Millions of Farmers’ Lives in Africa Are at Risk from Locusts1 非洲數(shù)百萬(wàn)農(nóng)民的生存正面臨 蝗蟲(chóng)的威脅

張祖平

Swarms of locusts have destroyed large areas of farmland and crops in Somalia， Kenya and Uganda. The locusts are spreading and could go to other countries. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization say swarms have been seen as far away as Oman in the Gulf. It is the worst locust invasion2 in 70 years.

The invasion affects over 12 million people. Many of these have little food due to poor harvests and no rain. The locusts will make things worse. Locusts are very hungry pests. One locust can eat crops of its body weight in 24 hours. A small swarm could eat crops enough to feed 35，000 people for a day.

A worried farmer said， “We depend a lot on this season and we worry that the locusts will destroy our harvest. We will end up...hungry through the rest of the year.”

成群的蝗蟲(chóng)摧毀了索馬里、肯尼亞和烏干達(dá)的大片農(nóng)田和莊稼?；认x(chóng)正在肆虐，可能會(huì)波及他國(guó)。聯(lián)合國(guó)糧食及農(nóng)業(yè)組織表示，蝗群已經(jīng)遠(yuǎn)至波斯灣的阿曼。這是70年來(lái)最嚴(yán)重的一次蝗蟲(chóng)侵襲。

這次蝗蟲(chóng)侵襲影響了1200多萬(wàn)人口。歉收和缺雨使許多人幾乎沒(méi)有糧食吃?；认x(chóng)會(huì)讓情況更糟。蝗蟲(chóng)是食欲旺盛的害蟲(chóng)。一只蝗蟲(chóng)可以在24小時(shí)內(nèi)吃掉和它體重相當(dāng)?shù)那f稼。一小群蝗蟲(chóng)每天可以吃掉能養(yǎng)活35000人的莊稼。

一位憂心忡忡的農(nóng)民說(shuō)：“我們?nèi)窟@個(gè)季節(jié)，我們擔(dān)心蝗蟲(chóng)會(huì)毀掉我們的收成。我們最終會(huì)……在今年剩下的時(shí)間里忍饑挨餓?！?/p>

【Notes】

1. locust [?????] n. 蝗蟲(chóng)

2. invasion [?????] n. 入侵;侵襲

▲Discussion議一議：

1. What do you think of the locust invasion？ 你對(duì)蝗蟲(chóng)侵襲這件事有什么看法？

2. What do you think is the best way to fight against locusts？你認(rèn)為對(duì)付蝗蟲(chóng)最好的方法是什么？

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