IELTS Reading: Reintroducing Elms
Reintroducing elms to Britain
A. Around 25 million elms… died during the 1960s and ’70s of Dutch elm disease… (Q23) ‘You look at old photographs… and it’s only then that you realise the impact…’ says Matt Elliot.
B. (Q16) In the ’70s a second epidemic was triggered by shipments of elm from Canada…logs destined for boat building… perfect for the elm bark beetles.
C. elms still exist… in low hedgerows… (Q18) ‘they get targeted by the beetle as soon as they reach a certain size,’ says Karen Russell. Once the trunk reaches 10-15 centimetres in diameter… (Q14 / Q21) The number of these mature survivors is relatively small… ‘I don’t see how it can be entirely down to luck.’
D. (Q24) elm ran a close second to oak as the hardwood tree of choice… widely used for tools… used for items such as storage crates and (Q25) flooring. used to build the (Q26) keel of the 19th-century sailing ship Cutty Sark.
E. peter Bourne of the National Elm Collection in Brighton… (Q17) Strong winds from the sea make it difficult for the determined elm bark beetle to attack this coastal city’s population. (Q22) ‘The beetles can just march in if we’re not careful… threat is right on our doorstep.’
F. bred and tested to see if they can withstand the fungus… (Q19) ‘The effects are very quick,’ says Russell. ‘You return in four to six weeks and trees that are susceptible… may even have died completely.’
G. (Q15) Russell: ‘The environmental case for reintroducing elm is strong.’ vs Elliot: ‘The problem is… you’re effectively cloning.’ (Q20) ‘Sometimes the best thing you can do is just give nature time to recover…’ says Elliot.
14. Research problems due to few surviving large elms:
15. Difference of opinion about reintroducing elms:
16. How Dutch elm disease was brought into Britain:
17. Conditions enabling a location to escape the disease:
18. Stage at which young elms become vulnerable:
A. Matt Elliot | B. Karen Russell | C. Peter Bourne
19. Damage rapidly becomes visible if infected:
20. Better to wait and see if nature recovers:
21. Must be an explanation for mature survival:
22. Insects carrying disease are not far away:
23. Prominence seen in old photos reveals impact:
24. Hardwood tree more popular than elm:
25. Wood used for boxes and:
26. Constructed the Cutty Sark’s:
20 Useful Vocabulary (Reintroducing Elms)
1. Reintroduce (Verb)
Đưa trở lại (một loài động/thực vật vào môi trường cũ).
"Reintroducing elms to Britain..."
2. Epidemic (Noun)
Dịch bệnh, bệnh dịch (lây lan nhanh).
"In the '70s a second epidemic was triggered by shipments of elm from Canada..."
3. Trigger (Verb)
Kích hoạt, gây ra, làm bùng nổ.
"...a second epidemic was triggered by shipments of elm from Canada..."
4. Destined for (Adjective phrase)
Được trù định, nhắm đến (một mục đích/nơi chốn).
"...logs destined for boat building..."
5. Hedgerow (Noun)
Hàng rào bằng cây bụi (thường ở vùng đồng quê).
"...elms still exist... in low hedgerows..."
6. Target (Verb)
Nhắm mục tiêu, tấn công vào.
"...they get targeted by the beetle as soon as they reach a certain size..."
7. Diameter (Noun)
Đường kính.
"Once the trunk reaches 10-15 centimetres in diameter..."
8. Mature (Adjective)
Trưởng thành, lớn tuổi (cây cối/động vật).
"The number of these mature survivors is relatively small..."
9. Survivor (Noun)
Người/vật sống sót.
"The number of these mature survivors is relatively small..."
10. Hardwood (Noun)
Gỗ cứng (thường từ cây rụng lá).
"...elm ran a close second to oak as the hardwood tree of choice..."
11. Crate (Noun)
Thùng thưa, sọt (bằng gỗ, để đựng hàng).
"...used for items such as storage crates and flooring."
12. Keel (Noun)
Sống thuyền (phần xương sống dưới đáy thuyền).
"...used to build the keel of the 19th-century sailing ship Cutty Sark."
13. Coastal (Adjective)
Thuộc về bờ biển, ven biển.
"...make it difficult for the determined elm bark beetle to attack this coastal city's population."
14. March in (Phrasal verb)
Tiến vào, tràn vào (thường chỉ số lượng đông/hung hãn).
"The beetles can just march in if we're not careful..."
15. Doorstep (Noun)
Bậc cửa (on our doorstep: ngay sát sườn, rất gần).
"...threat is right on our doorstep."
16. Withstand (Verb)
Chống chọi, chịu đựng được.
"...bred and tested to see if they can withstand the fungus..."
17. Fungus (Noun)
Nấm (nấm mốc, nấm ký sinh).
"...bred and tested to see if they can withstand the fungus..."
18. Susceptible (Adjective)
Dễ bị tổn thương, dễ mắc bệnh.
"...trees that are susceptible... may even have died completely."
19. Clone (Verb / Noun)
Nhân bản vô tính.
"The problem is... you're effectively cloning."
20. Recover (Verb)
Phục hồi, khôi phục lại trạng thái cũ.
"Sometimes the best thing you can do is just give nature time to recover..."