常春藤解析英語 53 The Mysterious Honeybee Disappearance　神秘的蜂群消失事件

The Mysterious Honeybee Disappearance　神秘的蜂群消失事件

by Rebecca A. Fratzke

Honeybees are used to help many crops flower and grow. Thus, they play an extremely important _(1)_ in agriculture. However, since 2006, beekeepers in the US have seen a dramatic drop in honeybee numbers. Within five months during that year alone, honeybee populations were _(2)_ by 60%. Europe has also been experiencing drops in honeybee populations. Yet, in all cases, the reasons for the _(3)_ are not perfectly clear, leaving scientists scrambling to find answers.

The true mystery _(4)_ the fact that honeybees are disappearing abruptly, a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) (蜂群衰竭失調(diào)現(xiàn)象), and many factors are causing it to happen. One is the Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV). IAPV was brought into the US by honeybees _(5)_ from Australia. It causes shaking wings, paralysis, and death. Additionally, changes in the honeybees' behavior have been observed that affect their navigational abilities. This results in honeybees leaving their hive as _(6)_, but then being unable to find their way back. As a consequence, only the queen and a few adolescents are _(7)_ in the hive.

Strangely, honeybees _(8)_ IAPV in Australia do not have these behavioral changes. Experts believe that the varroa mite (蜂虱), which is prevalent in the US but _(9)_ in Australia, is the reason. Varroa mites attack whole colonies and weaken the honeybees' immune systems, making them _(10)_ to viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Still, scientists are unsure what exactly is causing CCD. With US$15 billion and 11% of food crops at stake in the US, they aren't giving up.

(A) imported　　(B) role　　(C) absent　　(D) lies in　　(E) left behind

(F) reduced　　(G) infected with　　(H) declines　　(I) vulnerable　　(J) usual

原來如此

1.Thus, they play an extremely important role in agriculture.

理由:

a. 空格前有及物動詞 play，故可知空格應(yīng)置入名詞 role 作其受詞，并形成下列固定用法：

play an important role in...　　在……上扮演重要角色

例: The bad weather here played an important role in my decision to move.

(這里的壞天氣是我決定要搬家的重要因素。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，(B) 應(yīng)為正選。

2. Within five months during that year alone, honeybee populations were reduced by 60%.

理由:

a. 空格前是 be 動詞 were，空格后是介詞詞組 by 60%，可知空格應(yīng)填入過去分詞，形成被動用法。

b. 選項中為過去分詞的有 (A) imported(被進口)、(E) left behind(被遺留)、(F) reduced(被減少)與 (G) infected with(被感染)，然根據(jù)語意，此處應(yīng)是指蜜蜂數(shù)量『銳減了』百分之六十，故選 (F)。

3. Yet, in all cases, the reasons for the declines are not perfectly clear,...

理由:

a. 空格前為定冠詞 the，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入名詞。

b. 選項中僅剩 (H) declines(下降;減少)為名詞，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. decline n. 下降;減少

4. The true mystery lies in the fact that honeybees are disappearing abruptly,...

理由:

a. 空格前為第三人稱單數(shù)主詞 The true mystery，空格后為名詞 the fact，可知空格應(yīng)填入第三人稱單數(shù)的及物動詞或及物動詞詞組。

b. 符合上述條件的僅有 (D) lies in(在于……)，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. lie in...　　在于……

例: Her self-confidence lies in the fact that she's pretty.

(她的自信來自于她的美貌。)

5. IAPV was brought into the US by honeybees imported from Australia.

理由:

a. 空格前為完整的句構(gòu)，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入現(xiàn)在分詞或過去分詞，和 from Australia 形成分詞詞組，用以修飾空格前的名詞 honeybees。

b. 根據(jù)上述，得知可置入 (A) 選項，形成下列固定用法：

be imported from + 地方　　自某地進口

例: She has a set of modern kitchen equipment imported from Germany.

(她有一組從德國進口的現(xiàn)代廚房設(shè)備。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，故選 (A)。

6. This results in honeybees leaving their hive as usual, but then being unable to find their way back.

理由:

a. 本空格測試以下固定用法：

as usual　　一如往常

例: As usual, Tony was late for work this morning.

(如往常一樣，東尼今早上班又遲到了。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，故選 (J)。

7. As a consequence, only the queen and a few adolescents are left behind in the hive.

理由:

a. 空格前為 be 動詞 are，空格后為地方副詞 in the hive，得知空格內(nèi)可置入形容詞或分詞，來修飾主詞 the queen and a few adolescents。

b. 符合上述的有 (C) absent(不在的)、(E) left behind(被遺留的)、(G) infected with(感染)和 (I) vulnerable(易受傷的)，然根據(jù)語意，本處應(yīng)指巢中只『留下』女王蜂和一些幼蜂，(E) 置入后符合語意，故選之。

c. be left behind　　被遺留下來

leave...behind　　遺留下……

例: Ron didn't pay attention as he left the party, and he left his wallet behind.

(朗恩離開派對時心不在焉，忘了帶走皮夾。)

8. ...honeybees infected with IAPV in Australia do not have these behavioral changes.

