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英语听力—环球英语 1139 Planting Ancient Trees

时间:2012-10-31 05:27来源:互联网 提供网友:jpstudy   字体: [ ]
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   Voice 1

 
  Hello and welcome to Spotlight1. I'm Joshua Leo.
 
  Voice 2
 
  And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
 
  Voice 1
 
  Imagine a tree. Now, make it taller. And taller. Imagine that this tree is more than 73 meters tall - as tall as a building with 24 levels!
 
  Voice 2
 
  Now imagine that this tree is not JUST tall. It is also WIDE - more than four meters wide. Can you imagine a tree this large? It is large enough to drive a car through. It is large enough to build a house in. And trees like this do not just exist in your imagination. This is the Sequoia2 tree. And Sequoia trees are found in northern California, in the United States.
 
  Voice 1
 
  Northern California has some of the oldest and largest trees in the world – including the Sequoia trees. These trees can live to be more than two thousand years old. And like many other large and ancient trees, these trees are at risk. They are at risk of dying3 out completely and becoming extinct4.
 
  Voice 2
 
  Many groups around the world are working to save ancient trees like the Sequoias. Today's Spotlight is on one of these groups: the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. This organization wants to reproduce5 these ancient trees. They believe these trees can help save the environment.
 
  Voice 1
 
  Many things threaten ancient trees. In many places, people want to cut down ancient trees. Some people want to use the land for other things - like expanding cities, or farms. Other people want to use the wood for building or burning. Changes to the environment also threaten ancient trees. Like all trees, disease6, pollution, and changes in the weather can weaken7 or kill the trees.
 
  Voice 2
 
  David Milarch is one of the creators of the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. He talked to the Associated Press about the world's old growth forests. These forests contain the world's oldest trees. Milarch said,
 
  Voice 3
 
  "We have destroyed 98% of the old growth forests. These forests have kept nature in balance for thousands of years."
 
  Voice 1
 
  The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive has a goal. They want to re-produce and re-plant thousands of the largest, oldest and most environmentally helpful ancient trees. The scientists at the Archive start this process by collecting small pieces of ancient living trees. They use these tree pieces to collect and record the trees' genetic8 information. They also plant these very small pieces of ancient tree in a liquid mixture. The mixture contains vitamins, minerals and other chemicals needed for the tree pieces to grow. Soon, these pieces of ancient tree will grow new roots - they will become very small trees. This process of re-producing trees is called cloning. Genetically9, these new trees are exactly the same as the original, ancient tree.
 
  Voice 2
 
  The Archive has completed this process with sixty different kinds of trees. For all these trees, they have collected genetic information and created new clones. Their results are a living collection or library of ancient tree information. Their goal is to collect genetic information and make clones of two hundred different kinds of ancient trees. The scientists hope that this collection will be useful for study now and in the future.
 
  Voice 1
 
  But this is only the first part of the Archive's work! When the very small trees grow large enough, the scientist move them to new containers. These containers are filled with dirt. In the dirt, the very small clones will grow into larger young trees. Soon, they will be ready to plant in the ground. Then, the Archive will encourage people to buy and plant the trees. They hope that colleges, businesses and cities will buy the young trees and plant them in their areas.
 
  Voice 2
 
  The Archangel Ancient Tree Archive believes that planting these new trees can help to heal10 the environment. This is because they choose trees that are especially helpful to the environment. Some of the trees they clone capture11 toxins12, or bad substances, from the soil. They can make polluted soil healthy again. The trees are big and strong enough to hold the toxins from the environment.
 
  Voice 1
 
  Other trees, like the Sequoias and Giant Redwoods from California, are able to store large amounts of carbon. Carbon dioxide is a gas that is a major cause of climate change. These trees are able to capture large amounts of carbon from the air. They also give off great amounts of oxygen - a gas necessary for all life on earth. Dr. William Libby is a scientist who advises the Archive. He also talked to the Associated Press about this work. He explains,
 
  Voice 4
 
  "California's redwoods and sequoias are the world's largest trees. They are the best for holding carbon because of their size, quick growth and strength. The longer a tree lives, the longer it can keep carbon from entering the atmosphere."
 
  Voice 2
 
  However, there are some concerns about the Archive's work. Some people wonder if it will really save ancient forests. The Archive hopes to plant individual trees. But these trees will not likely be in large groups - like forests. Instead, they will be planted separately. Although this does create new individual trees, it does not re-produce the important forest environment. Also, some people may not plant the trees in their native areas. Scientists worry that these trees will not survive or be as helpful in other places.
 
