英國國家信托基金會（National Trust）開展的研究顯示，果園正在從景觀中消失，自1900年來，其消失的面積大小相當于懷特島（the Isle of Wight）。

Apple and other fruit trees are among the first to bloom, but according to the National Trust, this burst of spring blossom is becoming a rarer sight as orchards are torn down to make way for housing developments and modern agriculture.

蘋果樹和其它果樹是最早開花的樹木之一，但據國家信托基金會稱，由于果園被拆除，為開發住房和現代農業讓地，滿園春花欣欣向榮的景象將越來越罕見。

The Trust’s analysis of historic maps using artificial intelligence techniques suggests more than half of orchards in England and Wales have vanished in little over a hundred years. And that’s bad news for people and nature, they say.

該信托基金會使用人工智能技術對歷史地圖進行的分析表明，僅在100年多一點點的時間內，英格蘭和威爾士超過一半的果園都消失了。該機構說，這對人類和自然來說都是壞消息。

Traditional orchards can be a haven for wildlife with flowers providing a food source for pollinating insects and branches giving a home to patrolling bats.

傳統果園可作為野生動植物的庇護所，那里的花朵為傳粉昆蟲提供了食物來源，樹枝為飛來飛去的蝙蝠提供了棲息處。

The National Trust has vowed to plant four million blossoming trees as part of its commitment to cultivate 20 million trees across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030.

英國國家信托基金會承諾到2030年，將在英格蘭、威爾士和北愛爾蘭栽培2000萬棵樹，其中包括種植400萬棵開花的樹木。

詞匯表

bloom 開花
blossom （樹木）開花，花簇
orchards 果園
make way for 被…取代，給…讓路
haven 庇護所
pollinating 傳授花粉的
cultivate 栽培，種植

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? Apple trees are one of the first to bloom.

2. Why are orchards torn down?

3. What does the National Trust’s analysis of historic maps suggest?

4. How many blossoming trees is the National Trust committed to cultivating across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030?

答案  

1. True or false? Apple trees are one of the first to bloom.
True. Apple and other fruit trees are among the first to bloom.

2. Why are orchards torn down?
Orchards are torn down to make way for housing developments and modern agriculture.

3. What does the National Trust’s analysis of historic maps suggest?
It suggests more than half of orchards in England and Wales have vanished in little over a hundred years.

4. How many blossoming trees is the National Trust committed to cultivating across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030?
20 million trees.