英语听力精选进阶版 13654

Frankincense under threat, says study

Summary

26 December 2011

Researchers in the Netherlands say that frankincense, a significant item in the Christmas story, faces an uncertain future. In the Journal of Applied² Ecology, they warned that the production of the fragrant³ substance could decline by half over the next 15 years.

Reporter

Victoria Gill

religious ceremony 

Frankincense is used in religious ceremonies throughout the world

Report

Frankincense is burned in religious ceremonies throughout the world. The sweet-smelling incense¹ is produced from resin⁴ tapped from the Boswellia tree, which grows in the drylands of Africa and the Arabian peninsula.

But this delicate tree is struggling to sustain itself.

The team monitored the survival and growth of more than 6,000 Boswellia trees in Ethiopia. They used the data to model the changing population of the trees and discovered that this was declining dramatically.

Tapping trees for resin doesn't affect their survival at all. Instead, young trees often fail to get established as they're eaten by livestock⁵ or pushed out by faster-growing species.

The scientists say that Boswellia plantations⁶ should be carefully protected for up to 10 years while the saplings mature. Measures like this could safeguard the future of a product that's been traded since long before the time of the Christmas story.

Victoria Gill

1 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 fragrant   

adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的

参考例句：

• The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
• The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

4 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句