A
To many people, honey bees symbolize development, sustainability (可持续性) and environmentalism. But as a honey bee researcher, I have to tell you that only the first item on that list is reasonable. Although they are important for agriculture, honey bees also damage natural ecosystems by competing with native bees — some of which are species at risk.
The rise in honey beekeeping, now a popular activity for hundreds of thousands of Americans, followed strong awareness campaigns to “save the bees.” But as a species, honey bees are least in need of saving. Media attention unfairly covers them over native bees, and vague messaging has led many citizens — myself once included — to believe they are doing a good thing for the environment by putting on a beekeeper’s veil. Unfortunately, they are probably doing more harm than good.
“Beekeeping is for people; it’s not a conservation practice,” says Sheila Colla, an assistant professor and conservation biologist at Toronto’s York University, Canada. “People mistakenly think keeping honey bees, or helping honey bees, is somehow helping the native bees, which are at risk of extinction.” She is frustrated the ones in more neon on saving honey bees when, from a conservationist’s point of view, native bees are the ones in more need of support.
For some reason, maybe because they are small, honey bees are not generally viewed as the massively distributed livestock animal that they are. There are millions of honey bee colonies in North America, 2.8 million of which are in the U.S. Approximating around 30,000 bees per colony (the size of a pollination unit), that’s roughly a billion honey bees in Canada and the U.S. alone — almost triple the number of people. High densities of honey bee colonies increase competition between native bees, putting even more pressure on the wild species that are already in decline.
I used to believe that honey bees were a gateway species, and that concern over their health and development would spill over onto native bees, benefitting them, too. While this may have happened in some cases, evidence is increasing that misguided enthusiasm for honey bees has likely been to the native bees’ damage. Beekeeping doesn’t make me feel good, anymore. In fact, quite the opposite.
21. What makes bee keeping gain great popularity among Americans?
A. Several campaigns have been launched to advocate bee saving.
B. Citizens believe native bees are no longer in need of protection.
C. Little importance are attached to protecting the environment.
D. Citizens hope to make a fortune from the bee keeping business.
22. What is the Colla’s possible attitude towards the beekeeping?
A. Objective. B. Unfavorable. C. Supportive. D. Neutral.
23. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. The author’s attitude towards the beekeeping has changed.
B. People’s enthusiasm for keeping honey bees is increasing.
C. In some cases evidence has proved honey bees are in danger.
D. Keeping native bees is of great benefit to people’s health.
【答案】21. A 22. B 23. A
【解析】
【分析】这是一篇议论文。文章介绍了如今养蜂在美国人中非常流行，但研究表明，对蜜蜂的错误热情很可能对野生蜜蜂造成损害。
【21题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段关键句“The rise in honey beekeeping, now a popular activity for hundreds of thousands of Americans, followed strong awareness campaigns to “save the bees.”(因为“拯救蜜蜂”的强烈宣传运动，养蜂业兴起，如今已成为数十万美国人的热门活动)”可知，已经发起的几项倡导拯救蜜蜂的运动使养蜂在美国人中大受欢迎。故选A项。
【22题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段中Sheila Colla的话“Beekeeping is for people; it’s not a conservation practice,(养蜂是为人服务的，它不是一种保护行为)”和“People mistakenly think keeping honey bees, or helping honey bees, is somehow helping the native bees, which are at risk of extinction.(人们错误地认为饲养蜜蜂，或者帮助蜜蜂，在某种程度上是在帮助那些濒临灭绝的本土蜜蜂)”可推知，Colla对养蜂可能持反对态度。故选B项。
【23题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段内容“I used to believe that honey bees were a gateway species, and that concern over their health and development would spill over onto native bees, benefitting them, too. While this may have happened in some cases, evidence is increasing that misguided enthusiasm for honey bees has likely been to the native bees’ damage. Beekeeping doesn’t make me feel good, anymore. In fact, quite the opposite.(我曾经相信蜜蜂是一个门户物种，对它们的健康和发展的关注会波及到野生蜜蜂，也会使它们受益。虽然这种情况在某些情况下可能发生过，但越来越多的证据表明，对蜜蜂的错误热情很可能对野生蜜蜂造成了损害。养蜂不再让我感觉好了。事实上，恰恰相反)”可推知，作者对养蜂的态度已经改变了。故选A项。
