Starten Sie den Audio-Text
Mit dem Audio-Player können Sie sich den Text anhören. Darunter finden Sie das Transkript.
The listening exercises in Business Spotlight Plus (p.15) are based on the text “Muskrats for the Mounties” (Names & News, p. 8 in the magazine). Here, we provide you with the audio file and transcript.
Click here to open the transcript
Muskrats for the Mounties
They tried to use wool as a substitute but, in the end, the Royal Canadian mountedberittenMounted Police (RCMP) have decided that their traditional winter hats lined with muskratBisamrattemuskrat fur offer superior protection against arctic temperatures. The national police force has to issue a tenderetw. ausschreibenissued a tender for 4,470 of the fur-linedgefüttertlined hats, much to the dismayBestürzungdismay of some animal rights groups.
CBC News reports that two to three muskrat peltPelzpelts are needed for a single hat, which means that about 12,000 muskrats will have to be to trapetw. mit einer Falle fangentrapped and killed. The RCMP tender specifies that the “furPelzfur must be Eastern Canada or New York state spring muskrat … only extra-large skinhier: Fellskins with the bellyhier: Bauchfellbelly to trim sth. offetw. abschneidentrimmed off must be used”.
In 2014, in response to pressure from wildlife protection groups, the Mountie (ifml.)berittene(r) Polizist(in) der RCMPMounties introduced wool hathier: Mützehats, but the then Conservative government ordered the force to reintroduce the fur hats. Adrian Nelson, of The Fur-Bearers group, said the tender decision was disappointing. “We knew that they would be keeping some of the [fur] hats for some of their cold weather extremes,” Nelson commented. “But it is sad that they’re putting out a tender for such a large amount.”
trapperPelztierjäger(in)Trappers, on the other hand, are pleased. “It’s nice to see that recognition of Canadian heritageErbeheritage,” said Alan Herscovici of the Fur Council of Canada. “Trappers in Canada have to take training courses to learn how to use the new humane trapping methods before they get their trapping licences, and it is extremely well regulated by the provincial and territorial wildlife department (N. Am.)Ministeriumdepartments,” Herscovici added.
The RCMP says, however, that individual officers can decide for themselves whether they prefer to wear wool or fur hats.