听力文摘：杂草为何容易重生

Crabgrass,that ugly, obnoxious¹ weed that is the scourge² of theperfect lawn and its perfectionist gardener.

杂草丑陋而令人生厌。是整齐的草坪和崇尚完美主义园丁的祸害。

Along with being an eyesore,

除了难看之外，

it's also responsible for asubstantial amount of crop loss on commercial farms.

它还要为商业农场农作物收成大量受损承担责任。

Common wisdom says that crabgrass is hard to get rid of because it crowds out the plants aroundit, and does not allow them to get enough space and nutrients³.

按照常理，这种杂草很难根除是因为它排挤周围的植物使得它们没有充足的生长空间和养料。

However, scientists have longwondered if crabgrass dominates your lawn's real estate by using a technique called allelopathy.

然而，科学家们一直想知道，这种杂草是否通过使用一种名为植化相克的方法支配你家草坪的居住权。

This literally⁴ means “others suffering,”

这个术语字面上的意思是"非我族类，连根清除"。

and occurs when a plant harms another by emitting toxicsubstances into the environment, usually through the soil.

当某种植物通过释放有毒物质到环境中来伤害其他植物时，这种现象就在发生。

Researchers from Nankai University, China Agricultural University, and the Chinese Academy ofSciences all found that crabgrass uses this method of “weeding out” neighboring plants.

来自南开大学，中国农业大学，和中国科学院的研究人员都发现这种杂草使用这个方法清除周围的植物。

In their experiment, researchers isolated⁵ three chemicals from crabgrass roots and nearby soil,

在实验中，研究人员从这种杂草的根部和其周围土壤中隔绝出三种化学物质，

and then added them to potted plants of wheat, maize⁶, and soybeans.

然后将它们加入盆栽的小麦，玉米和大豆中。

Sure enough, the plantstreated with crabgrass toxins⁷ did not grow as well.

不出所料，受这种杂草毒素影响的植物都生长不佳。

Tests revealed that the compounds reduced the amount of carbon in the soil's microbial biomass.

这些试验揭示了该复合物降低了碳在土壤中微生物生物量中碳的数量。

This means crabgrass can actually change the makeup⁸ of the bacteria in the dirt around it.

这意味着这种杂草确实能够改变其周围泥土中细菌的组成。

Sinceplants rely on bacteria in order to absorb key nutrients such as nitrogen and organic compounds,

因为植物依靠细菌来吸收诸如氮和有机化合物这样的重要养分，

the vicious weed makes life extremely hard on its surrounding neighbors.

邪恶的杂草使它的邻居的生存极为艰难。

So the next time you squirt Round Up on that pesky patch of crabgrass,

所以下次，当你向那一撮讨厌的杂草喷除草剂时，

remember that theweed is emitting a little herbicide of its own.

要记住杂草自身会释放一些除草剂。

It's chemical warfare⁹, right under your nose.

在你的眼皮子底下进行一场化学战争。

1 obnoxious   

adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的

参考例句：

• These fires produce really obnoxious fumes and smoke.这些火炉冒出来的烟气确实很难闻。
• He is the most obnoxious man I know.他是我认识的最可憎的人。

2 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

3 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

6 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

7 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

9 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。