READING: Pollution Fighters
  
阅读：环保战士

Judy is collecting some facts for a class project on pollution. She is interviewing Doctor Ray, a scientist, about trees.

朱迪正在收集关于污染类项目的一些实例。她正在就有关“树木”的问题采访一位科学家——雷博士。


JUDY       Why are you so interested in trees, Doctor Ray?
DR RAY   They're the biggest and oldest living things on the earth, Judy.
JUDY       Yes, but what good are trees? They make streets more beautiful and less noisy, but what else can they do?
DR RAY   Well, the wood in your pencil, the rubber on the end of your pencil, the paper in your notebook and the fruit in you bowl all come from trees! And, I suppose you also enjoying breathing pure, cool air.
JUDY       Of course.
DR RAY    Then you must thank trees for that too. They take harmful gases from the air, and release oxygen back into the air, How many people are there in your class, Judy?
JUDY       Forty-six.
DR RAY    Well, one and a half hectares of trees could produce enough oxygen to keep your whole class alive and healthy for a whole year.
JUDY       That's wonderful!
DR RAY    Trees cool the air as well as clean it. They are natural air conditioners. Three trees can do the job of 15air conditioners running almost all day.
JUDY       You certainly know a lot about trees, Doctor Ray.
DR RAY    Thank you, Judy, but I don't, really. Scientists are only now beginning to understand them. For example, when insects attack a tree, it can warn its neighbours. The trees can then protect themselves by producing a chemical that makes their leaves taste nasty. And some trees can join their roots together underground, and pass food and water to each other. Trees are communicating with one another, but we don't know how.
JUDY       And trees in danger?
DR RAY    In great danger. We cut down and burn millions every year, but we replace hardly any of them. We are destorying our best fighters against pollution.


朱迪：   雷博士，为什么你会对树木产生兴趣？
雷博士：因为它们是地球上最大也是最古老的生物。
朱迪：   那么树木都有些什么好处呢？除了美化街道，减少噪音，它们还能做什么？
雷博士：恩，你铅笔的木头，铅笔末端的橡皮，笔记本上的纸，以及你碗里的水果，这些都来自于树木。而且，我想，你也很喜欢这纯净清凉的空气吧。
朱迪：   当然。
雷博士：这样的话你也得谢谢树木。是它们带走了空气中的有害气体，并且释放氧气。朱迪，你们班上有多少同学？
朱迪：   46个
雷博士：恩，一公顷半的树木能够产生足够的氧气，供你们一个班的学生健康地生活一整年。
朱迪：   太棒了！
雷博士：树木除了净化空气之外，还能使空气变得凉快。它们是自然界的空调。三棵树产生的降温作用就相当于十五台空调运转一整天。
朱迪：   雷博士，你肯定对树木了解很多吧！
雷博士：谢谢朱迪。但是实际上我并不是很精通。科学家们现在也仅仅只是开始了解树木。比如说，如果有害虫侵害树木，它们会通知临近的树木防备。树木能够产生一种化学物质使得叶子变得其味难咽，从而达到保护自身的作用。并且一些树木能够在地下通过根部连接，相互传递养料和水分。树木之间能够相互交流，但是我们还不是很清晰它们的交流方式。
朱迪：   那么，树木有受到危害么？
雷博士：它们现在面临着很大的危险。人类每年砍伐或烧毁数以万计的树木，却几乎不予补种。我们，正在逐步摧毁最好的环保护士。