美国英语听力80篇1 Lesson15

（单词翻译）

[00:05.12]Cassava is an important food in the diets of more than 500,000,000 people in Africa, Asia and South America.
[00:15.70]However, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization notes that agricultural development policies
[00:24.53]often forget the importance of cassava.
[00:27.85]FAO officials organized a conference to prepare a plan of action to demonstrate¹ the value of this food crop.
[00:38.03]Agricultural experts met late last month in Rome, Italy.
[00:43.60]Thousands of years ago, people in South America grew cassava as a food crop.
[00:50.99]Portuguese explorers took the plant to Africa during the Sixteenth Century.
[00:57.81]Today, it is one of the most important crops in Africa.
[01:02.90]FAO officials say more than 116,000,000 tons of cassava were grown worldwide last year.
[01:12.72]They expect production to rise to almost 210,000,000 tons in five years.
[01:20.30]Cassava is a root plant.
[01:22.96]It can live without water better than other root or cereal² crops.
[01:28.45]It is the most productive³ crop in poor soils.
[01:32.50]Cassava requires little fertilizer⁴ or other chemicals.
[01:37.20](And) it needs the least labor⁵ to grow.
[01:41.17]Farmers can harvest cassava anytime from eight to twenty-four months after planting.
[01:48.28]The crops can be left in the ground as a safeguard⁶ against unexpected⁷ food shortages⁸.
[01:56.82]Cassava can be grown in many different environments.
[02:00.76]Farmers grow it on sandy soil in coastal⁹ areas where there is a lot of rain.
[02:07.74]They also grow it in dry areas 1,000 meters above sea level.
[02:14.32]People can eat both the leaves and the root of cassava.
[02:20.49]But the root is the main product.
[02:23.41]Most people cut (the roots into) pieces and cook them over an open fire.
[02:29.13]The plant also can be made into other food products.
[02:34.02]Cassava leaves contain a lot of vitamins, protein and minerals.
[02:40.76]However, many kinds of cassava contain high levels of a poisonous substance that must be removed before the plant can be eaten.
[02:51.57]So cassava must be prepared very carefully to prevent poisoning those who eat it.
[02:58.08]FAO officials say the nation officials say the nation of Ghana has shown the importance of improving cassava production.
[03:06.04]The officials say Ghana was able to reduce hungermore more quickly than any country between 1980 and 1996.