单选题 Naturalist: For decades we have known that the tuatara, a New Zealand reptile, have been approaching extinction on the South Island. But since South Island tuatara were thought to be of the same species as North Island tuatara there was no need to protect them. But new research indicates that the South Island tuatara are a distinct species, found only in that location. Because it is now known that if the South Island tuatara are lost an entire species will thereby be lost, human beings are now obliged to prevent their extinction, even if it means killing many of their unendangered natural predators.
Which one of the following principles most helps to justify the naturalists' argumentation?

A、 In order to maximize the number of living things on Earth, steps should be taken to preserve all local populations of animals.
B、 When an animal is in danger of dying, there is an obligation to help save its life, if doing so would not interfere with the health or well-being of other animals or people.
C、 The threat of local extinction imposes no obligation to try to prevent that extinction, whereas the threat of global extinction does impose such an obligation.
D、 Human activities that either intentionally or unintentionally threaten the survival of an animal species ought to be curtailed.
E、 (E) Species that are found in only one circumscribed geographical region ought to be given more care and attention than are other species because they are more vulnerable to extinction.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 当人们认为南部岛屿大蜥蜴与北部岛屿大蜥蜴是同一物种时，南部岛屿大蜥蜴的濒临灭绝没有受到人们的重视；但是一旦发现南部岛屿大蜥蜴与北部岛屿大蜥蜴不同时，人们就被迫采取措施来保持它。这也就是说当南部岛屿大蜥蜴的灭绝能带来该物种的全球性灭绝时，人们就必须尽力采取措施来保护它，很明显(C)为正确答案；(E)有一定的迷惑性，但是应当注意(E)所讨论的内容与博物学家谈论的内容不符，博物学家是在谈论某一濒临灭绝的生物应该被保护，而(E)则谈论的是仅在一个地方发现的生物应该受到更多的关心和照顾，因此(E)虽然具有一定的正确性，但与(C)相比，就差远了；(A)、(B)和(D)都犯了一刀切的毛病，都是片面性或绝对化的方法，显然都不能证明博物学家的论述。