Is there a future without bees

6 Minute English

语言学习

2020-09-10

6 分钟
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  • This is a download from BBC Learning English.

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  • Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English, I'm Neil.

  • And I'm Sam.

  • How are you, Neil?

  • Oh, I've been as busy as a bee this week, Sam.

  • Ah, don't you sound like the bee's knees.

  • All right, Sam.

  • There's no need to get a bee in your bonnet.

  • As you can hear, English is full of idioms involving bees.

  • But the sad truth is that bee numbers are declining at an alarming rate and in some places disappearing altogether.

  • And this has serious consequences for humans.

  • Today, one third of the food we eat depends on insects to pollinate crops,

  • fruit and vegetables.

  • But bees are in trouble.

  • In some European countries, up to half of all bee species are facing extinction, placing our food supply chain at risk.

  • Bees are vital in pollinating hundreds of crops from apples and blackberries to cucumbers.

  • In fact, almost all plants need insects to reproduce,

  • which is my quiz question.

  • Of the world's top 50 crops, how many rely on insect pollination?