高中英语人教版必修第三册08

[00:09.40]Reading

[00:10.55]STUDYING PLANTS IN THE WILD

[00:12.25]The study of natural history is not something to be left to biologists.

[00:17.99]In fact, their capacity 1 in terms of the time they can spend away from their offices is very limited.

[00:25.65]Even if all professors in universities and research institutes could devote all their time to the study of nature,

[00:34.11]their contribution, although important, would still be quite small.

[00:39.39]To the study of natural history the contribution of other people with an interest in nature has always been equally important.

[00:48.76]In many countries,

[00:51.51]groups of people who share an interest in nature have formed natural history clubs.

[00:57.28]They regularly get together to explore the environment near their hometown.

[01:03.00]Some people have a general interest in nature,

[01:06.76]while others try to become specialists.

[01:09.58]Therefore, large natural history societies usually have different groups to study and observe birds,

[01:18.52]plants, insects or other wildlife.

[01:21.44]Some clubs have a long history,

[01:25.28]and many started at schools with the help of a biology teacher.

[01:29.83]Natural history societies with a long history often have a good library and modern equipment to explore nature.

[01:39.26]They publish their own magazines, in which they report their observations and research.

[01:45.69]Even some nature clubs run by students aged 2 between 12 and 25,

[01:51.54]are able to reach very high scientific standards.

[01:56.21]This is exactly why their contribution is so valuable.

[02:00.97]While governments,

[02:02.93]universities and research institutes only have limited budget to do fieldwork,

[02:09.27]people whose hobby it is to study botany can devote a great deal of money and time to it.

[02:16.14]Botany is very suitable as a hobby.

[02:20.09]Besides a good Flora 3, very little special equipment is needed.

[02:25.55]The most important things are a magnifying 4 glass (at least 8x),

[02:30.90]a short ruler, a pen and a notebook.

[02:34.98]A Flora is a special book to identify plants.

[02:39.34]The Flora of the British Isles 5,for example,

[02:43.42]is a book that describes all plants that are native to the British Isles.

[02:48.54]It is usually possible to find the name of a plant in about ten minutes,

[02:54.81]especially for people who are experienced 6 at working with a Flora.

[02:59.46]To find the name of plant species 7 it is often necessary to have a close look and count the male and female 8 organs in the flowers.

[03:10.30]To see this clearly,

[03:12.75]a magnifying glass is essential.

[03:15.21]Flowers are not always needed to identify the plant.

[03:19.47]Once the name has been found,

[03:22.21]it is important to make notes of the exact place where and the date when the plant was found.

[03:29.26]plants grow in communities, and plant sociology 9 is the branch of botany that studies this phenomenon.

[03:37.41]By making a careful analysis of the plant growth in a square metre,

[03:42.84]it is possible to find out what type of plant community occupies the land.

[03:48.10]Some plant communities are made up of very common plant species.

[03:53.06]Others may contain very special, endangered plant species.

[03:57.92]Knowing more about nature will help us realise which parts of our environment deserve 10 our protection.

[04:04.87]It is not necessary for you do live in the countryside to take an active interest in botany.

[04:11.68]Any environment, whether urban or rural 11,

[04:14.95]offers a variety of different habitats, in which plants can be studied.

[04:19.99]Nature often has to put up a fierce struggle to survive in the city.

[04:25.55]Still, every city contains natural habitats,

[04:29.92]in which wild plants have found their home.

[04:32.63]To study, describe and protect them makes and important contribution to science and an effort to care for the environment