文字稿

科學家們說，格陵蘭鯊是地球已知壽命最長的脊椎動物。一個科研小組利用現代技術對鯊魚的年齡進行了估算。該小組對 28條鯊魚進行了研究，其中多數鯊魚因誤入漁民的漁網在被發現時已經死去。請聽 BBC Rebecca Morelle 的報道。

Huge, yet extremely slow moving, Greenland sharks are found in the cold, deep waters of the North Atlantic. And this latest research suggests they possess remarkable longevity.

The scientists use the technique of carbon dating to determine the age of sharks that have become caught up in fishing nets. They estimated that a five-meter-long female was most likely about 400 years old.

The team also found that the sharks grow at just one centimetre a year and reach sexual maturity at about the age of 150.

詞匯表

possess 擁有，具有
remarkable 驚人的，非凡的
longevity 長壽
technique 技術
carbon dating 碳定年法
determine 得出，確認
caught up 被纏住，被抓住
estimated 估計，估算
centimetre 厘米
sexual maturity 性成熟期

測驗

請聽報道并回答下列問題。

1. The Greenland sharks are found in which ocean?

2. True or false? The scientists used x-rays to work out the sharks’ age.

3. According to text, how long do the sharks grow each year?

4. Which word in the text means ‘living for a long time’?

答案

1. The Greenland sharks are found in which ocean?
North Atlantic.

2. True or false? The scientists used x-rays to work out the sharks’ age.
It’s false. The scientists used carbon dating to estimate the age of the sharks.

3. According to text, how long do the sharks grow each year?
The sharks grow very slowly at about 1 centimetre a year.

4. Which word in the text means ‘living for a long time’?
Longevity.