曲永华

大象是人类的好朋友，但是由于不法分子的偷猎捕杀，大象种群的数量越来越少。今天，保护大象的生存与繁衍，已经是全人类的共同责任。所以我们要像爱护朋友一样爱护大象，努力为大象创造更好的生存环境。

We know that elephants look elegant and strong with their long tusks. However， this unique feature is the same reason why the animal is endangered. Many of them are killed for their tusks. People make elephant tusks into crafts and jewelry and sell them to rich people.

But can these priceless body parts grow back？ The answer is no. The tusks are gone forever after being removed， Live Science said.

The elephants’ tusks are actually part of their teeth. Nearly all African elephants and most male Asian elephants have these long teeth. About one-third of the tusk is embedded in the animal’s skull. The tusk has a nerve running down its center. Once you lose a tooth， you will never grow a new one.

Elephant use their tusks to protect themselves， lift objects， dig for water and gather food. But losing the tusk is not what kills them. The way in which they lose the tusk is what matters. Usually， people get tusks culling， which means killing old and weak elephants. They also take tusks from the elephants that have died naturally.

However， these sources aren’t enough to keep up with the demand for ivory. Therefore， some poachers poison healthy elephants and cut their faces open to remove the tusks. About 27，000 elephants are killed by poachers each year， according to National Geographic. As a result of poaching， some African elephants gradually evolved without tusks， which has allowed them to survive.

In the country of Mozambique， there was a civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1992. At that time， about 90 percent of African elephants were killed for their ivory and meat. The ivory was sold to buy weapons and the soldiers ate the meat， National Geographic reported.

Scientists recently found that about a third of younger female elephants——the generation born after the war ended in 1992——never developed tusks.

难点解读

elegant：优雅;漂亮

tusks：象牙

unique feature：独特之处

crafts：工艺品

priceless：无价的

embedded：嵌入

skull：头骨

nerve：神经

culling：捕杀

demand：需求

poachers：偷猎者

evolved：进化

survive：幸存，活下来

weapons：武器

However， this unique feature is the same reason why the animal is endangered.

然而，这种独特的特征也是这种动物濒临灭绝的原因。

But can these priceless body parts grow back？

但这些无价之宝的身体部位还能再长出来吗？

The tusk has a nerve running down its center.

象牙的中央活跃着一根神经。

Once you lose a tooth， you will never grow a new one.

你一旦失去一颗牙齿， 将不会长出一颗新的。

Usually， people get tusks culling， which means killing old and weak elephants.

通常，人们猎取象牙意味着要杀死年老体弱的大象。

However， these sources aren’t enough to keep up with the demand for ivory.

然而，这些来源不足以满足对象牙的需求。

In the country of Mozambique， there was a civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1992.

在莫桑比克，從1975年到1992年发生了一场内战。