A
Darrell Blatchley, a marine biologist and environmentalist based in the Philippine city of Davao, received a call from the philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (渔业与水产资源局) early Friday morning reporting a death of a young whale.
When the necropsy (尸检) was performed, Blatchley told NPR, he was not prepared for the amount of plastic they found in the whale’s stomach. “It was full of plastic- nothing but nonstop plastic,” he said. “It was filled to the point that its stomach was as hard as a baseball.” “That means that this animal has been suffering not for days or weeks but for months or even a year or more.” Blatchley added.
Blatchley is the founder and owner of the D’ Bone Collector Museum, a natural history museum in Davao. In the coming days, the museum will display all the items found in the whale’s system.
Blatchley and his team work with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other organizations to assist in rescue and recovery of marine animals.
“Within the last 10 years, we have recovered 61 whales and dolphins just within the Davao Gulf,” he said. “Of them, 57 have died due to man --whether they took plastic or fishing nets or other waste, or gotten caught in pollution-- and four were pregnant.”
Blatchley said he hoped that the latest incident would launch the issue of plastic pollution in the Philippines and across the globe. “If we keep going this way, it will be more uncommon to see an animal die of natural causes than it is to see an animal die of plastic.” he said.
21. What can be inferred from the second paragraph?
A. The whale was starved to death.
B. Blatchley didn’t make preparations for the necropsy.
C. The dead whale must have swallowed a baseball.
D. Blatchley was shocked at what he found.
22. What does Blatchley think of plastic pollution in the Philippines?
A. Uncommon. B. Inspiring. C. Worrying. D. Puzzling.
23. What is the best title for the text?
A. Natural Death or Merciless murder. B. Stand Up for Protecting Whales.
C. Plastic Threatening Our Existence. D. A Whale Found Dead of Plastic.
