Birds, butterflies, bats and bees are all pollinators(传粉者). However, bees are classified as the most important pollinators for the existence of plants and harvest of produce worldwide. They contribute a lot to the produce we harvest, both directly and indirectly.
There are about 20,000 bee species with the most popular being the honeybee. Kept in man- made beehives(蜂巢), they are responsible for 30% of the food production chain for human consumption. In other words, without honeybees, there would it be 30% less produce for consumption.
Bees have four needs in order to survive and the most important one is having enough food. They should store enough food to get through the drought period. The other three are: approriate climate within the hive, proper living places and available nest-building materials.
However, in recent years, the number of bees is reducing considerably. There are many factors(因素)that can lead to this: the use of pesticides(杀虫剂), bacterial and parasitic infection and deforestation(滥砍滥伐). It’s a mixture of these factors that can cause the bee population to dwindle. The factors should be kept in mind in order to protect the bee populations.
In Aruba, there are many keepers called “Imkers”.Imkers are responsible for the production of honey, but they are also called when bees build nests in unwanted areas. They should carefully move the nest to other locations. There is a preservation program calld “Adopt-a-beehive” at the Cunucn Mondi Fierno. It encourages those who have an available place to make their place available for the temporary relocation of bee nests when needed. Donations are also welcome for this cause. Imkers play a very important role in protecting the bee populations.
The Department of Nature and the Environmentl calls for the relocation of the bee nests in a natural way, instead of ridding them with pesticides. Only by protecting the bees can we guarantee their existence and their help in the production of fruits and vegetables.
12. What do the figures in Paragraph 2 mainly indicate?
A.The variety of the honeybee. | B.The difference between bees. |
C.The popularity of the honeybee. | D.The importance of the honeybee. |
13. The word“dwindle”underlined in Paragraph 4 most probably means“________”.
A.remain unstable | B.become smaller |
C.expand rapidly | D.disappear completely |
14. What responsibility do Imkers should apart from producing honey?
A.Relocating some bee nests. |
B.Repairing nests for honeybees. |
C.Keeping bee nests away from pests. |
D.Seeking donations for bee protection. |
15. What’s the author’s main purpose of writing the text?
A.To describe the roles of Imkers. |
B.To present ways of protecting bees. |
C.To introduce different functions of bees. |
D.To stress the necessity of protecting bees. |