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新闻背景导读
全球主要粮食生产国美国今年遭遇了半个世纪以来的罕见干旱，在玉米、小麦、大豆等农作物严重减产的预期下，国际大宗商品市场谷物价格6月以来一路飙升，全球粮食价格上涨趋势日渐明朗，特别是大米价格的涨幅超过50%。全世界粮食价格涨声一片，成为多个国家的难题。粮价上涨使很多国家贫民的生活陷入了困境，有些地方人们甚至将一天三餐改为两餐。
新闻词汇热身
sharply adv. 剧烈地
drought n. 干旱，旱灾
expectation n. 期待，预期
reduction n. 减少，缩小；下降，降低
maize n. 玉米
cereal n. 谷类植物，谷物
volatile adj. 动荡不定的；反复无常的
正点新闻播报
Worries About Rising Food Prices May Ease
A United Nations report says world food prices stayed the same in August. Prices were unchanged after rising sharply in July.
A summer of drought in the United States and Russia has reduced expectations for corn and wheat supplies. As a result, a measure of food prices by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization rose six percent in July. But FAO economist Concepcion Calpe says the expected reductions did not get any worse in August.
CONCEPCION CALPE: "We're not in a bad situation, or as bad situation as we were last month because the prospects are not worsening further. And this is already good news."
Demand remains high for food commodities like maize and wheat. The U.N. estimates that more cereal crops will be consumed this year than will be produced. That means markets will have to use some of the supplies that have been kept in reserve. Concepcion Calpe says those reserves have been low for several years.
She says there will be ups and downs in prices until production meets the level of demand. Still, many experts do not expect a repeat of the crisis of two thousand seven and two thousand eight. Prices jumped, playing a part in civil unrest in several countries.
For one thing, these experts point out that energy prices are lower now. That means producing and transporting food is not so costly. And Gary Ellerts at the United States Agency for International Development says this year's bad weather has not affected another important crop: rice. Mr. Eilerts is head of the agency's Famine Early Warning System.
GARY EILERTS: "Rice is very calm, very nice. Prices are not volatile . There's a large supply. And so, countries that depend on that, that were hurt a great deal in two thousand eight, are not being touched right now."
新闻播报译文
粮食价格上涨的担忧可能缓解
联合国一份报告称，8月份世界粮食价格保持不变。7月份大幅上涨后，8月份粮价基本持平。
美国和俄罗斯夏季的干旱使玉米和小麦的供应较预期减小。因此，联合国粮农组织的食品价格指数7月份上涨了6%。但粮农组织经济学家康塞普西翁·卡尔佩（Concepcion Calpe）表示，预期的减少在8月份并没有继续恶化。
卡尔佩：“现在的情况还好，或者说不像上个月那么差。形势没有进一步恶化，而这就是好消息。”
玉米和小麦等食品类商品的需求仍然很大。据联合国估计，今年消耗的谷类作物会超出生产的谷类作物。这意味着市场将不得不动用一些储备粮食。卡尔佩说，储备量多年来一直都很低。
她说，价格会起起伏伏，直到粮食生产满足需求。尽管如此，许多专家并不认为2007年和2008年的危机会重演。物价暴涨对一些国家的内乱也起到了一定作用。
这些专家指出原因之一是目前能源价格较低，这意味着生产和运输食品没那么昂贵。美国国际开发署的加里·埃勒（Gary Ellerts）表示，今年的恶劣天气没有影响到另一种重要作物：水稻。埃勒先生是该机构饥荒早期预警系统的负责人。
埃勒：“水稻价格非常平稳，没有波动，供应充足。因此那些在2008年受到极大损害的、依赖水稻的国家当前没有受到影响。”
新闻语言点睛
1. stay the same 保持不变
例句 I know things will change, but Casey stays the same.
我知道事物将改变，但是凯西没有变。
2. as a result 结果
例句 He was late as a result of the snow.
由于大雪他迟到了。
3. keep in reserve 留作预备；储存
例句 It is advisable to keep a little food in reserve in case of emergency.
最好储备一点食物，以应急需。
4. ups and downs 起伏；兴衰
例句 Life is full of ups and downs.
