新研究顯示，英格蘭的所有樹籬連起來共有39萬公裡長。生態學傢們希望這個新數據能使樹籬得到更好的保護，因為它們不僅可以為野生動物提供食物和住所，還能吸收並儲存大量的碳。
The researchers say if you joined up all the hedgerows in England, they would stretch almost ten times around the Earth. Their map, which is based on laser scanning hedges from the air rather than scaling up information from field surveys, gives a more complete picture of the quality and quantity of hedgerows across the country.
研究人員們說，如果你把英格蘭所有的樹籬連起來，得到的長度可以繞地球近十圈。研究人員使用的地圖是基於從空中對樹籬進行激光掃描繪制而成的，不是靠擴大實地調查得到的信息制成的，因此更全面地反映瞭英格蘭各地樹籬的質量及數量。
The South West boasts the most hedges, led by Cornwall. Excluding big urban areas such as London and Merseyside, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire are the counties with the least.
英格蘭西南部擁有的樹籬數量最多，其中康沃爾郡排在首位。除去倫敦、默西塞德等大城市地區，薩裡郡、漢普郡和伯克郡擁有的樹籬數量最少。
The scientists hope their new data will help restore a vital habitat for wildlife that also stores large amounts of carbon. Thousands of miles of hedgerows have been lost since the 1950s to intensive farming and development. And the government has set ambitious new targets to reverse this decline.
科學傢們希望新數據將有助於使樹籬恢復生機，它不僅是野生動物的重要棲息地，還能吸收並儲存大量的碳。自20世紀50年代以來，由於集約型農業和土地開發，數千英裡的樹籬已經消失不見。為瞭扭轉樹籬數量減少的趨勢，英國政府已定下一系列重大的生態保護新目標。
詞匯表
joined up 連起來，連接
hedgerows （尤指田間或路邊的）樹籬
laser scanning 激光掃描
scaling up （按比例）擴大
field surveys 野外調查，實地考察
boasts 擁有（值得自豪的事物）
counties 郡
restore 修復，使恢復
reverse 扭轉
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. How did the researchers map the hedges?
2. True or False? Cornwall has the fewest hedges.
3. Why do researchers want to protect the hedges?
4. Why have thousands of miles of hedgerows been lost since the 1950s?
答案
1. How did the researchers map the hedges?
The researchers used laser scanning to map the hedges.
2. True or False? Cornwall has the fewest hedges.
False. Cornwall has the most hedges.
3. Why do researchers want to protect the hedges?
The researchers want to protect the hedges because they provide a vital habitat for wildlife and store large amounts of carbon.
4. Why have thousands of miles of hedgerows been lost since the 1950s?
Thousands of miles of hedgerows have been lost since the 1950s due to intense farming and development.
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