一项研究显示，热带雨林地区的树木砍伐促进了黑鼠对森林地带的入侵。发表在《热带生物学》期刊上的一篇文章指出，迄今为止，这些哺乳动物一直都在回避那些不能给它们提供地面保护的森林。以下是 BBC 记者 Matt McGrath 的报道：

While black rats have spread rapidly throughout the world over the past 400 years, they've tended to avoid mature forests, disliking the leafy floors which are noisy for these rodents to run through.

Now researchers have found that the clearing of rainforests in the developing world could be speeding the spread of these black creatures.

In tests in Borneo, scientists found that fallen trees contained more insects and provided better cover for these rats.

The authors are concerned that this invasion will be bad news for other species, including nesting birds and small mammals.

词汇表

throughout 遍及，到处
tended 趋向于，倾向于
rodents 老鼠，啮齿类动物
clearing 清除
provided 提供了
bad news 坏消息
mammals 哺乳动物

测验

请听报道并回答下列问题。

1. Why don't rats like running along the ground in rainforests?

2. Where is the spread of black rats more intense?

3. Where was the research done? 

4. Why would the rat invasion be of particular concern to birds and small mammals?

答案

1. Why don't rats like running along the ground in rainforests?
Because it is full of fallen leaves from trees which makes it noisy for rats to run through.

2. Where is the spread of black rats more intense?
In the developing world, where forests are being cut down.

3. Where was the research done?
In Borneo.

4. Why would the rat invasion be of particular concern to birds and small mammals?
Because black rats might eat them or compete with them for the same food.