时间:2018-12-07 作者:英语课 分类:农业与发展


英语课

AGRICULTURE REPORT

February 12, 2002: Sharpshooters


By George Grow



This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.


Farmers in the American state of California are guarding against an insect called the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
It carries Pierce’s disease, a bacterial 1 disease that attacks grape plants and other crops. Government and industry
are working to fight the sharpshooter and the deadly disease.


California is a leading producer of wine, the alcoholic 2 drink made from grapes. The California wine industry
provides thirty-three-thousand-million dollars for the state’
s economy.


For more than a century, California grape growers have battled Pierce ’s disease. It
has caused major damage to Los Angeles area farmers several times.


A new, more threatening glassy-winged sharpshooter arrived in southern California
twelve years ago. Scientists believe this insect came from the southern United
States. Officials estimate it has caused fourteen-million dollars in damage over the
past several years. Experts say it is now ready to attack other parts of California.


The glassy-winged sharpshooter feeds on hundreds of different kinds of plants. The
small insect spreads Pierce’s disease as it moves from plant to plant. The bacterial
disease slowly kills the plants. There is no known treatment. In addition, the insect


carries diseases that can harm peaches, oranges and other crops.


American scientists are studying ways to stop the sharpshooter. One method involves covering grapevines with
particles of kaolin, a fine white clay. The particles stick to the insects when they land on treated grapevines. The
insects do not eat the plants, and are unlikely to leave their eggs there. A similar treatment has successfully
protected other kinds of fruit from insects.


Other scientists are studying ways to safely kill sharpshooters. They found that some chemicals were very
effective. Some of the chemicals were still killing 3 sharpshooters four weeks after the plants were treated.


However, scientists want to guarantee that the chemicals do not kill helpful insects, such as egg parasitoids. They
are a leading natural enemy of sharpshooters. Scientists have already released one kind of egg parasitoid in
California. Other scientists are studying parasitoids that eat the eggs of a native South American sharpshooter.


This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.


Glassy-winged sharpshooter
on a grape leaf
(Photo -Peggy Greb)
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1 bacterial
a.细菌的
  • Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间,细菌繁殖加快了。
  • Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。
2 alcoholic
adj.(含)酒精的,由酒精引起的;n.酗酒者
  • The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
  • Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。
3 killing
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
学英语单词
Abdullahpur
acheilus
Alkalispirillum
amorphous portion
appraisal clause
argentocracy
articulation (or joint)
association by causation
avian physiology
basic indexing and retrieval system
bed of honour
beire
bothriurids
breakeven level
buggerers
centimetric radar
chain operation
channel set
chivaler
Chuadanga District
Coober Pedy
copter mount
corrugated-metal
damping system
decree nisi of divorce
development strategy
device-dependent I/O
dictatorship of bourgeoisie
distribution of random variable
doughts
drogoul
dry-film resist
false value
feeding principles
gay libs
gesneria family
GFSK
Gleithobel
glycerids
independently of
ink palette
isulating jacket
juvenile white cell
knipl
latest time
leap over the wall
locus of evaluation
lovelessness
lymphatic system diagnostics
measures of peakness
mediumpressure pneumatic conveyer
meted
monitor working area
multi-deck sinking platform
multichaperone
multicurrencies
nannoes
national laws
non disconnecting fuse
oil purifying system
panning technique
Petri dishes
photosensitive emulsion
plural boards
polyarylsulfone (pasf)
prescription
proficiency testing
prosperately
Purley shales
rabbitite
retarding mechanism
rhubarb plant
rough-cast plastering
Sampit, Tk.
search tree
seaworthy certificate
sediment transportation mechanics
serenium
set of independent vertices
sheriffe
shipping intelligence
sling hoop
socket cement
sphenochasm
spliceostatins
spread-bat
Stropharia ambigua
Teasmades
tetranal
tetrapterous
the roma
to tangle with
touch sense
turning tool
Tymtey
unmeritedness
vehicle pitch angle
velocity control of logging
venerist
virgin drop black
wisconsin card sorting test (wcst)
women's troubles