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SSS 2009-08-11

时间：2010-05-18 06:09:09

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（单词翻译）

It’s been called the “vine that ate the south.” Kudzu grows so fast it can completely cover a cabin in the woods in a couple of days. The invasive plant takes over another 150,000 acres every year. Which costs another $6 million to control.

But plant pathologists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Service have gotten promising1 results with a fungus2 that itself rapidly spreads in kudzu. The fungus is called Myrothecium verrucaria. In early tests, the fungus killed all kudzu seedlings3 and at least 90 percent of older plants. Most important, Myrothecium did little or no damage to the species that commonly live in habitats infested4 with kudzu, such as pine, oak, cedar5, pecan, hickory, blackberry and, of course, sassafras.

So what’s the catch? The fungus produces chemicals called tricothecenes, which can damage the health of humans and animals. But the researchers discovered that if they grew the fungus in a fermenter or on a liquid diet, the production of the toxins6 fell precipitously. If the fungus can be safely let loose one day, it could finally give kudzu the heave-ho.

 


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1 promising BkQzsk     
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
2 fungus gzRyI     
n.真菌，真菌类植物
参考例句：
  • Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。
  • This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。
3 seedlings b277b580afbd0e829dcc6bdb776b4a06     
n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4 infested f7396944f0992504a7691e558eca6411     
adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于
参考例句：
  • The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
  • The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。
5 cedar 3rYz9     
n.雪松，香柏(木)
参考例句：
  • The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
  • She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。
6 toxins 18c3f40d432ba8dc33bad8fb82873ea8     
n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
  • Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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