根據對 90 項研究進行的分析， 那些預先混合好然后賣給農民的農藥會殺死兩倍數量的蜜蜂。

Our bees face multiple threats to their survival – from a loss of food rich natural grassland to the dozens of chemical pesticides that are commonly used in agriculture.

我們的蜜蜂面臨多種生存威脅——從失去孕育著豐富食物資源的天然草場，到農業中常用的幾十種化學殺蟲劑。

This study set out to measure how those different stresses interact to affect the insects. The researchers examined 90 studies that each measured the effect on bee health of a specific agricultural chemical or another environmental challenge.

這項研究衡量了這些不同的壓力是如何相互作用并影響這種昆蟲的。研究人員檢查了90項研究，其中每一項都衡量了一種特定農藥或另一種環境挑戰對蜜蜂健康造成的影響。

They worked out that combinations of several chemicals killed many more bees than expected. This is because, the researchers say, pesticides interact.

他們發現，幾種化學物質的組合所殺死的蜜蜂比預期的要多得多。研究人員表示，這是因為殺蟲劑會相互作用。

Each chemical enhances the damage caused by another. Since pesticides are often sold as mixtures of compounds to use on crops, the scientists say that the regulation of these chemicals needs to be updated to factor in this harmful interaction, and to protect our threatened and precious pollinators.

每種化學物質都會增強另一種化學物質造成的傷害。由于用于農作物的殺蟲劑常以化學混合物的形式出售，科學家指出，需要更新對這些化學物質的監管條例，將這種有害的相互作用納入考慮因素，從而保護這些受到威脅的珍貴傳粉昆蟲。

詞匯表

threats 威脅
pesticides 殺蟲劑
agriculture 農業
interact 相互作用
compounds 化合物
pollinators 傳粉昆蟲

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. What threats do bees face?

2. What did the 90 studies that the researchers examined measure?

3. What did the scientists work out from the study?

4. What do the scientists believe needs to be updated?

答案  

1. What threats do bees face?
They face multiple threats to their survival – from a loss of food rich natural grassland to the dozens of chemical pesticides that are commonly used in farming.

2. What did the 90 studies that the researchers examined measure?
The 90 studies each measured the effect of a specific agricultural chemical or another environmental challenge on the health of bees.

3. What did the scientists work out from the study?
They worked out that combinations of several chemicals killed many more bees than expected.

4. What do the scientists believe needs to be updated?
They say the regulation of these chemicals needs to be updated.