Koalas
树袋熊 I-15 / 015

Koalas are sometimes called koala bears because they look like live teddy bears. But koalas aren't bears. They are marsupials. Marsupials are mammals with pouches. Most marsupials live in Australia. If you lived in Australia, you could go to a koala preserve and see these cute, cuddly animals for yourself.

After mating, a female koala waits for about five weeks. Then her tiny, blind baby is born. The hairless baby is about 3/4 of an inch long. It looks like a worm with a big head and arms. The baby koala must climb 6 inches to get into its mother's pouch. This is a dangerous journey. If the tiny koala falls off, it will die.

The baby is safe once it's inside the mother's pouch. A strong muscle keeps the pouch closed for the first months. The baby has plenty to eat. It grows larger, and its fur becomes thick. From time to time, it sticks its head out and looks around.

The baby stays in the pouch for about six months. Then it is ready to come out for short periods of time. By now it is 7 inches long and has its first teeth. The baby chews on young gum leaves and drinks its mother's milk.

After leaving the pouch, the koala baby rides on its mother's back. The mother's strong arms and claws allow her to climb easily, even with the baby on her back. For the next few months, the baby clings to its mother's back during the day. At night it returns to the pouch. At about nine months old, the young koala will go short distances from the mother to eat gum leaves by itself.

The mother koala takes good care of her baby for about a year. By then the baby is fully grown and can take care of itself.

Words and Phrases

koala [kəʊˈɑ:lə] 名 树袋熊（考拉，无尾熊）

teddy bear 泰迪熊（玩具）

marsupial [mɑ:ˈsu:pɪəl] 名 有袋目哺乳动物

pouch [paʊtʃ] 名 育儿袋

preserve [prɪˈzɜ:v] 名 禁猎地；（动植物）保护区

cuddly [ˈkʌdlɪ] 形 令人想拥抱的

from time to time 不时，偶尔

by now 到如今；到目前为止

first teeth 乳牙

gum leave 桉树叶

Practice

1. When does the baby koala look like a worm?

A. when it's about six months old

B. after it's one year old

C. when it's born

2. When does the baby koala make a dangerous journey?

A. when it first tries to reach its mother's pouch

B. the first time it climbs a tree

C. when it's 18 months old

3. When does the baby koala first leave the pouch?

A. before it's five weeks old

B. when it's about six months old

C. after it's fully grown

4. How long does a mother koala care for her baby?

A. about one year

B. less than six weeks

C. more than three years

译文

树袋熊

树袋熊有时会被人们称为考拉熊，因为它们长得像活的泰迪熊玩具。然而它们并非熊科动物，它们属于有袋目哺乳动物，是带有育儿袋的哺乳动物。大部分的有袋目哺乳动物分布在澳大利亚。如果你住在澳大利亚，你就可以到树袋熊保护区亲自去看这些可爱的且让人忍不住想拥抱的动物。

母树袋熊在交配后大约五周就会产出小熊宝宝。刚出生的宝宝体型很小也没有视觉，这个没毛的小家伙大约只有3/4英寸（1.9厘米）长，看上去就像一只有着大脑袋和手臂的虫子。出生后的树袋熊宝宝必须爬进母亲6英寸（15.24厘米）高的育儿袋内。这是一段惊险的历程，如果树袋熊宝宝摔落在地面，那就必死无疑。

只要能钻进母亲的育儿袋，树袋熊宝宝就安全了。头几个月里，树袋熊妈妈强壮的肌肉会让育儿袋紧闭。树袋熊宝宝在这段期间里食物充足。宝宝越长越大，皮毛也越来越厚。它会不时地把头探出育儿袋来东张西望。

树袋熊宝宝在育儿袋里待到约六个月大时，已经准备好爬出育儿袋，在外面做短暂的逗留。此时的树袋熊宝宝大约有7英寸（17.78厘米）高，并且已经长出乳牙。它们能咀嚼鲜嫩的桉树叶，同时还喝母亲的乳汁。

在离开育儿袋后，树袋熊宝宝就会骑到母亲的背上。树袋熊妈妈有着强壮的臂膀和爪子，即使背着宝宝也能轻而易举地攀爬。在接下来的几个月里，宝宝白天依附在母亲背上，夜晚还是会回到育儿袋里休息。大约在九个月大时，年幼的树袋熊就会离开妈妈一小段距离，自己独自去吃桉树叶。

树袋熊妈妈要小心翼翼地照顾宝宝一年左右。到那时宝宝就会完全长大，并且有能力照顾自己了。

练习

1．树袋熊宝宝什么时候看上去像只虫子呢？

A．当它约六个月大时

B．在它一岁后

C．在它刚出生的时候

2．树袋熊宝宝什么时候会有一次惊险历程？

A．当它第一次试着到达母亲的育儿袋时

B．当它第一次爬树的时候

C．当它十八个月大时

3．树袋熊宝宝什么时候第一次离开育儿袋？

A．在它五周大之前

B．当它约六个月大的时候

C．在它完全长大后

4．树袋熊妈妈照顾它的宝宝多久的时间？

A．大约一年

B．不到六周

C．三年多