【一起听英语】养蜂
英语课
Dima: Hi, welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, Dima Kostenko
Rebecca: and me, Rebecca Byrne. Hi.
Dima: Today we'll be finding out how a small bee has become the cause of a big
problem in the UK - and how an environmental organisation 1 has stepped in to
rectify 2 it. But first of all, Rebecca, do you mind taking us through some of
today's key vocabulary?
Rebecca: Responds (Sure, why not, I think am becoming used to being your language
guide!)
Dima: Excellent - and as you're listening to Rebecca make sure you keep your ears
open, so to speak, because this vocabulary may help you guess the answer to
this week's question. Ready? Over to you Rebecca.
Rebecca: OK. First of all, the expression 'to be on the decline'. I personally wouldn't
often use it in my normal everyday conversations - I'd be more likely to say
something like 'to be falling', or 'dwindling 3', or simply 'getting smaller', but
essentially 4 they all mean the same.
Dima: So that's 'to be on the decline'.
Rebecca: Yes, that's right. Secondly 5, the word 'pests'. A pest is an insect or small animal
which is harmful to other species or which damages crops. And another phrase
for you, 'the lack of habitat'. That's when there is not enough land that provides
natural conditions for a species to thrive, or sometimes even to survive.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009
Page 2 of 4
Dima: OK Rebecca, well explained, and now, as usual, a question for you. Can you
guess what exactly is the problem caused by the bees? Is it
a) that there are too many bees in the UK;
b) that the number of bees is growing slower than expected, or
c) that the number of bees is in fact falling?
Rebecca: Responds.
Dima: We'll check your answer in a minute, after we've listened to the BBC journalist
Lesley Ashmall. She tells us what the problem is using the vocabulary we've
just discussed:
Rebecca: On the decline, pests and the lack of habitat.
Dima: Let's listen:
Clip 1 0'16"
There are 250 species of bee in the UK but nearly all are on the decline. The number of honey
bees has fallen by 10-15% in the last two years. Pests and disease is a common problem, as is
the lack of habitat and food supply.
Rebecca: Lesley Ashmall explains that over the past two years, the number of nearly all
species of bees in the UK has been on the decline… Which means that my
earlier guess was right/wrong… And apparently 6 an environmental organisation
called Natural England is now encouraging people to buy plants that bees like,
and even to consider putting a beehive in their garden, balcony or roof. But
Dima, why should the falling numbers of bees be seen as a big enough problem
to ask a BBC journalist to report on it?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009
Page 3 of 4
Dima: Well, according to Tom Tew, the Chief Scientist of Natural England, it's what
bees naturally do that's important. And not only for the preservation 7 of the
environment but, crucially, for the economy.
Rebecca: Correct me if I'm wrong Dima but when you were talking about what bees
naturally do, did you mean they pollinate?
Dima: I did Rebecca, and that's exactly what Tom Tew is saying. He speaks of bees as
'crucial pollinators'.
Rebecca: 'Pollinators', in other words creatures that carry pollen 8 grains and fertilise
plants.
Dima: And 'to fertilise' of course simply means to make a plant grow or produce
crops. OK, let's now listen to Tom Tew's explanation of how bees are
important economically:
Clip 2 0'10"
They are crucial pollinators for strawberries, for apples, for raspberries and for the
commercial crops like oilseed rape 9. So they are critically economically important.
Rebecca: So, are you tempted 10 to buy a beehive Dima?
Dima: Responds
Rebecca: OK, but if you are, don't forget it could be a risky 11 enterprise. Always seek a
specialist advice.
Dima: Will do. And I think I know where to start - simply follow the links from our
website, bbclearningenglish.com. But wait, don't run away to log on just yet
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009
Page 4 of 4
because Rebecca looks like she's just about to remind you of some of the
vocabulary we've heard today. Am I right Rebecca?
Rebecca: Responds. OK, we talked about the expression 'to be on the decline', meaning
to get smaller, to shrink. We also talked about some of the reasons why the
number of bees is falling: one was 'pests', and a pest is an insect or small
animal which is harmful to other species or which damages crops; and another
reason is 'the lack of habitat'. That's when there is not enough land that
provides natural conditions for a species to thrive, or sometimes even to
survive.
We also mentioned 'pollinators'. This noun derives 12 from the verb 'to pollinate'
which means to carry pollen grains and fertilise plants. And then you Dima
explained that 'to fertilise' means to make a plant grow or produce crops.
And finally, I mentioned the word 'beehive'. I didn't quite get the chance to
explain what it is, so Dima, maybe you can help?
Dima: Responds
Rebecca: A beehive is a box-like container in which bees are kept so that their honey can
be collected.
Dima: I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Until next week.
Both: Goodbye! (Rebecca, do you like honey?.. continue chatting)
1 organisation
n.组织,安排,团体,有机休
- The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
- His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。
2 rectify
v.订正,矫正,改正
- The matter will rectify itself in a few days.那件事过几天就会变好。
- You can rectify this fault if you insert a slash.插人一条斜线便可以纠正此错误。
3 dwindling
adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )
- The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句
4 essentially
adv.本质上,实质上,基本上
- Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
- She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。
5 secondly
adv.第二,其次
- Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二,动脑筋提出自己的见解。
- Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次,需要确定所作用的载荷。
6 apparently
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
- An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
- He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
7 preservation
n.保护,维护,保存,保留,保持
- The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
- The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。
8 pollen
n.[植]花粉
- Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
- He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
9 rape
n.抢夺,掠夺,强奸;vt.掠夺,抢夺,强奸
- The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
- He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。
10 tempted
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
- I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
- I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。