美国英语听力80篇1 Lesson15

[00:05.12]Cassava is an important food in the diets of more than 500,000,000 people in Africa, Asia and South America.
[00:15.70]However, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization notes that agricultural development policies
[00:24.53]often forget the importance of cassava.
[00:27.85]FAO officials organized a conference to prepare a plan of action to demonstrate¹ the value of this food crop.
[00:38.03]Agricultural experts met late last month in Rome, Italy.
[00:43.60]Thousands of years ago, people in South America grew cassava as a food crop.
[00:50.99]Portuguese explorers took the plant to Africa during the Sixteenth Century.
[00:57.81]Today, it is one of the most important crops in Africa.
[01:02.90]FAO officials say more than 116,000,000 tons of cassava were grown worldwide last year.
[01:12.72]They expect production to rise to almost 210,000,000 tons in five years.
[01:20.30]Cassava is a root plant.
[01:22.96]It can live without water better than other root or cereal² crops.
[01:28.45]It is the most productive³ crop in poor soils.
[01:32.50]Cassava requires little fertilizer⁴ or other chemicals.
[01:37.20](And) it needs the least labor⁵ to grow.
[01:41.17]Farmers can harvest cassava anytime from eight to twenty-four months after planting.
[01:48.28]The crops can be left in the ground as a safeguard⁶ against unexpected⁷ food shortages⁸.
[01:56.82]Cassava can be grown in many different environments.
[02:00.76]Farmers grow it on sandy soil in coastal⁹ areas where there is a lot of rain.
[02:07.74]They also grow it in dry areas 1,000 meters above sea level.
[02:14.32]People can eat both the leaves and the root of cassava.
[02:20.49]But the root is the main product.
[02:23.41]Most people cut (the roots into) pieces and cook them over an open fire.
[02:29.13]The plant also can be made into other food products.
[02:34.02]Cassava leaves contain a lot of vitamins, protein and minerals.
[02:40.76]However, many kinds of cassava contain high levels of a poisonous substance that must be removed before the plant can be eaten.
[02:51.57]So cassava must be prepared very carefully to prevent poisoning those who eat it.
[02:58.08]FAO officials say the nation officials say the nation of Ghana has shown the importance of improving cassava production.
[03:06.04]The officials say Ghana was able to reduce hungermore more quickly than any country between 1980 and 1996.

1 demonstrate   

vt.论证，证明；示范；显示；vi.示威游行

参考例句：

• Let me demonstrate to you how this machine works.我给你演示一下这台机器的运转情况。
• How can I demonstrate to you that my story is true?我怎样才能向你证明我的话是真实的呢？

2 cereal   

n.谷类，五谷，禾谷

参考例句：

• I have hot cereal every day for breakfast.我每天早餐吃热麦片粥。
• Soybeans are handled differently from cereal grains.大豆的加工处理与谷类的加工处理不同。

3 productive   

adj.能生产的，有生产价值的，多产的

参考例句：

• We had a productive meeting that solved some problems.我们开了一个富有成效的会议，解决了一些问题。
• Science and technology are part of the productive forces.科学技术是生产力。

4 fertilizer   

n.肥料，化肥

参考例句：

• Fertilizer enriches the soil.肥料使土壤肥沃。
• Get some more fertilizer for the garden.给花园再多施些肥料。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 safeguard   

vt.保护，维护；n.预防措施，保证条款

参考例句：

• Keeping clean is a safeguard against disease.保持清洁是抵御疾病的防护措施。
• We must safeguard forest timber.我们必须保护森林。

7 unexpected   

adj.想不到的，意外的

参考例句：

• I always keep some good wine in for unexpected guests.我总保存些好酒，用来招待不速之客。
• His promotion was unexpected.他的升迁出人意料。

8 shortages   

n.不足( shortage的名词复数 )；缺少；缺少量；不足额

参考例句：

• Food shortages often occur in time of war. 在战争期间常常发生粮食短缺的情形。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• At the same time, worldwide food and fuel shortages eased. 同时，世界性粮食和石油短缺的现象终止了。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

9 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。