46．The Albatross（信天翁） A What is an Albatross？
Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in existence，with wingspans（翼幅）which extend to over three metres in width.They represent a small subset of the larger group known as tube-nosed petrels，which have strong，curved sharp beaks which they use for catching fish and squid on the surface of the ocean.While there is some debate about the exact taxonomy of the species，it is agreed that there are somewhere between 21 and 24 species of albatrosses.
B A Special Breeding Site
Of these species，approximately half breed in New Zealand and about 80 percent breed（繁殖）or fish within New Zealand's territorial waters.Six species breed only in New Zealand or on its offshore islands.One of only two mainland nesting sites for these birds in the world，for the northern royal albatross，is on the Otago Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand；it is a popular tourist destination.Visitors can view the albatross colony（種群）from a special building which has been established beside the nesting ground and，while the site is closed during breeding season（繁殖季），at other times it is often possible to see parents and their chicks living and feeding only metres away from human observers.
C Predators
However，there are risks to albatross chicks（幼鳥）on land.Natural predators（捕食者）such as seagulls can eat eggs and young birds，and in mainland areas there are also threats from dogs，cats and other land animals.On some offshore islands，sea lions have been observed raiding（襲擊）nests for eggs.It is thought that this is a new behaviour.
D Threats （危險）for Adult Albatross
The main threats to the adult albatross occur at sea，and most of these are man-made.Albatrosses like to travel close to fishing boats，to eat the leftover scraps of fish that are dropped over the side of the boat.Sometimes，however，they also eat the bait（餌）and accidentally ingest（咽下）fish hooks（鉤），or get dragged（拖，拉） along on fishing lines and drown.The number of albatrosses that any one boat catches is small，but because there are so many fishing boats，this may have a long term impact on population numbers.It is estimated（預估）that at least 100，000 albatrosses die in this way each year.As for all sea bird species，there are other threats，such as drift nets，oil spills and rubbish such as plastic in the ocean.While there are international agreements and fishing conventions to try and protect sea birds，albatrosses are among the million or so sea birds that get caught in drift nets and die each year.
Answer the questions below.Use NO MORE THAN SIX WORDS OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
（1）What is the distance from one wing tip（翅尖）to the other of an albatross？
（2）How many kinds of albatrosses are there？
（3）What can people see from the special building beside the nesting site？
（4）How many albatrosses die each year because of fishing boats？
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage？
Write：
YES 正確
NO 錯誤
NOT GIVEN 沒有提到
（5）
Albatrosses are the largest seabirds in the world.
（6）
Cats and dogs may kill young albatross chicks.
（7）
Adult albatrosses are more at risk on the land than at sea.
（8）
Oil spill can threaten（威脅）albatrosses.
（9）
Albatrosses that get caught up in drift nets die from drowning.