理由:

a. 本句的主詞是 honeybees，動詞是 have，these behavioral changes 是受詞，句構(gòu)完整，故空格應(yīng)置入現(xiàn)在分詞或過去分詞，與 IAPV in Australia 構(gòu)成分詞詞組，以修飾主詞 honeybees。

b. 符合上述的分詞詞組僅剩 (G) infected with(被感染)，置入后語意亦正確，故選之。

c. be infected with + 疾病　　感染(上)……(疾病)

例: Gina was infected with a rare disease after a bat bit her.

(吉娜被蝙蝠咬了之后感染一種罕見疾病。)

9. ...varroa mite, which is prevalent in the US but absent in Australia, is the reason.

理由:

a. 空格前的 but 為對等連接詞，用以連接兩個對等的單字、詞組或子句，空格前為形容詞 prevalent，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入形容詞。

b. 選項中的形容詞有 (C) absent(不存在的)和 (I) vulnerable(易受傷害的)，由于連接詞 but 前后的語意應(yīng)該是相反的，故蜂虱在美國雖然很常見，在澳洲卻『不存在』，因此 (C) 置入后符合語意，故選之。

10. Varroa mites attack whole colonies..., making them vulnerable to viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

理由:

a. 空格前的 make 為不完全及物動詞，加受詞后意思并不完全，須接名詞或形容詞作受詞補語。

b. 符合上述僅有 (I) vulnerable(易受傷害的)，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. vulnerable a. 易受傷害的(與介詞 to 并用)

be vulnerable to...　　易受到……(傷害、影響)

例: Since Al was born weak, he is vulnerable to colds.

(由于艾爾天生體質(zhì)虛弱，所以容易感冒。)

精解字詞詞組

1. alone a. 僅僅，只有(用于名詞后)

例: I alone am responsible for what happened.

(對于所發(fā)生的事全由我一個人負責。)

2. scramble to V　　緊急(做)……

例: Susan forgot to do her homework and had to scramble to finish it before class.

(蘇珊忘了做功課，所以得趕緊在上課前寫完。)

3. result in...　　導致∕造成……

= lead to...

例: Exposure to radiation can result in cancer.

(暴露在輻射線下可能會致癌。)

4. as a consequence　　結(jié)果，因此

= consequently

= as a result

例: The teacher caught Jim cheating. As a consequence, he got an F on the test.

(老師抓到吉姆作弊。結(jié)果他考試成績不及格。)

5. at stake　　在危險關(guān)頭

例: You must do this project well. Your job is at stake.

(你必須做好這項項目，因為你的工作岌岌可危。)

單字小鋪

1. mysterious a. 神秘的

2. crop n. 作物

3. agriculture n. 農(nóng)業(yè)

4. dramatic a. 顯著的，重大的;戲劇性的

5. population n.(動植物的)總數(shù);人口

6. perfectly adv. 完全地

7. abruptly adv. 突然地

8. collapse n. 暴跌;倒塌

9. acute a. 急性的

10. paralysis n. 麻痹，癱瘓

11. additionally adv. 此外

12. navigational a. 飛行的，航行的

13. hive n. 蜂巢

14. adolescent n. 青少年(本文指幼蜂)

15. behavioral a. 行為的

16. varroa mite n. 蜂虱(蜜蜂身上的寄生蟲)

17. prevalent a. 流行的;盛行的

18. immune system n. 免疫系統(tǒng)

19. fungi n. 真菌(復數(shù)形)

fungus n. 真菌(單數(shù)形)

詞組小鋪

* be used to V　　被用來做……

be used to + N/V-ing　　習慣……

中文翻譯&標準答案

蜜蜂被用來幫忙許多作物開花、生長。因此，牠們在農(nóng)業(yè)上扮演極重要的角色。然而，自 2006 年起，美國的蜂農(nóng)目睹蜜蜂數(shù)量顯著下降。該年光是五個月內(nèi)蜜蜂數(shù)量就銳減了百分之六十。歐洲也同樣發(fā)生蜜蜂數(shù)量減少的現(xiàn)象。然而，在所有的案例中，造成數(shù)量下降的原因并不全然清楚，讓科學家急忙尋找答案。

謎底在于蜜蜂突然間大量消失，這現(xiàn)象稱為『蜂群衰竭失調(diào)現(xiàn)象』(CCD)。造成此現(xiàn)象的因素有很多，其中之一是以色列急性癱瘓病毒(IAPV)。這種病毒是由澳洲進口的蜜蜂帶進美國的，會造成蜜蜂翅膀顫抖、癱瘓后死亡。此外，還觀察到影響蜜蜂導航能力的行為變異，導致蜜蜂如往常離巢后卻找不到回家的路。結(jié)果，巢中只留下女王蜂和一些幼蜂。

奇怪的是，在澳洲感染 IAPV 的蜜蜂不會發(fā)生這種行為失序。專家相信這是因為美國蜂虱橫行，而澳洲沒有蜂虱所造成的。蜂虱會攻擊蜂群，并削弱蜜蜂的免疫系統(tǒng)，使牠們對病毒、細菌和真菌失去抵抗力。雖然還不確定造成 CCD 現(xiàn)象真正的主因為何，但因為牽涉到美國面臨一百五十億美元的損失和百分之十一的糧食作物短缺，科學家還在努力尋找原因。

標準答案:1. (B)　2. (F)　3. (H)　4. (D)　5. (A) 　6. (J)　7. (E)　8. (G)　9. (C)　10. (I)