如果所有蜜蜂都灭绝了会怎样？：英语精读讲义

Bees play a crucial role on Earth. 短語搭配

蜜蜂在地球上扮演着至关重要的角色。

Some even claim that if they go extinct, 講解

有些人甚至声称，如果蜜蜂灭绝，

humanity would be next.

接下来灭绝的就会是人类。

So with the dramatic decline in bee population,

因此，随着蜜蜂数量急剧下降，

should we be worried? 表達脈絡

我们是否应该担心？

What happens if the bees all die?

如果所有蜜蜂都死了，会发生什么？

Simply put, if a plant produces a flower, 表達脈絡

简单来说，只要一种植物会开花，

you can bet that bees help them reproduce. 習語

那蜜蜂十有八九会帮助它繁殖。

This long-standing working relationship evolved 習語

这种由来已久的合作关系在进化中逐渐形成：

with flowers being bright and fragrant to attract bees, 語法

花朵变得鲜艳芳香，以吸引蜜蜂，

and the bees' fuzzy Velcro-like bodies helping them 用詞

而蜜蜂毛茸茸、如魔术贴般的身体则帮助它们

to efficiently transfer pollen 短語搭配

高效地传递花粉，

from the male part of the plant to the female part.

把花粉从植物的雄性部分带到雌性部分。

This seemingly simple mechanism

这个看似简单的机制

is directly responsible for the production of 70% of fruits, 短語搭配

直接支撑着我们每天食用的七成水果、

vegetables, seeds, and nuts we consume on a daily basis. 講解

蔬菜、种子和坚果的生产。

70%,

70%，

which translates into almost $200 billion in global agriculture revenue. 表達脈絡

换算成全球农业收入，接近2000亿美元。

This huge responsibility is accomplished by droves of commercial bees 講解

这项重任由大批商用蜜蜂承担，

reared by professional beekeepers for the sole purpose of being transported 短語搭配

专业养蜂人饲养它们，唯一目的就是将它们运送

to farms or orchards to pollinate crops.

到农场或果园为农作物授粉。

But since 2006, these hardworking busy bees have been mysteriously disappearing. 講解

但自2006年以来，这些勤劳忙碌的蜜蜂却一直在神秘消失。

This colony collapse disorder has seen an average of 1/3 of commercial bees 文化背景

这种“蜂群崩溃失调症”导致平均三分之一的商用蜜蜂

abandoning their hives.

弃巢而去。

In fact, some beekeepers have even reported that 90% of their bees have simply buzzed off. 習語

事实上，有些养蜂人甚至报告说，他们90%的蜜蜂就这样飞走了。

In some colonies, mites, viruses, and parasites have been to blame, 短語搭配

在一些蜂群中，罪魁祸首是螨虫、病毒和寄生虫，

but many are now looking at a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids. 講解

但如今许多人把目光投向了一类叫作新烟碱类的杀虫剂。

This neurotoxin is used to kill off crop-eating insects and pests, 短語動詞

这种神经毒素用于杀死啃食作物的昆虫和害虫，

but also affects the central nervous systems of bees when they consume contaminated nectar.

但蜜蜂摄入受污染的花蜜后，其中枢神经系统也会受到影响。

And since nectar is brought back to hives, the entire colony can be affected, 用詞

而花蜜会被带回蜂巢，因此整个蜂群都可能受到影响，

leading to mass confusion and disorientation. 表達脈絡

导致大范围的混乱和方向感丧失。

On top of this, other factors such as extremely cold and long winters, 表達脈絡

除此之外，其他因素也可能是罪魁祸首，例如极度寒冷而漫长的冬季、

a lack of genetic diversity in commercial bees, 短語搭配

商用蜜蜂缺乏遗传多样性，

and less variable nectar in the fields may be at fault. 短語搭配

以及田野中花蜜来源不够多样。

If the trend continues, 語法

如果这种趋势持续下去，

entire food chains and webs may be at risk.

