一項大型植物調查研究顯示，對於70年前長大的人來說，如今英國的部分植物景觀已面目全非，無法辨識。
For 20 years, volunteers examined the UK and Ireland kilometre-by-kilometre, writing down the flora they found. This so-called plant atlas, made by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, is the most complete picture of plant life ever recorded in the UK.
二十年來，志願者們對英國和愛爾蘭一公裡一公裡地統計，記錄下瞭所發現的植物群。由英國和愛爾蘭植物學會編制，這本 “植物圖集” 是英國有記錄以來最完整的植物圖集。
What it shows is a catastrophic decline in flora. The scientists involved say parts of the landscape have changed so much that someone growing up 70 years ago would struggle to recognise them today.
這本圖集中顯示瞭植物群數量的災難性減少。參與研究的科學傢們表示，部分地區的景觀已發生瞭巨大的變化，以至於70年前長大的人在今天很難認出這些景觀。
Invasive species are spreading after being planted in gardens and escaping into the wild, threatening native plants. Intensive farming and climate change are reducing the range of many of the nation’s well-known plants like heather. In northern mountains, less snowfall means some plants may only survive for a few more years. But in the south, some plants are expanding northwards.
非本土物種被種在花園裡後擴散到野外，成為入侵物種，威脅本土植物。集約化農業和氣候變化減少瞭許多英國知名植物的生長范圍，如石南花。在北部山區，降雪量減少意味著一些植物或許隻能再存活幾年。而在南方，一些植物的生長范圍正向北擴展。
詞匯表
atlas 圖冊，圖表冊
catastrophic 災難性的
struggle 無法、難以（做某事）
invasive （來自其它地區的）入侵的
intensive farming 集約化農業
snowfall 降雪（量）
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. How long did the scientists examine the flora of the UK and Ireland?
2. True or False? Someone growing up 70 years ago would not see much difference in parts of the landscape today.
3. Where did invasive species that have escaped into the wild spread from?
4. Why might some plants in northern mountains only survive a few more years?
答案
1. How long did the scientists examine the flora of the UK and Ireland?
For 20 years, volunteers examined the UK and Ireland kilometre-by-kilometre, writing down the flora they found.
2. True or False? Someone growing up 70 years ago would not see much difference in parts of the landscape today.
False. Someone growing up 70 years ago would struggle to recognise parts of the landscape today.
3. Where did invasive species that have escaped into the wild spread from?
Invasive species are spreading into the wild after being planted in gardens.
4. Why might some plants in northern mountains only survive a few more years?
Because there is less snowfall which means some plants may only survive for a few more years.
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