The worst outbreak of desert locusts (蝗虫)in Kenya in 70 years has seen hundreds of millions of the insects fly into the East African nation from Somalia and Ethiopia. Those two countries have not suffered like this in a quarter-century, destroying farmland and threatening the area with serious hunger.
“Even cows are wondering what is happening,” said Ndunda Makanga, who spent hours Friday trying to run after the locusts from his farm. “Corn, sorghum, cowpeas, they have eaten everything.”
“Even a small group of the insects can eat enough food for 35, 000 people in a single day,” said Jens Laerke of the UN humanitarian office in Geneva.
About 70. 000 hectares(172, 973 acres)of land in Kenya are attacked. A single swarm can contain up to 150 million locusts per square kilometer of farmland, an area the size of almost 250 football fields, the officials say.
“We must act immediately,” said David Phiri of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.
About $70 million is needed to apply aerial pesticide (杀虫剂), the only effective way to fight them, the UN says. That won’t be easy, especially in Somalia.
Shocked by the finger-length insects, children run here and there, waving blankets (毛毯)to shake the locusts free. Farmers are afraid to let their cattle out, and their crops are in danger, but there is little they can do.
One especially large group in northeastern Kenya measured 60 kilometers long by 40 kilometers wide(37 miles long by 25 miles wide).
“The locals are really frightened because they can eat everything,” said Francis Kitoo, deputy director of agriculture in southeastern Kenya’s Kitui County. “I’ve never seen such a big number. They will lay eggs and start another generation,” he said.
12. How does the author describe the outbreak of desert locusts?
A.By telling a story. | B.By explaining causes. |
C.By listing numbers. | D.By reporting comments. |
13. What helps control the locusts best?
A.Staying indoors | B.Letting their cattle out. |
C.Using pesticide. | D.Waving blankets. |
14. What’s Francis Kitoo’s attitude towards the future?
A.Concerned. | B.Confused. |
C.Confident | D.Hopeful. |
15. What is mainly talked about in the passage?
A.Hunger threatening East Africa. |
B.The causes of the locusts outbreak. |
C.An overall impression of East Africa |
D.A disaster brought by locusts in East Africa. |