閱讀材料：

　　Private collectors have been selling and buying fossils, the petrified remains of ancient organisms, ever since the eighteen century. In recent years, however, the sale of fossils, particularly of dinosaurs and other large vertebrates has grown into a big business. Rare and important fossils are now being sold to private ownership for millions of dollars. This is an unfortunate development for both scientists and the general public.

　　私人化石收藏家們從十八世紀就開始涉足化石買賣。所謂化石是指那些古代有機體的石化物。然而最近幾年，化石買賣，尤其是恐龍和其他大型脊椎動物的化石的買賣變得繁榮起來了。稀有而重要的化石現在以百萬計的價格在私人搜藏家之間流通。這種現象無論對于科學家還是對于公眾來說，都不是一件好事情。

　　The public suffers because fossils that would otherwise be donated to museums where everyone can see them are sold to private collectors who do not allow the public to view their collections. Making it harder for the public to see fossils can lead to a decline in public interest in fossils, which would be a pity.

　　化石不在捐贈給博物館而是由私人收藏家持有，而不是像過去那樣捐贈給博物館。私人收藏家不會讓公眾看他的藏品，而博物館里的展品卻是人人有機會看到的。這樣對于公眾來說是受損的。接觸化石的機會變少會讓大眾失去對化石的興趣的，而這一點顯然是令人遺憾的。

　　More importantly, scientists are likely to lose access to some of the most important fossils and thereby miss out on potentially crucial discoveries about extinct life forms. Wealthy fossil buyers with a desire to own the rarest and most important fossils can spend virtually limitless amounts of money to acquire them. Scientists and the museums and universities they work for often cannot compete successfully for fossils against millionaire fossil buyers.

　　更重要的是，科學家將錯失很多研究珍貴化石的機會，進而可能同一些關于滅絕生物的重大發現失之交臂。富有的化石購買者因為對稀有而重要化石的強烈渴望，將會不計成本地想得到這些化石。科學家和他們所服務的博物館和大學都無力同那些身價百萬的化石購買者競爭，也只能坐視失去化石。

　　Moreover, commercial fossil collectors often destroy valuable scientific evidence associated with the fossils they unearth. Most commercial fossil collectors are untrained or uninterested in carrying out the careful field work and documentation that reveal the most about animal life in the past. For example, scientists have learned about the biology of nest-building dinosaurs called oviraptors by carefully observing the exact position of oviraptors fossils in the ground and the presence of other fossils in the immediate surroundings. Commercial fossil collectors typically pay no attention to how fossils lie in the ground or to the smaller fossils that may surround bigger ones.

　　而且，商業化石收藏家常常會破壞他們挖掘出的化石中有科學價值的部分。多數商業化石收藏家常常沒有接受過專業的訓練，同時對謹慎研究記錄化石沒有興趣。而這些研究和記錄可以揭示過去生活在地球上的生命最重要的信息。科學家就是通過對筑巢的偷蛋龍的研究就是這種方法：通過對偷蛋龍化石的埋在地下的精確位置以及鄰近的其他化石的狀態來獲知其生物特性的。私人化石搜藏家萬網不關注化石埋藏的唯一以及大型化石邊上那些小型的化石。

　　閱讀部分需要提取的觀點是：

　　- Main point: 私人化石買賣無論對科學家還是對公眾都是一件壞事情

　　- Sub point 1: 公眾將失去接觸化石的機會，進而失去興趣

　　- Sub point 2: 科學家也將失去接觸化石的機會

　　- Sub point 3: 化石包含的珍貴數據可能遭到破壞

　　聽力材料：

　　Of course, there are some negative consequences of selling fossils in the commercial market, but they have been greatly exaggerated. The benefits of commercial fossil trade greatly outweigh the disadvantages.

　　當然，在商業市場上買賣化石是有一些負面影響，但是這些負面影響在閱讀部分被夸大了。化石買賣的優點大大的超過其缺點。

　　First of all, the public is likely to have greater exposure to fossils as a result of commercial fossil trade, not less exposure. Commercial fossil hunting makes a lot of fossils available for purchase, and as a result, even low-level public institutions like public schools and libraries can now routinely buy interesting fossils and display them for the public.

