Twice as many plants and animals sold in wildlife trade as previously thought, says report
Listen to Course
0:00
0:00
EN: The phrase 'a figure more than double previous estimates' functions as an appositive noun phrase (specifically a summative appositive) that comments on the preceding quantified clause ('More than 100,000...'). 'Double' acts here as a predeterminer/adjective meaning 'twice as much/many'.
The company reported annual profits of $50 million, a figure nearly double last year's earnings.
EN: The phrase 'bought and sold' is a paired passive participle phrase working with the auxiliary 'are' ('are now bought and sold') to describe ongoing habitual/commercial transactions globally without naming the agents directly.
Millions of tons of grain are bought and sold on international commodity markets every day.
EN: 'According to' is a standard prepositional phrase used to attribute information, claims, or data to an external source, typically set off by commas when appearing at the end or beginning of a clause.
According to the latest census data, the metropolitan population grew by ten percent.
EN: Past participial phrase functioning as an introductory adverbial modifier (participial clause). 'Published in Science Advances' concisely modifies the main subject 'the study', indicating background circumstances or passive state without using a full relative clause like 'which was published in...'.
Founded in 1890, the institution has trained generations of prominent scientists.
EN: Coordinated present participial clauses (dwarfing... and exposing...) expressing concurrent results or consequences. When attached to the end of a main clause, '-ing' participles frequently describe immediate outcomes or secondary actions arising from the main verb.
The company reported record quarterly profits, exceeding analysts' projections and boosting investor confidence.
EN: Parallel post-nominal modifying constructions: 'in use' (prepositional phrase) and 'traded globally' (past participial phrase) are coordinated by 'or' to jointly modify the noun 'species'.
All vehicles currently in service or leased overseas must undergo mandatory safety checks.
EN: Science Advances is a prestigious, peer-reviewed multidisciplinary open-access scientific journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Scientific news often references such top-tier journals directly to confer high authority and factual credibility onto environmental and conservation findings.
EN: Negative inversion with 'Not only... but (also)...': When a negative or restrictive expression like 'Not only' begins a sentence, subject-auxiliary inversion is required in the first clause (Auxiliary + Subject + Verb: 'does the wildlife trade encompass'). The second clause returns to standard subject-verb order ('it also spans').
Not only did she complete the marathon, but she also set a personal record.
EN: Verbs of scope: 'encompass' and 'span'. Both verbs are used at advanced levels to describe range or coverage. 'Encompass' emphasizes inclusion within boundaries ('to include comprehensively'), while 'span' emphasizes extending across a wide variety of domains, eras, or categories.
His research spans three decades and encompasses several distinct disciplines.
EN: Public perception often equates 'wildlife trade' solely with criminal syndicates poaching rhinos or pangolins. However, conservation policy and scientific discourse treat wildlife trade far more expansively, recognizing that legitimate commerce (e.g., regulated marine catches, commercial timber logging, luxury leather goods) forms the bulk of the global economic footprint.
EN: Appositive phrases (e.g., 'a professor at the University of Melbourne') are placed directly after a noun ('Alice Hughes') to provide extra non-restrictive information. They are separated by commas and can be omitted without changing the core grammatical structure.
Dr. Miller, an expert in marine biology, emphasized that coastal reefs are rapidly deteriorating.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'without + noun phrase' functions conditionally, equivalent to 'if there is no...' or 'if we do not have...'. When placed inside a that-clause, it acts as an adverbial modifier establishing the condition under which the subsequent clause holds true.
Without proper regulation, the automated trading system could destabilize the entire market.
EN: The adverb 'simply' placed before a modal negation like 'cannot' acts as an emphatic downtoner/intensifier meaning 'plainly', 'absolutely', or 'there is no way that'. It conveys finality and categorical impossibility in formal or academic speech.
With current battery technology, long-haul commercial flights simply cannot be fully electrified.
EN: In journalistic and academic reporting, journalists routinely use the structure '[Role] [Name], [Credential/Affiliation], [reporting verb] that...' to establish immediate credibility (ethos) for scientific claims. Phrases like 'simply cannot' break slightly from neutral academic detachment to signal an urgent, unambiguous warning from the researcher.
EN: The verb 'demand' triggers the subjunctive mood in the following nominal 'that'-clause. The verb in the subordinate clause remains in its base form ('be protected') regardless of the subject's person or number, reflecting mandative subjunctive syntax commonly used in formal English.
Environmentalists urged that immediate measures be taken to curb deforestation.
EN: The conjunction 'as' is used here to introduce a subordinate clause of reason or cause, functioning identically to 'because' or 'since'. It provides the causal justification for the demand made in the main clause.
He decided to cancel the expedition, as harsh blizzards made the route impassable.
EN: 'Taxidermy' refers to the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting animal skins for display. In recent years, a rising international e-commerce trend around goth decor and curiosity cabinets has spurred black-market demand for taxidermied bats and insects, often driving vulnerable Southeast Asian species toward extinction.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
Obvious, noticeable, and serious omissions or deficiencies.
The commercial sale and exchange of wild animal and plant specimens or products.
A species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.
Unusual or non-traditional animals kept as companions, typically from wild or foreign origins.