听力原文

In northern China's Zhalong Nature Reserve, a pair of red-crowned cranes have staked out their nesting territory in the stubble of a commercially managed reed bed.
在中国北方的扎龙自然保护区，一对丹顶鹤正守望着它们的产卵领土，在一个商业管理的芦苇床残株里。
For centuries, cranes have been revered in China as symbols of longevity. Their statues were placed next to the Emperor's throne. The cranes have cause to celebrate.
数百年来，鹤被中国人视为长寿的象征而备受尊崇。它们的雕像被放在皇帝的宝座旁。鹤因此而受到赞扬。
This chick is a sign of hope in difficult times. Red-crowned cranes are one of the world's most endangered species.
幼鹤在困难时刻就象征着希望。丹顶鹤是世界上最濒临灭绝边缘的物种之一。
Over the last century, China has lost nearly half of its coastal wetlands and most of what remains is managed for the benefit of people, not wildlife.
在过去的一个世纪，中国失去了近一半的沿海湿地，并且大多数改造地是为了造福人类而非野生动物。
A few months from now, this chick and its parents will face a long migration south to escape the harsh northern winter. Their route will take them along a coast which has been greatly affected by human activity.
从现在起的数个月，幼鹤和它的家人将面临一场往南方的大迁徙，来躲避北方的严冬。它们将沿着海岸向前，然而这些海岸已经受到人类活动的巨大影响。
Along their journey, the cranes will be joined by many thousands of other migrating birds. All heading south across the Bohai Gulf and along the shores of the Yellow and East China Seas, some even reaching as far as the South China Sea in search of a safe winter haven.
在它们的征途上，将有成千上万其他鸟类加入迁徙大军。它们迁徙的方向横跨南渤海湾，沿海岸的黄海和中国东海，最远甚至抵达中国南海，寻找一个安全的冬季避难所。

重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. stake out
明确表明，清楚界定（立场、要求等）；
eg. Those who want to take child abuse seriously today must stake out a humane child protection practice.
当前想要认真对待虐待儿童问题的人们必须明确保护儿童的人道主义行为的具体做法。
eg. The time has come for Hindus to stake out their claim to their own homeland.
印度教徒对自己家园主张权利的时候到了。
2. next to
紧靠…旁边；在…近旁；贴近；
eg. He sat on a tapestry cushion next to the hearth.
他坐在壁炉边上的一块绣花软垫上。
eg. Peter sat next to Paul on the sofa.
彼得挨著保罗坐在沙发上。
3. in search of
寻找；寻求；
eg. He framed this question three different ways in search of an answer.
为了寻求答案，他以3种不同方式提出了这个问题。
eg. Marian retains a restless, youthful spirit, in search of new horizons.
玛丽安怀着一颗年轻、不断进取的心去寻求新的天地。