生活是充满曲折的。
新闻背景导读
据《联合早报》报道，在瑞典斯德哥尔摩举行的“世界水周”大会上，国际水源管理研究所发表一份报告说，在第三世界国家里，70%城市周围一半的农田都用污水灌溉，这可能助长流行疾病的传播。水源专家指出，每年全球有140万儿童因为腹泻和卫生条件差而死亡，并称全球性厕所卫生危机是“世界最大的环境问题”。
专家说，对水源和食品需求的增长，刺激了污水灌溉的兴起；而且在很多时候，对缺少净水的农民来，污水是唯一的水源。
新闻词汇热身
irrigation n. 灌溉
agricultural adj. 农业的
malaria n. 疟疾
mosquito n. 蚊子
reproduce v. 繁殖，生殖
habitat n. 栖息地，住处
transition n. 过渡，转变
intervention n. 介入，干涉，干预
vector n. （传播疾病的）媒介生物
正点新闻播报
Irrigation Brings Malaria Along with Water
Irrigation systems can make a big difference in agricultural production. Irrigation can also improve the lives of farm families. However, the addition of water to the land or soil may cause problems in some areas. A new study describes how irrigation water can lead to an increase in malaria cases that could last for ten years or more.
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes , the insects like to reproduce in standing water. So when a dry area is irrigated, the disease can appear and spread.
Mercedes Pascual is a scientist at the University of Michigan. She and her team studied areas in northern India where irrigation systems were built over a number of years. They compared how malaria progressed with the spread of irrigation.
"What happens is that when you irrigate, there is more, in a sense, more breeding habitats for the mosquito."
She and the other scientists found that after farmers began irrigating their crops, the risk of malaria rose sharply. At first, her team thought maybe the number of cases rose because there was little effort to control the mosquitoes that spread the disease. But they were wrong.
"In fact, we saw the opposite. This transition stage was characterized not just by heightened malaria risk, but also by more intervention to control the mosquito vector ."
新闻播报译文
水灌溉带来疟疾
灌溉系统在农业生产中能产生巨大的影响。灌溉也能改善农村家庭的生活。但是，流向土壤的水中附属物可能会在某些地区造成问题。一项新的调查介绍了灌溉水如何造成可持续十年或者更长时间的疟疾病例的增加。
疟疾是通过蚊子传播，蚊虫喜欢在静水中繁殖后代。所以，当干旱的地区被灌溉了，这种疾病就会开始出现或者蔓延。
默西迪丝·帕斯奎尔是美国密歇根大学的一名科学家。她和她的团队研究了灌溉系统已经建成多年的印度北部地区。他们比较了疟疾如何同灌溉的深入一同发展的。
“从某种意义上说，灌溉会产生更多的蚊虫的繁殖地。”
她和其他科学家发现，农民开始灌溉庄稼后，疟疾的风险也大幅上升。起初，她的团队认为，疟疾风险上升的原因是控制能够传播疾病蚊子的措施不到位，但是他们错了。
“事实上，我们看到的恰恰相反。这个过渡阶段的特点不仅是疟疾风险的增加，还包括很多控制蚊虫媒介的未预措施。”
新闻语言点睛
1. make a big difference 产生巨大影响
例句 It won't make much difference whether you go today or tomorrow.
你今天去或明天去没有多大关系.
2. the risk of ……的危险
例句 I'd rather you do not run the risk of being punished.
我宁愿你不冒受罚之险。
3. a number of 许多，若干
例句 A number of invitations have been sent.
许多请帖已经发出去了。
新闻背景导读
凡是能杀死病原体或抑制其生长，但又不防碍植物正常生长的药剂，统称为杀菌剂。杀菌剂的种类很多，按照它的作用方式可分为三类。1. 植物保护剂：这类药剂分布在植物体的表面后会形成一层药膜，病原微生物接触到药膜后会被杀死，保护植物免受其害。这种杀菌剂由于对植物体的副作用小，得到了广泛的应用。2. 植物治疗剂：如果病原微生物已经浸入植物体内，但植物表现病症处于潜伏期。这时就要使用治疗剂了。使用治疗剂后，药物从植物表皮渗入植物组织内部，经输导、扩散、或产生代谢物来杀死或抑制病原，使病株不再受害，并恢复健康。3. 植物铲除剂：指植物感病后能直接杀死已侵入植物的病原物的药剂。这是一种强力杀菌剂。但不能用于生长期间的花卉，如果在植物的生长期用铲除剂会对植物造成一定的伤害。铲除剂适用于铲除休眠期间花卉表面的病原菌，同时，铲除剂对土壤也有消毒作用。
新闻词汇热身
commonly adv. 一般地；通常
widespread adj. 分布（或散布）广的，普遍的
insect n. 昆虫
pollen n. 花粉
fertilize v. 使肥沃；使多产
pollination n. 授粉，传粉
pesticide n. 杀虫剂，农药
fungicide n. 杀真菌剂
正点新闻播报
Plant Fungicide Might Harm Honeybees
New studies have found that a chemical commonly used to fight plant disease is harming honeybees. Experts say the chemical may be partly to blame for the widespread loss of honeybees in the United States.
