在世界各地，炎熱幹燥的天氣狀況正在加劇野火發生的風險。有些國傢和地區正在用一種不同尋常的方法來消防減災 —— “山羊消防隊”。他們用放牧山羊群來清除雜草、灌木等易燃的植物。本期 “隨身英語” 介紹山羊為什麼能比人類和其它動物更好地完成這項任務。
詞匯：wildfire prevention 野火防范
Meat, milk, cheese – just some of the things provided by goats. But now we can also add fire safety to this list. As wildfires damage increasingly large areas of the planet each year, goat herds may offer a way of reducing the risk.
Wildfires are made possible by hot, dry weather conditions as well as a supply of dead vegetation that serves as fuel. We may have limited control over the first factor, but we can control the second. Reducing the fuel load lowers the probability of wildfires occurring, as well as the amount of damage caused. This is where we can turn to goats to provide a solution. Goats are being used for landscape management in a number of places around the world, including Greece, Spain, Portugal, Chile and various parts of the United States.
Goats have a very tough digestive system. Many kinds of vegetation that are toxic to other animals can be easily eaten by goats. It’s not just fully-grown plants that goats are able to deal with: any seeds that pass through a goat become non-viable and will not grow. Human clearance teams have to worry about getting to hard-to-reach vegetation patches – goats don’t. They are skilled mountain climbers and when standing on their hind legs, can reach up to two metres to devour shrubs and grass that humans would struggle to reach. Because of this, using goats can reduce both the possibility of workplace accidents and the amount of money spent on fire protection measures. Goat herds have been found to clear some patches of land for a third of the price of human vegetation control teams.
Cost and safety aren’t the only benefits. Goats are quieter than lawnmowers and people usually prefer to see goats grazing rather than litres of herbicide being sprayed on the land. Children are often fascinated to see the goats at work and this provides an opportunity to educate people about preventing wildfires.
詞匯表
fire safety 消防安全
wildfire 野火
goat herd 山羊群
risk 風險，隱患
weather conditions 天氣狀況
vegetation 植被，植物
fuel 燃料，易燃物
fuel load （一定空間內的）易燃物總量
landscape management 景觀生態管理
digestive system 消化系統
toxic 有毒的
non-viable 無法生存的
clearance 清理，清除（雜草等植物）
vegetation patch 植被斑塊
hind leg 後腿
devour 吞食
shrub 灌木
grass 草
fire protection measure 防火措施
lawnmower 割草機
graze 吃草
herbicide 除草劑
spray 噴灑
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What two things does the article say make wildfires possible?
2. True or False? It is not possible to limit fuel for wildfires.
3. Why are goats more suitable to this task than other animals?
4. What happens to seeds that are eaten by goats?
5. What two possible advantages of goat herds over human vegetation clearance teams are mentioned?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. This car is very efficient so it doesn’t use much _______.
fuel fire protection fuel load safety
2. Lowering the _______ of fire damage is important.
vegetation toxic fuel risk
3. _______ goats on land improves its condition.
Planting Grazing Clearing Devouring
4. Many snakes quickly _______ their prey.
devour shrub herd graze
5. Left alone, a _______ can become a fire risk.
goat herd landscape vegetation patch herbicide
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What two things does the article say make wildfires possible?
Wildfires are made possible by hot, dry weather conditions as well as a supply of dead vegetation that serves as fuel.
2. True or False? It is not possible to limit fuel for wildfires.
False. This is a factor that can be controlled by removing dead vegetation.
3. Why are goats more suitable to this task than other animals?
Because goats are able to eat vegetation that is toxic to other animals.
4. What happens to seeds that are eaten by goats?
Any seeds that pass through a goat become non-viable and will not grow.
5. What two possible advantages of goat herds over human vegetation clearance teams are mentioned?
Using goats can reduce both the possibility of workplace accidents and the amount of money spent on fire protection measures.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. This car is very efficient so it doesn’t use much fuel.
2. Lowering the risk of fire damage is important.
3. Grazing goats on land improves its condition.
4. Many snakes quickly devour their prey.
5. Left alone, a vegetation patch can become a fire risk.
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