　　首先，私人化石買賣合法之后，公眾接觸化石的機會不是變少了，而是增加了。私人化石買賣讓更多的化石進入流通領域。這樣，甚至等級較低的公共機構，比如公立學校和圖書館也有能力通過正規渠道購買化石，并向公眾展示了。

　　As for the idea that scientists will lose access to really important fossils, thats not realistic either. Before anyone can put a value on a fossil, it needs to be scientifically identified, right? Well, the only people who can identify, who can really tell what a given fossil is or isnt, are scientists, by performing detailed examinations and tests on the fossils themselves. So, even if a fossil is destined to go to a private collector, it has to pass through the hands of scientific experts first. This way, the scientific community is not going to miss out on anything important thats out there.

　　至于說科學家將錯失接觸重要化石機會的說法，也是站不住腳的。不論是誰，在給一組化石定價之前，都一定是需要科學家來鑒定的，是不是？那么，唯一能夠鑒定化石，唯一能夠說出化石是否有價值的人是科學家。是科學家通過對細節的檢查和測試來決定化石的價值的。所以，即使化石最終歸于私人收藏家，但是還是要首先經過科學家的手的。這樣，科學團體就不會錯過化石上的任何重要信息了。

　　Finally, whatever damage commercial fossil collectors sometimes do, if it werent for them, many fossils would simply go undiscovered because there arent that many fossil collecting operations that are run by universities and other scientific institutions. Isnt it better for science to at least have more fossils being found even if we dont have all the scientific data wed like to have about their location and surroundings than it is to have many fossils go completely undiscovered?

　　最后，私人化石收藏者的確會損壞化石，但是如果沒有他們，很多化石就會永遠埋在地下了。這是因為大學和其他科學研究機構沒有足夠多的化石采集項目。對于科學發展來說，能夠發現更多的化石比讓化石長眠于地下要好，不是嗎？盡管我們可能確實一些諸如化石位置其周圍伴生化石的信息。

　　聽力部分需要提取的觀點是：

　　- Main point: 私人化石買賣利大于弊

　　- Sub point 1: 公眾不會失去接觸化石的機會，反而更多

　　- Sub point 2: 科學家也不會失去接觸化石的機會

　　- Sub point 3: 盡管化石的珍貴數據可能遭到破壞，但是要好過讓大量化石長眠于地下

　　閱讀材料：

　　Private collectors have been selling and buying fossils, the petrified remains of ancient organisms, ever since the eighteen century. In recent years, however, the sale of fossils, particularly of dinosaurs and other large vertebrates has grown into a big business. Rare and important fossils are now being sold to private ownership for millions of dollars. This is an unfortunate development for both scientists and the general public.

　　私人化石收藏家們從十八世紀就開始涉足化石買賣。所謂化石是指那些古代有機體的石化物。然而最近幾年，化石買賣，尤其是恐龍和其他大型脊椎動物的化石的買賣變得繁榮起來了。稀有而重要的化石現在以百萬計的價格在私人搜藏家之間流通。這種現象無論對于科學家還是對于公眾來說，都不是一件好事情。

　　The public suffers because fossils that would otherwise be donated to museums where everyone can see them are sold to private collectors who do not allow the public to view their collections. Making it harder for the public to see fossils can lead to a decline in public interest in fossils, which would be a pity.

　　化石不在捐贈給博物館而是由私人收藏家持有，而不是像過去那樣捐贈給博物館。私人收藏家不會讓公眾看他的藏品，而博物館里的展品卻是人人有機會看到的。這樣對于公眾來說是受損的。接觸化石的機會變少會讓大眾失去對化石的興趣的，而這一點顯然是令人遺憾的。

　　More importantly, scientists are likely to lose access to some of the most important fossils and thereby miss out on potentially crucial discoveries about extinct life forms. Wealthy fossil buyers with a desire to own the rarest and most important fossils can spend virtually limitless amounts of money to acquire them. Scientists and the museums and universities they work for often cannot compete successfully for fossils against millionaire fossil buyers.

　　更重要的是，科學家將錯失很多研究珍貴化石的機會，進而可能同一些關于滅絕生物的重大發現失之交臂。富有的化石購買者因為對稀有而重要化石的強烈渴望，將會不計成本地想得到這些化石。科學家和他們所服務的博物館和大學都無力同那些身價百萬的化石購買者競爭，也只能坐視失去化石。

　　Moreover, commercial fossil collectors often destroy valuable scientific evidence associated with the fossils they unearth. Most commercial fossil collectors are untrained or uninterested in carrying out the careful field work and documentation that reveal the most about animal life in the past. For example, scientists have learned about the biology of nest-building dinosaurs called oviraptors by carefully observing the exact position of oviraptors fossils in the ground and the presence of other fossils in the immediate surroundings. Commercial fossil collectors typically pay no attention to how fossils lie in the ground or to the smaller fossils that may surround bigger ones.

