Alligator soup raises eyebrows in China_社会生活

Alligator soup raises eyebrows in China

文章来源：文章作者：发布时间：2006-12-04 02:15 字体： [大中小]　进入论坛

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A restaurant are authorized¹ to provide dishes made from Yangtze alligators² on November 27, 2006. Yangtze alligator³ dishes will be provided as limited offers, and all the alligators in the restaurant are from an artificial alligator cultivation⁴ center.

Dec. 2 - The Huifu Fine-food Restaurant in east China is drawing attention with special menu offerings that include alligator kebabs and soup - complete with the endangered species' head and tail.

The restaurant, in the scenic⁵ city of Huangshan in eastern Anhui province, has been doing a roaring business since it started serving alligator dishes last month, staff said Friday.

"Yes, we do serve alligator here, but the amount is limited every day so you'd better book it at least two or three days ahead," said a staffer at the restaurant, who refused to give his name.

He said the most recommended dishes were alligator steak and soup. "Both of them keep the natural taste of the alligator meat," he said.

The species of alligator served at Huifu - the "alligator sinensis" - is a critically endangered species in its natural habitat, with only about 150 thought to be living in the wild in Anhui and neighboring Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces along the Yangtze river.

The restaurant obtained a special license⁶ from the Forestry⁷ Ministry⁸ for serving meat from reptiles⁹ raised at a breeding center, said a manager at the restaurant, who gave only her surname, Lin. She said four restaurants in Anhui were serving alligator.

Despite the establishment of protection zones and laws against poaching, the population in the wild is falling by 4 percent to 6 percent a year, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The number of farmed alligators has soared to more than 10,000 because the animals breed prolifically¹⁰ in captivity¹¹, unlike another rare Chinese species, the giant panda.

Although breeding centers are struggling to prevent inbreeding among the captive species, the number hatched each year exceeds 1,500.

The Chinese penchant¹² for exotic dishes, mainly in the south, includes all sorts of creatures, including snakes and other reptiles - "anything that flies, walks or swims," according to one traditional saying.

While some reports questioned the wisdom of stimulating¹³ demand for an endangered species and potentially encouraging poaching, supporters say sales of alligator meat and skins can help support efforts to save the species.

The alligators slaughtered¹⁴ for food are only those in the third generation of captive breeding - those most likely to be affected¹⁵ by inbreeding, said Wu Xiaobing, an expert on Chinese alligators at the Wuhu-based College of Life Science, Anhui Normal University.

"In my opinion, there's no problem with this," Wu said.

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收听单词发音

1 authorized
a.委任的，许可的
参考例句：
An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

2 alligators
n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Two alligators rest their snouts on the water's surface. 两只鳄鱼的大嘴栖息在水面上。来自辞典例句 In the movement of logs by water the lumber industry was greatly helped by alligators. 木材工业过去在水上运输木料时所十分倚重的就是鳄鱼。来自辞典例句

3 alligator
n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)
参考例句：
She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。 Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

4 cultivation
n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成
参考例句：
The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。 The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

5 scenic
adj.自然景色的，景色优美的
参考例句：
The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。 The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。

6 license
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。 The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 forestry
n.森林学；林业
参考例句：
At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。 Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

8 ministry
n.(政府的)部；牧师
参考例句：
They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。 We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 reptiles
n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。来自《简明英汉词典》 Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 prolifically
adv.多产地，丰富地
参考例句：
He wrote prolifically both in Ireland and England, nearly constantly shuttling from one to the other. 他几乎不断穿梭于爱尔兰和英国之间，并在两地写出大量作品。来自互联网 He had directed his first film in 1923 and had worked prolifically throughout the silent era. 1923年，沟口健二执导了他的处女作，在之后的整个默片时代里，他创作了大量作品。来自互联网

11 captivity
n.囚禁；被俘；束缚
参考例句：
A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。 He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

12 penchant
n.爱好，嗜好；（强烈的）倾向
参考例句：
She has a penchant for Indian food.她爱吃印度食物。 He had a penchant for playing jokes on people.他喜欢拿人开玩笑。

13 stimulating
adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的
参考例句：
shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶 This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

14 slaughtered
v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。来自《简明英汉词典》 Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。来自《简明英汉词典》

15 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

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