4. Tigers老虎

New Words新单词

strong (adj.)

读音：[strɒŋ]

释义：强壮的（形容词）

biggest (adj.)

读音：[bɪgɪst]

释义：最大的（形容词）

Asia (n.)

读音：[ˈeɪʒə]

释义：亚洲（名词）

part(n.)

读音：[pɑ:t]

释义：部分（名词）

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The cats we have as pets can be called ‘house cats’, but there are other kinds of cats in the cat family. Those cats are wild animals and some of them can be dangerous. The tiger is one kind of wild cat.

我们当作宠物饲养的猫可以被称为“家猫”，可是猫科家族还有其他种类的猫。那些猫是野生动物，其中一些可能很危险。老虎就是一种野生猫科动物。

Tigers are the biggest cats in the world. They are bigger than all the other kinds of cats. They are very strong and can run very quickly. Because of this, and because of their size, they can be very dangerous. People should stay a long way away from tigers. It is best to only go and see them when they are in a zoo or some other special place.

老虎是世界上最大的猫科动物。它们比其他猫科动物体型更大。它们非常强壮而且能跑得很快。因为它们强壮、跑得快、体型大，它们非常危险。人们应该远离老虎，最好只在动物园或其他特定地点去看它们。

Asia is the home of the tiger. We cannot find them in other parts of the world. Every year in Asia, people kill many wild tigers. That is why these days there are not many tigers which still live in the wild. These days, most of the world’s tigers live in zoos or other special places. When tigers are in these places, the people who work there can protect them from people who want to hunt and kill them.

亚洲是老虎的家园。我们在世界其他地方找不到它们。人们每年在亚洲捕杀许多野生老虎。那就是为什么现在已经没有多少老虎仍然生活在野外了。现在，世界上的大多数老虎都生活在动物园或者其他特定地点。当老虎在这些地方时，在那儿工作的人可以保护它们远离想要捕杀它们的人。

Tigers in the wild live by hunting, killing and eating other wild animals. Like other cats, they have very good eyes and usually only hunt at night. Sometimes, if they are very hungry, or very angry, they can hunt and kill people.

野外的老虎靠捕杀和食用其他野生动物为生。正如其他猫科动物，它们有非常好的视力，通常只在夜里捕猎。有时候，如果它们很饿或者很生气，它们会捕杀人类。

Most cats do not like to go in water. Tigers are different. They are the only cats that like to go in water. Tigers sometimes go in water to hunt for fish that they can kill and eat.

大多数猫科动物不喜欢下水。老虎就不一样。它们是唯一喜欢下水的猫科动物。老虎有时候下水去捕杀鱼来吃。

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Lee is speaking to his mommy about tigers.

李和他妈妈正在谈论老虎。

Lee

Mommy, do you know where tigers live?

Mommy

Yes, I do. I saw a tiger on television last week. It was in a zoo.

Lee

I know a lot of tigers live in zoos, but what about wild tigers?

Mommy

Wild tigers? Oh, they live in many parts of the world, don’t they?

Lee

No, they don’t. They only live in Asia.

Mommy

Really?

Lee

Yes. All the tigers in zoos in other parts of the world come from Asia. Do you know, tigers are the biggest kind of wild cat?

Mommy

Yes, I did know that. I like to think of tigers only in zoos. I would not like to see one in the wild.

Lee

Why not?

Mommy

Oh, they are so big, so strong and they run so quickly. And they have all those really big teeth!

Lee

I’d like to see a tiger in the wild. I’d like to go hunting for tigers.

Mommy

Hunting for tigers? That would be very dangerous.

Lee

No, it wouldn’t. It would be dangerous for the tiger, but it wouldn’t be dangerous for me.

Mommy

Why wouldn’t it be dangerous for you?

Lee

Because I’d run after the tiger and then I’d kill it.

Mommy

I don’t think so, Lee. Tigers can run much more quickly than you and they are much stronger, too. You know Lee, it’s not nice to kill wild animals. We should protect them. If we don’t protect them, soon there will be no wild animals. There will only be animals in zoos and on farms.

李

妈妈，你知道老虎生活在哪儿吗？

妈妈

我知道。上周我在电视里看到一只老虎。它在一个动物园里。

李

我知道很多老虎生活在动物园里，那么野生老虎呢？

妈妈

野生老虎？噢，它们生活在世界上很多地方，是吗？

李

不是的。它们只生活在亚洲。

妈妈

真的吗？

李

真的。世界上其他地方动物园里的老虎都来自亚洲。你知道老虎是世界上最大的野生猫科动物吗？

妈妈

是的，我确实知道。我只想到动物园里的老虎。我不想在野外看见老虎。

李

为什么不呢？

妈妈

噢，它们体型大、强壮有力，还跑得很快，而且它们的牙齿也很大！

李

我想看见野生老虎。我想去猎虎。

妈妈

猎虎？那很危险。

李

不会的。那对老虎来说很危险，对我来说就不危险。

妈妈

为什么对你来说不危险？

李

因为我会追赶老虎，然后捕杀它。

妈妈

我不这么认为，李。老虎比你跑得快，而且也更强壮。你知道的，李，捕杀野生动物不好。我们应该保护它们。如果我们不保护它们，很快就将没有野生动物了。那就只剩下动物园里的动物和农场上的动物了。

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Questions

1. Why should we stay away from wild cats?

2. Where do tigers live?

3. How do wild tigers find food?

4. When do they like to hunt?

5. Do most cats like to go in water?

6. What would Lee like to do?

7. Do you think we should protect animals?

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