  Voice 1
 
  One final concern is about the way the Archive is growing the trees. Cloning trees is not a new process. However, cloning ancient tree is. This is because cloning young trees is much easier. Ancient trees are difficult to re-produce. The Archive's new method of cloning ancient trees is amazing. But like all cloned trees, the new, young trees are genetically identical13 to the parent trees. They are exactly the same in every way. This means that if a new disease is able to attack and kill an ancient tree, it will be able to attack all its clones. When trees naturally re-produce, each new tree is a little different. And this can protect new generations of trees from disease.
 
  Voice 2
 
  These concerns are important. But William Libby argues that the Archive is doing important work too. They are collecting and saving14 the genetic information of these ancient and useful trees - information necessary for future research. They are also encouraging people to plant trees and care for ancient forests now - acts that can fight climate change before it is too late!
 
  Voice 1
 
  To learn more about the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, visit our website at http://www.radioenglish.net There., you can also share your opinion about the Archive. Is it helping15 to save ancient forests?
 
  Voice 2
 
  The writer of this program was Erin Layman16. The producer was Joshua Leo. The voices were from the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. This program is called "Planting Ancient Trees." You can hear this program again and read it on the Internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called "Planting Ancient Trees."
 
  Voice 1
 
  We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye!

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 spotlight 6hBzmk     
n.公众注意的中心,聚光灯,探照灯,视听,注意,醒目
参考例句:
  • This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
  • The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。
2 sequoia MELyo     
n.红杉
参考例句:
  • The sequoia national forest is at the southern end of the sierra nevada range.红杉国家公园位于内华达山脉南端尽头处。
  • The photo shows the enormous general Sherman tree in California's sequoia national park.照片显示的是加利福尼亚州红杉国家公园内巨大的谢尔曼将军树。
3 dying 1rGx0     
adj.垂死的,临终的
参考例句:
  • He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
  • She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子,那里有一个垂死的人。
4 extinct CPAzO     
adj.灭绝的,不再活跃的,熄灭了的,已废弃的
参考例句:
  • All hopes were extinct.所有希望都破灭了。
  • Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years.恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。
5 reproduce yVkxZ     
v.生育,繁殖,复制,重做
参考例句:
  • The machine can reproduce a key in two minutes.这机器能在两分钟内复制一把钥匙。
  • The picture will reproduce well.这照片会印得很清楚。
6 disease etMxx     
n.疾病,弊端
参考例句:
  • The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
  • He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。
7 weaken 8gDwi     
v.(使)变弱,(使)虚弱
参考例句:
  • You can weaken the tea by adding water.你可以加水把茶弄得淡一些。
  • We never weaken our efforts in face of difficulties.我们在困难面前从不软化我们的努力。
8 genetic PgIxp     
adj.遗传的,遗传学的
参考例句:
  • It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
  • Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。
9 genetically Lgixo     
adv.遗传上
参考例句:
  • All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
  • Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物
10 heal Fd9xt     
v.使愈合,治愈,使康复;平息(争吵等);消除,解决(分支等)
参考例句:
  • Time helped heal the old wounds.时间有助于治愈旧创伤。
  • This wound will soon heal if yon keep it clean.如果你保持伤口清洁,它很快就会痊愈。
11 capture xTny1     
vt.捕获,俘获;占领,夺得;n.抓住,捕获
参考例句:
  • The company is out to capture the European market.这家公司希望占据欧洲市场。
  • With the capture of the escaped tiger,everyone felt relieved.逃出来的老虎被捕获后,大家都松了一口气。
12 toxins 18c3f40d432ba8dc33bad8fb82873ea8     
n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
  • Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 identical lcPzh     
adj.完全一样的,完全相同的;同一的
参考例句:
  • She wore the identical dress on both occasions.她在两种场合穿的是同一件衣服。
  • He is identical in character with his wife.他的品性和他的夫人相同。
14 saving XjYzGK     
n.节省,节约;[pl.]储蓄金,存款
参考例句:
  • Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
  • Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。
15 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
16 layman T3wy6     
n.俗人,门外汉,凡人
参考例句:
  • These technical terms are difficult for the layman to understand.这些专门术语是外行人难以理解的。
  • He is a layman in politics.他对政治是个门外汉。
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