Are zoos a paradise or a prison for animals? In my opinion, though it is indeed true that traditional zoos act as a cage that deprives them of their freedom, it is simplistic to say that all zoos should be closed down, considering the essential roles of zoos outside entertainment and their ongoing progress.

Key words:

deprive v. 剥夺（deprive sb of sth）

simplistic adj. 过分简单的

提示：

开头段的难点，在于如何自然简明地引入话题和提出观点。注意这个开头段的话题引入和观点提出方式。

汉译：

动物园是动物们的乐园还是监狱呢？在我看来，尽管传统的动物园的确像囚笼一样剥夺了动物们的自由，但考虑到动物园在娱乐功能以外的重要作用以及它们持续的进步，认为所有动物园都应该关闭未免过于草率了。

First of all, zoos are built not merely for providing fun, they have also educational functions, which are far more significant than the former one. I still vividly remember how I was riveted by the black streaks on the back of a Siberian tiger in a wildlife park in Hefei when I first went there with my family as a child. Sitting on my father’s shoulders, I could see clearly how it roamed slowly and majestically like a king in the jungle and feel its low-pitched roars reverberating in the air. That experience was definitely not just a fun trip to me, but an important moment for me to realize the beauty and power of wild living beings. Since that day, I began to explore more about nature by reading and travelling, from which I have learned far more than from TV programs and textbooks. Therefore, zoos are not simply a place for gaining pleasure, but an indispensable part of our educational system as well: imparting knowledge, inspiring passion and instilling the love and respect for nature in our younger generation.

Key words:

rivet n. 铆钉；v. 吸引住

majestic adj. 雄伟的；庄严的

low-pitched adj. （声音）低沉的（反义词：high-pitched）

reverberate v. （声音）回响；回荡（=echo）

impart v. 传授

instill v. 逐渐灌输

提示：

注意这个中间段的例子是如何体现“教育功能”的，以及如何运用语言表现生动性和细节。

汉译：

首先，动物园的建立并不仅仅是为了提供乐趣，它们还有教育上的功能，这相较于前者更为重要。我还清楚地记得，小时候我和家人第一次去合肥野生动物园时，被一只东北虎背上的黑色条纹所吸引。我坐在父亲的肩膀上，可以清楚地看到它如何像一个国王一样在丛林中缓慢而威严地漫步，也能感觉到它低沉的吼声在空中回荡。那次经历对我来说绝不仅仅是一次有趣的旅行，更是让我认识到野生生物的美丽和力量的重要时刻。从那天起，我开始通过阅读和旅行更多地探索自然，从中我学到的东西远远超过了从电视和课本上学到的东西。

因此，动物园不仅仅是一个获得快乐的地方，也是我们教育系统中不可缺少的一部分：传授知识，激发热情，在我们的年轻一代中培养对自然的爱和尊重。

In addition, not all zoos are prisons for wild animals. As a matter of fact, more and more of them are getting bigger and better-equipped and therefore able to provide sufficient space and comfortable living environments for their inhabitants. Some were even built in remote mountains or forests and allow a limited number of visitors each year in order to protect those most endangered species such as giant pandas and Siberian tigers. In these well-protected regions, or nature reserves, animals can live as peacefully and freely as they do in their real homes; more importantly, they need not worry about poachers or shortage of food. By doing so, those creatures that are on the verge of extinction due to human activities would be able to survive and thrive, thereby enabling us to continue observing their growth and behaviors, from which we can learn a great deal about life and thus promote the development of science.

Key words:

inhabitant n. 居民

poacher n. 偷猎者

on the verge of extinction 濒临灭绝

thrive v. 繁荣；茁壮成长

提示：

注意这个中间段的“纯说理”写法。“纯说理“需要我们步步深入、环环相扣地展开论述。注意观察本段内部的逻辑推进方法。

汉译：

此外，并非所有的动物园都是野生动物的监狱。

事实上，越来越多的动物园正变得更大、设施更齐全，从而能够为“居民们”提供充足的空间和舒适的环境。为了保护那些最濒危的物种如大熊猫和东北虎，一些动物园就建在偏远的山区或是森林，每年仅允许少量的游客进入。在这些保护良好的地区，动物们能够像在它们真正的家园里一样，宁静而自由地生活；更为重要的是，它们不必担心偷猎者或是食物短缺。

通过这样做，那些由于人类活动而濒临灭绝的生物将能够生存和繁荣，从而使我们能够继续观察它们的生长和行为，从中我们可以了解很多关于生命的知识，从而促进科学的发展。

In conclusion, closing all zoos for the benefit of animals is not a wise idea. Freeing them from their man-made homes may sound tempting, yet the consequence is that we would lose an important channel to learn about our closest neighbors and friends, which is crucial to our co-existence on this planet.

Key word:

co-existence n. 共存

提示：

结尾段往往最没话说，看这里是如何既总结观点，又不老调重弹的。

汉译：

总之，为了动物的利益而关闭所有的动物园不是一个明智的主意。把动物们从它们的人造家园中解放出来听起来可能很诱人，但其后果是，我们将失去一个了解我们最亲密的邻居和朋友的重要渠道，而这对我们在这个星球上的共同生存至关重要。