如果所有蜜蜂都滅絕了會怎樣？：英語精讀講義

Bees play a crucial role on Earth. 片語搭配

蜜蜂在地球上扮演著至關重要的角色。

Some even claim that if they go extinct, 講解

有些人甚至聲稱，如果蜜蜂滅絕，

humanity would be next.

接下來就會輪到人類。

So with the dramatic decline in bee population,

因此，隨著蜜蜂數量急遽下降，

should we be worried? 表達脈絡

我們該擔心嗎？

What happens if the bees all die?

如果所有蜜蜂都死了，會發生什麼事？

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

簡單來說，只要一種植物會開花，

you can bet that bees help them reproduce. 慣用語

你幾乎可以肯定，蜜蜂會幫助它繁殖。

This long-standing working relationship evolved 慣用語

這種由來已久的合作關係在演化中逐漸形成：

with flowers being bright and fragrant to attract bees, 文法

花朵變得鮮豔芳香，以吸引蜜蜂，

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

而蜜蜂毛茸茸、像魔鬼氈一樣的身體則能幫助牠們

to efficiently transfer pollen 片語搭配

有效率地傳遞花粉，

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

把花粉從植物的雄性部位帶到雌性部位。

This seemingly simple mechanism

這個看似簡單的機制

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

直接支撐著我們每天食用的七成水果、

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

蔬菜、種子與堅果的生產。

70%,

七成，

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

換算成全球農業收入，接近2,000億美元。

This huge responsibility is accomplished by droves of commercial bees 講解

這項重責大任由大批商業用蜜蜂扛起，

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

專業養蜂人飼養牠們，唯一目的就是將牠們運送

to farms or orchards to pollinate crops.

到農場或果園為農作物授粉。

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

但自2006年以來，這些勤奮忙碌的蜜蜂卻不明原因地持續消失。

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

這種「蜂群崩壞症候群」導致平均三分之一的商業用蜜蜂

abandoning their hives.

棄巢而去。

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

事實上，有些養蜂人甚至表示，他們九成的蜜蜂就這樣飛走了。

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

在某些蜂群裡，罪魁禍首是蟎蟲、病毒和寄生蟲，

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

但現在許多人把矛頭指向一類叫做新菸鹼類的殺蟲劑。

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

這種神經毒素用來殺死啃食作物的昆蟲和害蟲，

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

但蜜蜂吸食受污染的花蜜後，中樞神經系統也會受到影響。

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

而花蜜會被帶回蜂巢，因此整個蜂群都可能受到波及，

leading to mass confusion and disorientation. 表達脈絡

導致大規模的混亂與方向感喪失。

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

除此之外，其他因素也可能是禍首，例如異常寒冷而漫長的冬季、

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

商業用蜜蜂缺乏基因多樣性，

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

以及田野裡的花蜜來源不夠多元。

If the trend continues, 文法

如果這種趨勢持續下去，

entire food chains and webs may be at risk.

整條食物鏈與食物網都可能面臨危機。

Take almond plants for example. 表達脈絡

以杏仁樹為例。

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

這些堅果的外殼會拿來當作農場牛隻和雞的飼料。

Fewer bees means fewer almonds, 表達脈絡

蜜蜂越少，杏仁就越少，

which could mean declining livestock

這可能代表牲畜數量下降，

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

最終使牛奶、起司、雞蛋和肉類的產量減少。

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

更別提杏仁還會用在早餐穀片、烘焙食品和許多其他食品中。

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

肉牛和乳牛也會因苜蓿田消失而受到嚴重影響，

which are used to harvest hay for cattle.

這些田地用來收割供牛隻食用的乾草。

Looking for that morning buzz? 慣用語

還想在早上提提神嗎？

Considering bees pollinate Coffea arabica,

要知道，蜜蜂會為阿拉比卡咖啡樹授粉，

whose seeds we grind for coffee, 文法

我們正是把它的種子磨成咖啡粉，

you can count that out. 片語動詞

所以咖啡也別想喝了。

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

沒有蜜蜂，我們的飲食將主要由玉米、

wheat, and rice,

小麥和稻米組成，

as they are wind-pollinated plants.

因為它們都是靠風授粉的植物。

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

喜歡身上的衣服嗎？棉花不但是美國最大的經濟作物，

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

也佔全球纖維用量約35%。

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

所以，你可以跟那些藍色牛仔褲、

towels, mattresses, and high-quality paper products.

毛巾、床墊和高品質紙製品說再見了。

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

簡單來說，沒有蜜蜂，我們將生活在一個截然不同的世界。

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

更別提牠們消失後還會帶來沉重的經濟負擔。

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

所以，如果這種下降趨勢持續，我們未必真的會滅絕，

a world without the buzz of bees would definitely sting. 慣用語

但一個沒有蜜蜂嗡嗡聲的世界，肯定會狠狠「螫」我們一下。

Want a free copy of our new book?

想免費獲得一本我們的新書嗎？

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

現在，你可以到audible.com/asap取得一本，

which is the leading provider of audiobooks

Audible是首屈一指的有聲書供應商，

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

有超過15萬部各類文學作品可供下載。

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

我們的書就在上週剛出版，

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

裡面解答了許多我們從未在影片中回答過的問題，

which we're so excited to share with you.

我們非常期待與你分享這些內容。

You can download it or another audiobook of your choice

你可以下載這本書，或任選另一本有聲書，

for free at audible.com/asap.

到audible.com/asap就能免費取得。

Special thanks to Audible for making these videos possible

特別感謝Audible，讓這些影片得以製作，

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

也感謝你一直支持我們的節目與科學教育。

It means a lot. 語氣意圖

這對我們意義重大。

And if you missed our live science stream last week

如果你錯過了我們上週的科學直播，

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

當時我們現場演唱了《元素週期表之歌》，也回答了大家最迫切的問題，

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

記得點這裡觀看，或使用說明欄裡的連結。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

別忘了訂閱，收看每週更新的科學影片。