英语听力精选进阶版 7310

《自然气候变化》期刊最新发表的一项研究指出全球气候变暖助长了农作物病虫害发生程度加重。埃克塞特和牛津的大学的研究人员发现，随着气候变暖，农作物害虫正在朝南北两极方向移动。

The researchers looked at more than 600 crop pests from around the world.

These included fungi¹, such as wheat rust², which is devastating³ harvests in Africa and the Middle East; insects like the mountain pine beetle⁴ that's destroying trees in the US; as well as bacteria, viruses and microscopic⁵ nematode worms.

They found that over the past 50 years, these destructive species have been on the move. On average, they're spreading 3km every year, shifting north and south towards the poles.

The scientists say this correlates with warming temperatures, allowing the pests to take hold in areas that were once too cold for them to live in.

Currently, between 10% and 20% of the world's crops are lost to pests - and the team warns that rising global temperatures could make the problem worse. The researchers say that improved surveillance of the problem is needed.

Quiz 听力测验

1. What is destroying American trees?

The mountain pine beetle.

2. Why do scientists think the spread of pests is linked to climate change?

The fact that pests are now moving to areas which were too cold for them before.

3. What amount of crops are lost?

Between 10% and 20%.

4. Who thinks it is necessary to observe what is happening closely to prevent it from getting worse?

The researchers from the universities of Exeter and Oxford⁶.

Glossary 词汇表

pests 害虫

fungi 真菌，霉菌

harvests 收成

on the move 在移动中的

correlates with 与…有关系

to take hold 扎根，繁衍

surveillance 监视，监控

1 fungi   

n.真菌，霉菌

参考例句：

• Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。
• The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。

2 rust   

n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退

参考例句：

• She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。
• The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 beetle   

n.甲虫，近视眼的人

参考例句：

• A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
• He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

5 microscopic   

adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的

参考例句：

• It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
• A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。

6 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。