The insects are important to farmers. When a honeybee lands on a flower in plant, pollen sticks to its legs. When the bee lands on another flower, some of the pollen falls off and fertilizes the second plant.
The act of pollination is responsible for many fruits, vegetables, nuts and other crops. Yet about 30 percent of honeybees in the United States and other areas have died in recent years.
Dennis Van Engelsdorp is a researcher at the University of Maryland. He wants to learn why so many bees are dying.
His research team examined the pollen grain that honeybees carried to their homes. They found that the pollen contained high levels of 35 different pesticides , chemicals use to protect plants. They also found that bees eating some fungicides of biological organisms became infected with a deadly micro-organism called Nosema.
Yet fungicides are necessary to use for agricultural purposes in the United States. Mike Leggett studies pesticide for the pest management industry group —Crop Life America. "Fungicides are used, and have been used, pretty broadly, for centuries, for protection of plants from plant disease."
Honeybees are important to agriculture. This makes the search for an answer to their death especially urgent for Mr. Van Engelsdorp's team. As he knows, one in every three bites of food we eat is somehow pollinated by honeybees.
新闻播报译文
植物杀菌剂或会伤害蜜蜂
新的研究发现，在抗植物病害中普遍使用的一种化学物质正对蜜蜂造成伤害。专家表示这种化学物质可能是美国蜜蜂大量消亡的原因之一。
昆虫对于农民来说是极其重要的。当一只蜜蜂降落在植物的花朵之上时，花粉便粘到了它的腿上。而当这只蜜蜂降落在另一花朵时，一些花粉落下从而使这第二株植物受精。
授粉这一行为使得许多水果、蔬菜、坚果以及其他作物得以孕育。然而在最近几年里，美国和其他地区的蜜蜂却死亡了30%。
丹尼斯·范安吉斯多是马里兰大学的一名研究员。他准备研究为什么这么多的蜜蜂会死去。
丹尼斯的研究团队对蜜蜂带回蜂巢的花粉粒进行了检测，发现花粉中含有高达35种不同类型的杀虫剂及用于保护植物的化学品。他们同时发现，吃过含有生物有机体杀菌剂的蜜蜂会感染一种叫做微孢子虫的致命微生物。
然而杀菌剂对于美国农业是必不可缺的。为美国croplife公司，一家害虫管理工业集团，进行杀虫剂研究的迈克·莱格特说：“几个世纪以来，杀虫剂曾经并正在广泛地使用于植物病害防护。”
对于农业来说，蜜蜂尤为重要。这使得查寻它们死亡原因的研究对于范安吉斯多的团队显得极其迫切。据他所知，人们所吃食物每三口中的一口在某种程度上都是由蜜蜂进行授粉的。
新闻语言点睛
1. be to blame for 应受责备，对……应负责任
例句 Which driver was to blame for the accident?
这事故是哪个司机的责任？
2. stick to 粘附在……上
例句 Although I moistened it, the flap doesnˈt stick to the envelope.
我把信封弄湿了，可是信封口盖还是粘不上。
3. fall off 脱落
例句 Ripe apples are beginning to fall off the trees.
成熟的苹果开始从树上落下来了。
4. be responsible for 承担责任
例句 You should be responsible for all the consequences.
你应当为这一切后果承担责任。
5. be necessary to 必要的
例句 It may be necessary to buy a new one.
也许有必要买个新的了。
新闻背景导读
美国自然资源保护委员会日前发布报告说，美国人每年食物浪费量占生产量的40%，造成大约1650亿美元损失。其中农产品浪费情况尤为突出，浪费数量超过海鲜、肉类、谷物和乳制品。调查显示，农贸市场和食品杂货店腐烂的水果蔬菜造成每年150亿美元损失；饭馆和家庭厨房同样是造成农产品浪费的重要场所。2013年，美国遭遇历史上最干旱、最炎热夏季，旱灾导致食物短缺、物价上涨。自然资源保护委员会呼吁美国人珍惜食物，减少浪费。
新闻词汇热身
population n. 人口
unsold adj. 未出售的
leafy adj. 叶状的；叶茂的
storage n. 贮藏，存储
status n. 情形，状况
organic adj. 有机（体）的，有机物的
broccoli n. 花椰菜
fertilizer n. 肥料
donate v. 捐赠，赠送
正点新闻播报
Social Media Helps Farmers Avoid Food Waste
On World Environment Day in June, the United Nations reported at least one third of all food produced is wasted. The report came at a time when many people are concerned about how to feed a growing world population .
