The New England Aquarium in Boston, US, has set up a “retirement home” to offer a safe and supportive environment for aging penguins.
With over half the aquarium’s penguins now older than the usual 10 to 15 years they reach in the wild, staff separated one island for closer monitoring. The space features flat ground and a carpeted path to the water, helping the older birds who don’t move as easily. A stand at the front also makes it simpler for them to hop out of the water. These changes allow the older penguins to avoid competing with younger, more aggressive birds while maintaining their social bonds.
Some African penguins have settled in, including one named Lambert, who has reportedly become more active since the move. He swims more often with his mate and spends more time off the island.
Photo: Ivy English I 照片: 常春藤解析英語
美國波士頓的新英格蘭水族館設立了「養老之家」，為年長企鵝提供充滿支持性的安全環境。
該水族館超過一半的企鵝現今年齡都超過了企鵝在野外通常會活到的歲數（即十至十五歲），因此水族館工作人員分隔出一座島嶼進行更密切的監測。這個空間地面平坦，通往水面的路徑還鋪設了地毯，這對行動不太靈活的較年長企鵝有所幫助。島嶼前方的平臺也方便牠們更輕鬆地跳出水面。這些改變讓上了年紀的企鵝不用與較年輕、較好鬥的企鵝競爭，同時也能維繫年長企鵝之間的社會關係。
一些非洲企鵝已經適應了這裡的環境，包含一隻名為蘭伯特的企鵝，根據回報，自搬遷到這裡之後，牠就變得更加活躍。牠更常與伴侶一起游泳，也花更多時間在島外活動。
What Did You Learn?
Choose all the features of the penguin retirement home mentioned in the passage.
(A) a slippery ground
(B) stairs into the water
(C) a path covered with a mat
(D) private spaces for sleeping alone
(E) a high rock that helps penguins hop
(F) a platform for jumping out of the water
參考答案 :
C、F
Words in Use
1. staff n. 全體員工（集合名詞）
The manager asked the staff to attend a meeting this morning.
經理要求全體員工出席今天早上的會議。
2. carpeted a. 鋪有地毯的
The carpeted floor in the library helps keep the room quiet.
圖書館鋪有地毯的地板有助於維持室內安靜。
3. compete vi. 競爭
compete with. . . 與……競爭
Male deer compete with each other for mates during the breeding season.
繁殖季節時，公鹿會爭相求偶。
4. aggressive a. 好鬥的
The more aggressive monkeys get the best feeding spots.
較好鬥的猴子會占到最佳覓食地點。
5. bond n. 緊密關係，情感聯繫
A special bond exists between many people and their pets.
許多人和他們的寵物之間存在著一種特殊的情感聯繫。
Practical Phrases
1. set up... / set. . . up 設立……
The school will set up a special committee to solve the problem.
該校將設立特別委員會來解決這個問題。
2. settle in 適應（於新環境）
After being released into the wild, the rescued birds took a few days to settle in.
被放回野外後，這些獲救的小鳥花了幾天才適應環境。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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