整条食物链和食物网都可能面临风险。

Take almond plants for example. 表達脈絡

以杏仁树为例。

The hulls of these nuts are used as feed for farm cattle and chickens. 用詞

这些坚果的外壳会被用作农场牛和鸡的饲料。

Fewer bees means fewer almonds, 表達脈絡

蜜蜂越少，杏仁就越少，

which could mean declining livestock

这可能意味着牲畜数量下降，

and ultimately less milk, cheese, eggs, and meat production.

最终使牛奶、奶酪、鸡蛋和肉类的产量减少。

Not to mention almonds are used in cereal, baking, and many other food products. 表達脈絡

更别说杏仁还用于早餐麦片、烘焙食品和许多其他食品中。

Beef and dairy cows would also be harshly affected by the vanishing alfalfa fields,

肉牛和奶牛也会因苜蓿田消失而受到严重影响，

which are used to harvest hay for cattle.

这些田地用于收割供牛食用的干草。

Looking for that morning buzz? 習語

还想在早晨提提神吗？

Considering bees pollinate Coffea arabica,

要知道，蜜蜂会为阿拉比卡咖啡树授粉，

whose seeds we grind for coffee, 語法

我们正是把它的种子磨碎来制作咖啡，

you can count that out. 短語動詞

所以咖啡也别想喝了。

Without bees, our diets would consist of mostly corn, 語法

没有蜜蜂，我们的饮食将主要由玉米、

wheat, and rice,

小麦和大米构成，

as they are wind-pollinated plants.

因为它们都是靠风授粉的植物。

Like your clothes, not only is cotton the biggest cash crop in the US, 講解

喜欢你的衣服吗？棉花不仅是美国最大的经济作物，

it also makes up about 35% of the world's fiber use. 短語動詞

还占全球纤维用量的约35%。

So you can forget about those blue jeans, 短語動詞

所以，你可以告别那些蓝色牛仔裤、

towels, mattresses, and high-quality paper products.

毛巾、床垫和优质纸制品了。

Simply put, we'd be living in a completely different world without bees.

简单来说，没有蜜蜂，我们将生活在一个完全不同的世界。

Not to mention suffering a substantial economic strain from their disappearance. 短語搭配

更别提它们的消失还会造成沉重的经济负担。

So while we may not necessarily go extinct should the downward trend persist, 語法

因此，如果这种下降趋势持续，我们未必会因此灭绝，

a world without the buzz of bees would definitely sting. 習語

但一个没有蜜蜂嗡嗡声的世界，肯定会狠狠“蜇”我们一下。

Want a free copy of our new book?

想免费获得一本我们的新书吗？

Now you can get one from audible.com/asap,

现在，你可以从audible.com/asap领取一本，

which is the leading provider of audiobooks

Audible是领先的有声书提供商，

with over 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature.

有超过15万部各类文学作品可供下载。

Our book just came out this past week, 短語動詞

我们的书就在上周刚刚出版，

and it covers a ton of questions that have never been answered in our videos, 用詞

其中解答了许多我们从未在视频中回答过的问题，

which we're so excited to share with you.

我们非常激动能与你分享这些内容。

You can download it or another audiobook of your choice

你可以下载这本书，或任选另一本有声书，

for free at audible.com/asap.

前往audible.com/asap即可免费获取。

Special thanks to Audible for making these videos possible

特别感谢Audible让这些视频得以制作，

and to you for continually supporting our show and science education.

也感谢你一直以来对我们节目和科学教育的支持。

It means a lot. 語氣意圖

这对我们意义重大。

And if you missed our live science stream last week

如果你错过了我们上周的科学直播，

where we performed the Periodic Table Song live and answered your burning questions, 習語

当时我们现场演唱了《元素周期表之歌》，还回答了大家迫切想知道的问题，

be sure to check it out here or by using the link in the description.

一定要点击这里观看，或使用简介中的链接。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

订阅我们，观看更多每周更新的科学视频。