt chủng |
fade out | mờ dần, biến mất |
phase out | loại bỏ dần |
wipe out | xóa sạch / hủy diệt |
back out | rút lui / không tham gia nữa |
sign out | đăng xuất / ký tên rời đi |
wait out | chờ cho qua |
Save the Whales!
Of the nearly 90 species of whales and dolphins, nearly all have been affected by human activity.
Are all whales endangered?
Not all, but many. The populations of most species of baleen whales, such as blue and humpback whales, have been significantly reduced. Their status today is the result of commercial whaling from the 18th to the 20th century. For hundreds of years, they’ve been sold for meat and oil, and some species were nearly wiped out.
Although most whale populations have been coming back, five species of baleen whales are still endangered, and the evidence shows that many toothed whales are in danger of dying out. Hunting, habitat destruction, and pollution all threaten whale populations. In each case, humans are to blame.
What kinds of conservation efforts are taking place?
Many ongoing conservation strategies are helping whale populations. For example, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) imposed a ban on commercial whaling, and the United States has been leading an effort to phase out whale hunting completely. Nevertheless, a number of countries continue to hunt whales.
Can whale populations recover?
Although it may be too late for some species, there are some signs that conservation efforts are working. For example, the California gray whale, which was nearly extinct, has made an amazing recovery and is no longer endangered.
How can you help save the whales?
You can help by learning about whales and their habitats. You can donate your time to conservation organizations. Finally, you can modify your behavior so that you create as little waste as possible.
If we all participate in these efforts, we can help these magnificent animals thrive.
Tour Guide Talk – Endangered Species
Tour Guide:
OK, everyone, here’s our next exhibit. Do you see the body of the little bird in that bottle? That is a dusky seaside sparrow. It was an old male that died on June 16, 1987.
It’s rather tragic because he was the very last dusky seaside sparrow in the world—the last of his kind. Though authorities took steps at the time to save the species, they’re now extinct, and, sadly, all we have now is this dead bird and some photos.
Uh, yes, you have a question?
Male 1:
Yeah. My question is, what caused them to go extinct?
Tour Guide:
Well, there were a number of factors, but the basic cause was habitat destruction. You see, the dusky seaside sparrow lived only in one place—on Merritt Island, which is in Florida. The birds thrived in the island’s wetlands.
The wetlands also provided habitat for a large population of mosquitoes. The people who lived on the island used chemicals to wipe out the mosquitoes. Unfortunately, those same chemicals were also extremely harmful to the sparrows, and many died as a result.
In addition, the people on Merritt Island tried to control and exploit the wetlands. Wetlands are an important habitat for many animals, and after the wetlands were modified, they were no longer a suitable habitat for the sparrows. It was disastrous for the birds, which died off one by one until there wasn’t a single one left.
Female 1:
So, if people were to blame, are there any lessons we can take away? I mean, to make sure something like that never happens again?
Tour Guide:
I think so. The situation with the dusky seaside sparrow makes one thing very clear. We know we need to protect endangered animals.
However, it’s a more effective strategy to protect not only the animals, but also their habitat. After all, if an animal’s habitat is destroyed, that animal will likely become extinct.
That’s why the Endangered Species Act, which was passed in the United States in 1973, protects both endangered animals and their habitats.
For example, the steelhead trout is one of a surprisingly large number of endangered fishes in rivers and streams on the west coast of the United States—in the Columbia River in Washington state, for instance. Recently, the species came under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, so now, the river that they live in is protected, too.
Male 2:
But how can we protect large areas like rivers and forests? No one—not even the government—can afford to buy or control all the land that endangered species live on.
Tour Guide:
Good point. In fact, that’s what makes the Endangered Species Act difficult to fully enforce. There’s an ongoing conflict between a number of landowners and the government.
Take the case of the gray wolf, for instance. At one time, the wolves were common all over North America, but by the 1930s they were nearly wiped out. Then in 1973, the wolves came under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, and a ban on hunting wolves was imposed over huge areas of land—in Wyoming and Idaho, for example—against the wishes of ranchers.
This angered the ranchers in the area. They feel they should have the right to shoot wolves that threaten their sheep and cattle. So, landowners may understand the need for the protection of endangered species, but it’s understandable that they might also feel that the Endangered Species Act violates their rights.
Uh, yes?
Female 2:
Is the law working? I mean, what’s the status of endangered species in the U.S. today?
Tour Guide:
Well, unfortunately, the situation of endangered animals is worse now than in 1973, even with the Endangered Species Act in place.
Reports on habitat loss, deforestation, and overfishing—all of which threaten animals—show that the situation for many species has worsened dramatically since 1973.
Let me be more specific: Right now, more than 1,400 species in the United States are listed as endangered. And it’s important to keep in mind that not many species are ever taken off the list.
Since 1973, in fact, only around 39 species have been removed from the Endangered Species list. But that number doesn’t really tell the whole story.
What’s significant about that number is that only 14 of the 39 species were removed because they had actually recovered. Nine species became extinct, and the others were removed from the list after scientists found evidence that listing the species had been a mistake in the first place.
Meanwhile, another 300 species may soon be added to the list, including a plant, the Las Vegas buckwheat, and an insect, the Miami blue butterfly.
So, you see, even with the Endangered Species Act in place, we’re not making as much progress as we’d like.
Any more questions? No? OK then, let’s move on, as we have a few more stops ahead of us. This way, please.