關(guān)于熊貓的英語(yǔ)文章
大熊貓（ailuropoda melanoleuca），通常稱熊貓，是屬于熊科的一種哺乳動(dòng)物，體色為黑白兩色。熊貓生長(zhǎng)于中國(guó)中西部四川盆地周邊的山區(qū)，是中國(guó)特有的野生動(dòng)物，亦為國(guó)寶。全世界現(xiàn)存大約3100只左右，由于生育率低，加上對(duì)生活環(huán)境的要求相當(dāng)高，是一種瀕危動(dòng)物。[1]
大熊貓古今有許多別名：貔貅、大貓熊、竹熊、白熊、花熊、貘、華熊、花頭熊、銀狗、大浣熊、峨曲、杜洞尕、執(zhí)夷、貊、猛豹、猛氏獸及食鐵獸等。
在中文里，這個(gè)動(dòng)物有兩種名稱：熊貓和貓熊。其來歷的一種說法說1869年，法國(guó)天主教傳教士阿爾芒·戴維德（armand david）認(rèn)識(shí)了熊貓后，給“熊貓”定名為“黑白熊”，歸屬于熊科。兩年后，動(dòng)物學(xué)家進(jìn)一步考查，研究它屬於貓熊科，將它進(jìn)一步定名為“貓熊”。1940年代，在重慶北碚博物館展舉辦了一次動(dòng)物標(biāo)本展覽。當(dāng)時(shí)，定名為貓熊，意思是它的臉型似貓那樣圓胖，但整個(gè)體型又像熊。由于中文使用者傳統(tǒng)上通常都習(xí)慣右到左的寫法，所以當(dāng)時(shí)貓熊一詞是以右到左的方式書寫。在標(biāo)準(zhǔn)中文文法里，形容詞通常都被置放在名詞的前面。由於熊貓被一般人認(rèn)為屬於熊科，因此貓是形容詞，熊是名詞。故，貓熊一詞在中文文法上是對(duì)的。到1940年代，很多中文使用者已經(jīng)開始習(xí)慣左到右的中文讀法，所以當(dāng)時(shí)重慶北碚博物館所展示的“貓熊”字樣就被大家誤讀成熊貓。從此以后，熊貓一詞便開始先在四川一帶流行起來，長(zhǎng)此以往向傳訛誤，一至到今天，大部分的人也就習(xí)慣了使用熊貓一詞。
然而也有人認(rèn)為這種說法是不對(duì)的。熊貓和貓熊兩種說法從一開始就沒有定論。[1]
熊貓一詞在中國(guó)大陸、馬來西亞和新加坡是最普及的稱呼，而在中國(guó)臺(tái)灣，熊貓比較常用，不過，亦有人稱貓熊。
大熊貓主要棲息于海拔1400米—3500米，落葉闊葉林，針闊混交林和亞高山針葉林帶的山地竹林內(nèi)。主要分布在中國(guó)的陜西南部、甘肅及四川等地。
大熊貓的祖先是始熊貓（ailuaractos lufengensis），這是一種由擬熊類演變而成的以食肉為主的最早的熊貓。始熊貓的主枝則在中國(guó)的中部和南部繼續(xù)演化，其中一種在距今約300萬(wàn)年的更新世初期出現(xiàn)，體形比現(xiàn)在的熊貓小，從牙齒推斷它已進(jìn)化成為兼食竹類的雜食獸，此后這一主支向亞熱帶擴(kuò)展，分布廣泛，在華北、西北、華東、西南、華南以至越南和緬甸北部都發(fā)現(xiàn)了化石。在這一過程中，大熊貓適應(yīng)了亞熱帶竹林生活，體型逐漸增大，依賴竹子為生。在距今50-70萬(wàn)年的更新世中、晚期是大熊貓的鼎盛時(shí)期。現(xiàn)在的大熊貓的臼齒發(fā)達(dá)，爪子除了五趾外還有一個(gè)“拇指”。這個(gè)“拇指”其實(shí)是一節(jié)腕骨特化形成，學(xué)名叫做“橈側(cè)籽骨”，主要起握住竹子的作用。美國(guó)生物學(xué)家史蒂芬·杰伊·古爾德(stephen jay gould)——關(guān)于這個(gè)寫過一篇散文，后來又用《熊貓的拇指》作為一部散文集的名稱。
the giant panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca) (black-and-white cat-foot) is a mammal classified in the bear family, ursidae, native to central-western and southwestern china. it is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, ears and on its rotund body. though technically a carnivore, the panda has a diet which is 98% bamboo. however, they may eat other foods such as honey, eggs, fish, and yams.
the giant panda is an endangered animal; an estimated 3,000 pandas live in the wild and over 180 were reported to live in captivity by august in mainland china (another source by the end of put the figure for china at 221), with twenty pandas living outside of china.[citation needed] however, reports show that the numbers of wild panda are on the rise.
the giant panda has long been a favorite of the public, at least partly on account of the fact that the species has an appealing baby-like cuteness that makes it seem to resemble a living teddy bear. the fact that it is usually depicted reclining peacefully eating bamboo, as opposed to hunting, also adds to its image of innocence. though the giant panda is often assumed docile because of their cuteness, they have been known to attack humans, usually assumed to be out of irritation rather than predatory behavior.
the giant panda has a very distinctive black-and-white coat. adults measure around 1.5 m long and around 75 cm tall at the shoulder. males can weigh up to 115 kg (253 pounds). females are generally smaller than males, and can occasionally weigh up to 100 kg (220 pounds). giant pandas live in mountainous regions, such as sichuan, gansu, shaanxi, and tibet. while the chinese dragon has been historically a national emblem for china, since the latter half of the 20th century the giant panda has also become an informal national emblem for china. its image appears on a large number of modern chinese commemorative silver, gold, and platinum coins.
the giant panda has an unusual paw, with a thumb and five fingers; the thumb is actually a modified sesamoid bone, which helps the panda to hold the bamboo while eating. stephen jay gould wrote an essay about this, then used the title the panda's thumb for a book of essays concerned with evolution and intelligent design. the giant panda has a short tail, approximately 15 cm long. giant pandas can usually live to be 20-30 years old while living in captivity.
until recently, scientists thought giant pandas spent most of their lives alone, with males and females meeting only during the breeding season. recent studies paint a different picture, in which small groups of pandas share a large territory and sometimes meet outside the breeding season.[citation needed]
like most subtropical mammals, but unlike most bears, the giant panda does not hibernate.
[edit] diet
pandas eating bamboo at the national zoo in washington, d.c.despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivore, the panda has a diet that is primarily herbivorous, which consists almost exclusively of bamboo. this is an evolutionarily recent adaptation. pandas lack the proper enzymes to digest bamboo efficiently, and thus derive little energy and little protein from it.
while primarily herbivorous, the panda still retains decidedly ursine teeth, and will eat meat, fish, and eggs when available. in captivity, zoos typically maintain the pandas' bamboo diet, though some will provide specially formulated biscuits or other dietary supplements.