　　而且，商業化石收藏家常常會破壞他們挖掘出的化石中有科學價值的部分。多數商業化石收藏家常常沒有接受過專業的訓練，同時對謹慎研究記錄化石沒有興趣。而這些研究和記錄可以揭示過去生活在地球上的生命最重要的信息。科學家就是通過對筑巢的偷蛋龍的研究就是這種方法：通過對偷蛋龍化石的埋在地下的精確位置以及鄰近的其他化石的狀態來獲知其生物特性的。私人化石搜藏家萬網不關注化石埋藏的唯一以及大型化石邊上那些小型的化石。

　　閱讀部分需要提取的觀點是：

　　- Main point: 私人化石買賣無論對科學家還是對公眾都是一件壞事情

　　- Sub point 1: 公眾將失去接觸化石的機會，進而失去興趣

　　- Sub point 2: 科學家也將失去接觸化石的機會

　　- Sub point 3: 化石包含的珍貴數據可能遭到破壞

　　聽力材料：

　　Of course, there are some negative consequences of selling fossils in the commercial market, but they have been greatly exaggerated. The benefits of commercial fossil trade greatly outweigh the disadvantages.

　　當然，在商業市場上買賣化石是有一些負面影響，但是這些負面影響在閱讀部分被夸大了。化石買賣的優點大大的超過其缺點。

　　First of all, the public is likely to have greater exposure to fossils as a result of commercial fossil trade, not less exposure. Commercial fossil hunting makes a lot of fossils available for purchase, and as a result, even low-level public institutions like public schools and libraries can now routinely buy interesting fossils and display them for the public.

　　首先，私人化石買賣合法之后，公眾接觸化石的機會不是變少了，而是增加了。私人化石買賣讓更多的化石進入流通領域。這樣，甚至等級較低的公共機構，比如公立學校和圖書館也有能力通過正規渠道購買化石，并向公眾展示了。

　　As for the idea that scientists will lose access to really important fossils, thats not realistic either. Before anyone can put a value on a fossil, it needs to be scientifically identified, right? Well, the only people who can identify, who can really tell what a given fossil is or isnt, are scientists, by performing detailed examinations and tests on the fossils themselves. So, even if a fossil is destined to go to a private collector, it has to pass through the hands of scientific experts first. This way, the scientific community is not going to miss out on anything important thats out there.

　　至于說科學家將錯失接觸重要化石機會的說法，也是站不住腳的。不論是誰，在給一組化石定價之前，都一定是需要科學家來鑒定的，是不是？那么，唯一能夠鑒定化石，唯一能夠說出化石是否有價值的人是科學家。是科學家通過對細節的檢查和測試來決定化石的價值的。所以，即使化石最終歸于私人收藏家，但是還是要首先經過科學家的手的。這樣，科學團體就不會錯過化石上的任何重要信息了。

　　Finally, whatever damage commercial fossil collectors sometimes do, if it werent for them, many fossils would simply go undiscovered because there arent that many fossil collecting operations that are run by universities and other scientific institutions. Isnt it better for science to at least have more fossils being found even if we dont have all the scientific data wed like to have about their location and surroundings than it is to have many fossils go completely undiscovered?

　　最后，私人化石收藏者的確會損壞化石，但是如果沒有他們，很多化石就會永遠埋在地下了。這是因為大學和其他科學研究機構沒有足夠多的化石采集項目。對于科學發展來說，能夠發現更多的化石比讓化石長眠于地下要好，不是嗎？盡管我們可能確實一些諸如化石位置其周圍伴生化石的信息。

　　聽力部分需要提取的觀點是：

　　- Main point: 私人化石買賣利大于弊

　　- Sub point 1: 公眾不會失去接觸化石的機會，反而更多

　　- Sub point 2: 科學家也不會失去接觸化石的機會

　　- Sub point 3: 盡管化石的珍貴數據可能遭到破壞，但是要好過讓大量化石長眠于地下