In the United States, Farmers who are struggling to earn money find the situation difficult to deal with. The United States Department of Agriculture found that more than half of the small farms in California do not make a profit.
One California farm family is using social media in an effort to change the situation and reduce wasted food. Nick Papadopoulos is general manager of Bloomfield Farms in Sonoma County. It was difficult for him to watch his employees returning from several weekend farmer's markets with top quality unsold produce.
Mr. Papadopoulos said he would find boxes of leafy greens, herbs and carrots left in a storage yard. The vegetables would go bad before the next market day. As a result, Mr. Papadopoulos came up with a plan to offer the food at a low price by advertising it on the farm's Facebook status page on Sunday nights.
Nick Papadopoulos began using social media after he went to work on a farm belonging to his wife's father. One night, he began thinking about the issue of wasted food, when he could not find a place to donate 32 cases of organic broccoli . He ended up giving some of the food to chickens and using the rest to make fertilizer .
"I don't believe we should let it go to waste, I believe we should share it, donate it, whatever it takes. And if possible, as farmers, we would like to recover a small portion of our costs."
新闻播报译文
公共媒体帮助农场主避免食物浪费
在六月份的世界环境日中，联合国报道至少三分之一的食物被浪费。报道播出时间正是许多人担心如何以充足的食物来供养持续增长的世界人口。
在美国，正在努力赚钱的农场主们发现目前的情形很难解决。美国农业部发加利福尼亚超过半数的小型农场处于不盈利的境地。
一个来自加利福尼亚的农场家庭正利用公共媒体制造声势，以此改变处境、减少食物浪费。尼克·帕帕多普洛斯是索诺马布鲁姆菲尔德农场的经理。对他而言，过几周就看到他的职员带回农贸市场的返货，这些都是品质优良但却没有卖出去的农产品。
帕帕多普洛斯先生说他发现一些装满多叶的绿色蔬菜，香草和胡萝卜的盒子被放在贮藏室。在要运往超市之前，蔬菜会慢慢变质、腐烂。最终，帕帕多普洛斯先生想出一个办法，星期天晚上在农场的脸书公共主页上通过打广告将食物低价出售。
尼克·帕帕多普洛斯在为岳父的农场工作之后，开始利用公共媒体。一天晚上，当已经没有地方能捐出32箱有机花椰菜的时候，他开始思考如何解决浪费食物的问题。他停止把剩菜喂鸡和沤肥。
“我不相信我们会让浪费现象继续滋生，我相信我们可以分享食物，捐赠食物，无论它是否会给我们带来盈利。如果可能，作为农场主，我们还是想要赚回我们的部分成本。
新闻语言点睛
1. make a profit 获利，赚钱
例句 We can't undertake that you will make a profit.
我们不能保证你会获利。
2. in an effort to 试图，为了达成
例句 The company has laid off 150 workers in an effort to save money.
公司为节省资金遣散了150名工人。
3. come up with 提出，想出
例句 I hope you can come up with a better plan than this.
我希望你们能提出一个比这个更好的计划。
4. at a low price 低价，廉价
例句 I bought this watch at a low price.
我以低价买了这只表。
5. belong to 属于
例句 He did not belong to his set of friends.
他与他那伙朋友不一样。
6. end up 结束
例句 Suppose we end up by meeting each other halfway.
