注释：

1.       colony-collapse：群体瘫痪。Colony有“殖民地”的意思，在此意为： a group of the same kind of animals, plants, or one-celled organisms living or growing together. 一群生活或生长在一起的同种动物、植物或单细胞有机体。

2.       the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Bee Research Laboratory：美国农业部蜜蜂研究实验室。

3.       the Florida Department of Agriculture：佛罗里达农业局。佛罗里达是美国东南部的一个州，濒临大西洋和墨西哥湾。

练习：

1.       What is the mystery that researchers find hard to explain?

A) Honeybees are flying all across the country.

B) 25-40 percent of the honeybees in the US have died.

C) Honeybees are leaving their hives and do not return.

D) Honeybee hives are in disorder.

2.  Why are researchers seriously concerned with the phenomenon of colony-collapse disorder?

A) Because honeybees produce one-third of the foods we eat

B) Because honeybees feed on flowers.

C) Because honeybees eat seeds of flowers.

D) Both B and C.

3.  What are the possible causes of colony-collapse disorder given by the scientists?

A) Worsening environment.

B) Disease and chemicals.

C) Dwindling number of flowers around.

D) Changes in genes’ structures.

4.  According to the fifth paragraph, which of the following about bees’ genes is true?

A) Bees’ genes allow them to expand their colonies.

B) Bees genes help keep them in their hives.

C) Bees genes make them fly from flower to flower.

D) Bees genes could explain the collapse of some colonies.

5.  What explanation is given by Jerry Hayes to the phenomenon?

A) Farmers apply certain chemicals to kill unwanted bees.

B)The insecticide destroys the honeybee’s nervous system.

C)The insecticide affects the honeybee’s memory.

D) All of the above.

答案与题解：

1.  C   短文第一段的第一句和最后一句告诉我们，昆虫学加家正面临一个不可解释的谜。第二句解释了这个谜，给出了答案。

2.  A   短文第二段的第一句提供了答案。蜜蜂传播花粉能使植物结果，因此为人类提供食物。

3.  B   第四的开头是It could be that disease is causing the disappearance of the bees. 第五段的开头是Another cause of colony-collapse disorder may be certain chemicals that …，这是科学家给出的两个可能造成这种现象的原因。

4.  D   第五段的句子：bees’ genes could explain why some colonies have collapsed and others have not。这是选择D的依据。选项A、B、C的内容文章中都没有出现，所以不是答案。

5.  D   第五段描述了另一个可能的原因，即，农夫使用的杀虫剂可能破坏了蜜蜂的神经系统和记忆。所以D是正确选择。