The great success of Finding Dory is being met with mixed feelings by experts. That's because though the movie can draw attention to our weak coral reefs (珊瑚礁) that need protection, it may lead to further damage to life at sea.
After the movie Finding Nemo came out in 2003, the clownfish (小丑鱼) became popular with every kid in America. As a result, the number of clownfish in the wild greatly dropped. Blue tangs (蓝吊鱼) also became popular pets because of the movie. Sadly, most blue tangs are caught with the help of cyanide (氰化物).
Cyanide works on the fish, allowing them to be easily caught and sold to pet stores. Cyanide is harmful to humans. It also harms coral and other life at sea. Even the fish that are caught by using cyanide are harmed. Many end up dying within months of being brought to the store.
It is not allowed to sell fish that have been caught using cyanide in the US. However, a 2008 study discovered that up to 90% of the 11 million pet fish brought into the country each year have been caught using this harmful fishing method. More recently, two researchers Craig Downs and Rene Umberger did a study to test if the fish sold in US pet stores had been harmed by cyanide. They found that of the 100 fish bought from stores in California, Hawaii, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia, over half, including the blue tangs, had cyanide in their body.
To help people make better decisions when looking for fish for their kids, the researchers made a free mobile app, called Tank Watch－the app helps people to know whether a fish has been caught using illegal fishing methods.
The World Wildlife Foundation is asking fans of the movie not to "Find" Dory, but to "Protect" the beautiful fish! This means not rushing out and buying a blue tang after watching the film. As Ellen Degeneres, voice actress for Dory, says, the movie is not about "Finding" Dory, but about "putting it back to the ocean".
Moose (驼鹿), which weigh up to 700 kilograms, can be dangerous to people. They can cause deadly traffic accidents and also can harm people and other animals by stepping on them. Wildlife biologists in the US are trying to get a correct count of this kind of big animals.
The counting is being done in Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. Recently, many moose have been found in this city. The officials tried to get their count, but the problem is that the animals continually move and the city covers an area of over 5,000 square kilometers.
In the past, officials used lowflying airplanes to watch for moose on the ground to get their count. But rules from the city's airport now prevent such flights, so Alaska's Department of Fish and Game is experimenting with a new method for counting the city's moose. The researchers are trying to collect genetic material called DNA from moose. They say this will allow them to get a more accurate (精确的) result without having to catch them.
Biologists sought help from the public during their threeday project last month. They asked people to call or send text messages to report when they saw a moose. Teams of moose hunters then quickly drove to the areas. The teams shot the moose with special darts (飞镖) designed to get small pieces of skin and hair. The darts were weighted so that they could fall off the moose and then the material could be collected. The skin and fur were then taken to a laboratory to be studied. Researchers say the darts do not hurt the animals.
Biologist Dave Battle led the project. "There's really been no technique up until now. And it's something we've been beating our brains out to work on for the last couple of years," he said. Battle says the technology is allowing officials to improve their knowledge and management of the moose population in the Anchorage area. But he adds that it will take some time to study the DNA material to come up with specific numbers.
How many times do you wish you had time to pick up a new hobby or skill? Often, you hope to learn something new, but you may never get started. Many people have such plans, but they just don't get started. The common reason is that they feel they don't have enough time.
Hobbies provide a number of important benefits (益处). They provide us with a break from work. Many hobbies, such as group sports and book clubs, allow us to make new friends. Because of such hobbies, we have a social life outside of our families and classrooms.
So we've covered why hobbies are important, but how can we make time? First, find out what you can cut back on. Chances are that you don't want to skip doing the laundry or helping your kids with homework. Do you spend your weekends on the couch? Chances are that there's more time than you think.
It may not sound relaxing for your free time to be on a schedule, but you'll be glad that you set aside time for your hobby once you're on a regular schedule. Otherwise, it's too easy to put it off.
Much of the difficulty in doing something lies in getting started. Even if you don't feel like it, or you have other things to do, get up and use the time you've scheduled. If your hobby is something you love, it won't be long before you find yourself actually having fun!
A. Actually, you're not alone.
B. Finally, get up and truly do it!
C. Second, try your best not to put it off.
D. But how much time do you spend watching TV?
E. Next, schedule a regular time to spend with this hobby.
F. Why not ask your kids to do their homework on their own?
G. They allow us to use our free time to do something we love.