我看我们最后彼此都得做些让步。
新闻背景导读
辣椒属于一年生草本植物。茎直立，多分枝。单叶互生，叶片卵形，先端渐尖，叶柄较长。花单生于叶腋内，花冠黄色或绿色。花萼杯状，花白色。果实通常成圆锥形或长圆形，有朝天或向下之分；未成熟时呈绿色，成熟后变成酱色、鲜红色、黄色或紫色，以红色最为常见。红辣椒含有丰富的维生素等，食用辣椒，能增加饭量，增强体力，改善怕冷、冻伤、血管性头痛等症状。辣椒含有一种物殊物质，能加速新陈代谢，促进荷尔蒙分泌，保健皮肤。富含维生素C，可以控制心脏病及冠状动脉硬化，降低胆固醇。含有较多抗氧化物质，可预防癌症及其他慢性疾病。可以使呼吸道畅通，用以治疗咳嗽、感冒。辣椒还能杀死或抑制胃腹内的寄生虫。
新闻词汇热身
chili n. 红辣椒
vermiculite n. 蛭石
nutrient n. 营养品，滋养物
transplant v. 移栽，移植
pinch v. 捏，掐
potash n. 钾，（尤指）碳酸钾，氢氧化钾
正点新闻播报
Growing Chili Peppers
If you plant chili peppers inside, fill an eight-centimeter pot with soil. The pot should have holes in the bottom, so water can run out. Tap the sides of the pot to settle the soil.
Drop several seeds over the surface of the pot and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite . Vermiculite is a material that can hold air, water and nutrients . Then cover the top of the pot with a see-through plastic bag. Hold the bag in place with a rubber band. Place the pot in a warm area.
When the chilies start growing, take off the bag. When the plants have reached about two centimeters high, place each one carefully in its own eight-centimeter pot.
When the roots show through the holes in the bottom of the pot, transplant each seedling into a twelve-centimeter pot. When the plants are twenty centimeters high, tie the plants to a stick placed in the pot to support them.
When the chili peppers are thirty centimeters high, pinch the tops off with your fingers. That should get new branches to grow. When the first flowers show, give the plants some potash fertilizer. When the weather is warm, put them into five-liter pots and place them outside. Make sure they get a good amount of light and water.
Some people like mild chilies, others like plenty of heat. Some like to harvest the plants when the chilies are green. Others like their chilies red. Either way can give color and taste to many different foods.
新闻播报译文
种植红辣椒
如果你在室内种植红辣椒，把它们种植在一个装满泥土的直径为8厘米的土盆里。这个盆的底部要有一些孔能让水流出去。轻拍花盆边缘固定土壤。
在土盆的表面撒上一些种子，然后撒上薄薄的一层蛭石。蛭石是一种能保持通风，留住水分和营养物质的材料。用一层透明的塑料膜盖住土盆的顶部，用橡皮筋把膜固定好。再把花盆放在一个温暖的地方。
当辣椒开地始生长，打开这层塑料膜。当植物达到2厘米高的时候，就要小心地把每株苗放在各自的8厘米的土盆了。
在盆的底部能看到这些辣椒的根的时候，把这些辣椒的植株重新放到一个12厘米的盆里头去。当这些植物长到20厘米高的时候，在盆里用根棍子绑住支撑它。
当这些红辣椒到了30厘米高的时候，用手指将植株顶部掐掉。这样就会有新的分枝长出来。当第一朵花长出来的时候，给他们进行施肥。当天气暖和的时候，把他们放进5升的盆里，将植物放在外面。确保他们有足够的水分和光照。
有些人喜欢味道温和的红辣椒，有些人则喜欢味道强烈的红辣椒。有些人喜欢在辣椒还是绿色的时候就摘了，有些人则喜欢等到他们变红。不管那种方式都能给其他食物带来更丰富的颜色和味道。
新闻语言点睛
1. in the bottom 在底部
例句 There are tea leaves in the bottom of my cup.
我的杯底有茶叶。
2. run out 流出
例句 The tide was running out.
潮水正在消退。
3. take off 拿掉，脱下
例句 He took off his gloves.
他脱下手套。
新闻导语是每条新闻的中心要点，它扼要地叙述了每条新闻的主要内容，如果我们首先听懂了导语，理解了导语的基本意思，那么随着播音员一步一步地向纵深发展，我们就能对所播内容有一个全面的了解。
在叙述的过程中，播音员常常用一句话对事件前一阶段的情况进行简单地回顾或对本次事件有直接影响的历史问题进行扼要地说明。以唤起听众的回忆，引起联想，帮助听众理解新闻。我们应该给予特别重视。一般说来，Special English新闻可利用电头来抓住导语，播音员在读完每一个电头之后，都有1-3秒钟的停顿，接着便是该条新闻的导语。所以Special English的导语是不难抓住的。
但Standard English就不一样了。Standard English速度快，第一句话常常来得突然，要立即听懂，并留下较深的印象的确比较困难。但只要有目的、有意识地坚持进行训练，抓住导语是完全可能的。刚开始收听标准英语广播时，我们可能连每条新闻之间的间隔都难以分清，这就需要充分利用播音员的语调所提供的信息。