EBS 파워잉글리쉬 2014년 8월 21일 목요일 National Parks of North America: The Everglades!

National Parks of North America: The Everglades!

Tim : I'm so glad we finally escaped the hustle and bustle of the city for the day. This airboat tour is amazing.

Melanie : I know! Everglades Park is like going back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. Look! Another alligator! It's hard to believe they have barely evolved in over 100 million years.

Tim : Well, they did get a little smaller, but they're still at the top of the food chain. Can you imagine if they were still 15 meters long!

Melanie : I don't even want to think about it. I'm just glad they can't climb trees or fly!

Tim : Speaking of flying, have you ever seen so many different birds? Just over there I can see a crane, a heron, a parrot, and a hawk.

Melanie : Yeah, the birds are cool, but what stole the show so far have been the dugongs we saw near the dock when we just got in the boat.

Tim : The what? 

Melanie : The sea cows. Remember the animal that the tour guide told us is what is believed to have spawned the myth of the mermaid? They looked so sweet and trusting.

Tim : That's what happens in national parks - the animals become accustomed to being around people. It isn't always a good thing, though.

Melanie : Yeah, especially for the dugongs. I read that at least 50 of them are taken out by boats every year. 

Tim : That's terrible. People take rare animals for granted, but look at what happened to the pink river dolphin and the dodo. Those extinctions should have been a wake-up call for everyone.

[Vocab Tips]

* evolve - 진화하다

* spawn - (어떤 상황을) 낳다

* dugong - 듀공

* extinction - 멸종

* hustle and bustle - a hectic pace  혼잡

* top of the food chain​ - the strongest predator in an ecosystem  먹이 사슬의 가장 위

* steal the show - to attract more attention during an event than the main attraction 관심을 끌다

* take out - to kill or injure something/someone ~을 죽이다, 부상당하게 하다

*​ wake-up call  - a shocking event that makes people take notice (정신이 드는) 충격적인 사건, 계기

[Expression of the day]

We finally escaped the hustle and bustle of the city.

우리는 마침내 도시의 혼잡에서 벗어났다.

We finally escaped the commotion of the city.

We finally escaped the​ hubbub of the city.

We finally escaped the​​ hectic city.