Climate change and allergies

文章大意

两名健康科学学生讨论气候变化与过敏关系的研究项目：桦树花粉量二十年翻三倍，四分之一人患花粉症或哮喘；二氧化碳升高和暖冬刺激植物产生更多花粉，花粉季提前，患者首次发病年龄推迟到四五十岁，鱼肝油与维生素D缺乏的旧说法被质疑。

题目与答案

1. 21 Why is Beth unconvinced that allergies are linked to vitamin D deficiency?
   • because people's diets have improved since the 1950s
   • because most people get enough vitamin D
   • because the evidence only applies in Britain

   答案：because the evidence only applies in Britain

   原文定位：I read something about allergy sufferers being more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency because we no longer take cod liver oil as a vitamin supplement, like many people used to do in the nineteen fifties in Britain. And since then, allergies have quadrupled in most European countries. But it was only in Britain that cod liver oil was so popular, so that argument doesn't really make sense;No, it doesn't seem that relevant

   同义替换：「unconvinced」↔「that argument doesn't really make sense」，「allergies are linked to」↔「allergy sufferers being more likely to」，「the evidence only applies in Britain」↔「it was only in Britain that cod liver oil was so popular」

2. 22 Eilot explains that rising CO2 levels
   • will mean distribution of pollen over a wider area
   • are having less impact on pollen than milder winters
   • are responsible for higher quantities of pollen

   答案：are responsible for higher quantities of pollen

   原文定位： As much as milder winters;Definitely. CO2 helps stimulate plant growth, and several recent studies have shown that when plants are exposed to more CO2, they produce more pollen

   同义替换：「rising CO2 levels」↔「exposed to more CO2」，「are responsible for higher quantities of pollen」↔「produce more pollen」

3. 23 What does Beth say about seasonal changes?
   • There is no clear short-term trend for the arrival of Spring
   • In general, Spring is likely to continue arriving early
   • Springs are becoming milder and longer

   答案：There is no clear short-term trend for the arrival of Spring

   原文定位：Yes. Scientists are predicting spring will come five weeks earlier by twenty one thirty;hat's in the long term, but that doesn't mean that spring will come earlier every year. Look at last winter, that was really cold until March, and the pollen season was delayed. Whereas this year, spring came earlier and lasted longer

   同义替换：「seasonal changes」↔「the arrival of Spring;the pollen season」，「no clear short-term trend for the arrival of Spring」↔「that doesn't mean that Spring will come earlier every year」，「short-term」↔「every year;last winter;this year」

4. 24 What point is made about the plant ragweed?
   • It is spreading to more countries
   • It is the most widespread cause of allergies globally
   • It cause the most severe type of allergy

   答案：It cause the most severe type of allergy

   原文定位：Yes. In the US, it's already the major allergen, affecting millions of people in August and September. But we're starting to see it grow in Europe for the first time, which is really worrying because it's so allergenic

   同义替换：「cause the most severe type of allergy」↔「it's so allergenic;it's already the major allergen」

5. 25 Why is tree pollen a more serious problem in cities?
   • Trees produce more pollen there
   • There is less to absorb the tree pollen
   • There is not enough control over tree-planting

   答案：There is less to absorb the tree pollen

   原文定位：The problem with tree pollen is also worse in cities because there are so many hard surfaces around, and the pollen doesn't get absorbed so much, just stays in the air

   同义替换：「a more serious problem」↔「worse」，「There is less to absorb the tree pollen」↔「the pollen doesn't get absorbed so much」

6. European countries

   26 Austria _____
   • greatest change recorded for oak pollen
   • change identified to two pollen types only
   • a longer season for grass pollen
   • earlier start dates for all pollen types
   • significant change in start date of birch pollen
   • little difference in start dates

   答案：information only available for birch pollen

   原文定位：Well, here we've only got data for birch pollen. I wonder why there's no data for oak or grass

   同义替换：「information only available for」↔「only got data for」

7. 27 France _____
   • greatest change recorded for oak pollen
   • change identified to two pollen types only
   • a longer season for grass pollen
   • earlier start dates for all pollen types
   • significant change in start date of birch pollen
   • little difference in start dates

   答案：change identified to two pollen types only

   原文定位：The picture in France is unusual;Yes. The pollen season starts earlier for both oak and birch, but it doesn't start any earlier for grass

   同义替换：「change」↔「the pollen season starts earlier」，「identified to two pollen types only」↔「for both oak and birch, but it doesn't start any earlier for grass」

8. 28 The Netherlands _____
   • greatest change recorded for oak pollen
   • change identified to two pollen types only
   • a longer season for grass pollen
   • earlier start dates for all pollen types
   • significant change in start date of birch pollen
   • little difference in start dates

   答案：greatest change recorded for oak pollen

   原文定位：In the Netherlands, we've got complete data for all three plants;So what does it show? Grass and birch pollen are only starting a few days earlier, but oak pollen is starting much earlier, 18 days in fact, that's unusual. There's not such a big difference in other countries

   同义替换：「greatest change」↔「starting much earlier;18 days in fact;not such a big difference in other countries」

9. 29 Switzerland _____
   • greatest change recorded for oak pollen
   • change identified to two pollen types only
   • a longer season for grass pollen
   • earlier start dates for all pollen types
   • significant change in start date of birch pollen
   • little difference in start dates

   答案：earlier start dates for all pollen types

   原文定位：No. Switzerland's an interesting case. The pollen season starts here earlier than in the past for oak, birch, and grass;Yeah, from twenty-one days to fourteen days earlier

   同义替换：「all pollen types」↔「oak, birch, and grass」

10. 30 UK _____
    • greatest change recorded for oak pollen
    • change identified to two pollen types only
    • a longer season for grass pollen
    • earlier start dates for all pollen types
    • significant change in start date of birch pollen
    • little difference in start dates

    答案：a longer season for grass pollen

    原文定位：Yeah. The UK shows a different picture again;Yeah. Here, the problem is that wet summers have extended the grass pollen season from five weeks to eight weeks, which is bad news for allergy sufferers

    同义替换：「longer」↔「extended」