(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
A new report says genetically-modified or GM crops would greatly improve agriculture in Africa. The policy group Chatham House released the report. It says African governments are unlikely to approve GM crops, because opponents are spreading fear about its possible dangers.
Rob Bailey is a writer of the report.
"They've created anti-GM campaigns based on misinformation. So for example, alleging a link between GM crops and infertility, or cancer, or animal deformities. None of which is true, there's no evidence for any of this," Bailey said.
In Uganda, scientists are working in a temperature-controlled laboratory. They are developing what they call a "golden banana". They say it will be stronger, and will have higher levels of vitamins and minerals than traditional bananas.
Priva Namanya is one of the researchers. "We have been able to show that we can increase our vitamin A levels six times," Namanya said.
Rob Bailey says GM crops offer the best hope of increasing productivity and dealing with climate change in Africa.
Opponents of GM crops also argue that they are costly to grow. They say they do not produce more than non-GM crops. They say GM crops require more use of chemicals than traditional crops. And they say that companies that support GM crops are more interested in making money than in helping poor farmers grow more crops.
Tetteh Nartey grows pawpaw, maize and other vegetables near the Ghanaian capital Accra. This year Ghana approved a test of GM grains like cowpeas. Mr. Nartey disagrees with that decision.
"Anything that is not natural it has got its bad side, if it is not natural then be very careful because at the end of the day we start taking GM products, but who has done the research?" asked Nartey.
Ghana's government says it has put strong laws in place to guard against problems from GM crops.
Soren Ambrose is with the group Action Aid. He says increasing the amount of food, using GM crops is not a good way to end food shortages in Africa.
"It's not so much the problem of producing food, as it is the problem of getting the food that is produced to the people who need it," said Ambrose.
Bernard Guri works at Ghana's Center for Indigenous Knowledge. He is worried the GM crops could force many of Africa's millions of small farms to stop growing food.
"This is against our sovereignty, it is another form of colonialism where gradually the developed world is conspiring to take over our food system in terms of taking over our land, taking over our seed, and taking over the whole farming food system," said Guri.
I'm Caty Weaver.
文本来自51voa，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.misinformation n. 误报；错误的消息
This was a deliberate piece of misinformation.
这是一条故意提供的虚假消息。
2.deformities n. 畸形；缺损（deformity的复数形式）
The object of these movements is to prevent stiffness or deformity of joints.
这些活动的目的是防止关节僵硬或变形。
3.conspire vi. 共谋；协力 vt. [法] 密谋策划
They'd conspired to overthrow the government.
他们曾合谋推翻政府。
内容解析
1.Ghana's government says it has put strong laws in place to guard against problems from GM crops.
guard against 防止；提防
The armed forces were on high alert to guard against any retaliation.
武装部队保持高度警惕，以防发生任何报复行为。
Be on your guard against pickpockets.
提防扒手。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
一则新报告称转基因作物可能会极大改善非洲农业，查塔姆研究所发布发布了这份报告。报告称非洲政府不可能批准转基因作物，因为反对者正散布其可能危害的恐慌。
罗布·贝利是这份报告的作者。
“他们基于不实的信息发起了这场反转基因的运动，比如，声称转基因作物会导致不育、癌症或动物畸形。这都是不实的，没有证据能证明。”
在乌干达，科学家在一个恒温实验室工作，他们正开发所谓的“黄金香蕉”。他们称与传统香蕉相比，这种香蕉会更结实，含有更高的维生素和矿物质。
普利瓦·诺马尼亚是一位研究者，“我们能证明我们可以将维生素A的含量提高6倍。”
罗布·贝利说，转基因作物为增产和应对非洲气候变化树起了希望。
转基因作物的反对者称种植转基因作物的成本太高，他们称其产量不如非转基因作物，称转基因作物需要使用更多的化肥。他们称支持转基因的公司更专注挣钱，更不是帮助贫困农民种植更多作物。
特塔赫·纳提在加纳首都阿克拉附近种植木瓜、玉米和其它蔬菜，今年加纳批准了豌豆等转基因种子的实验，纳提不赞成这一决定。
“任何不自然的东西都有负面影响，如果东西不是自然的，那就要小心了，因为在我们开始使用转基因产品时，谁做过研究了？”
加纳政府称将实施更强有力的法律来防范转基因作物的问题。
索伦·安布罗斯就职于行动援助组织，他说使用转基因作物来增加粮食产量并不是解决非洲粮食短缺的好办法。
“并不是生产粮食的问题，而是将生产的粮食送到需要的人手中的问题。”
伯纳德·古里就职于加纳的本土知识中心，他担心转基因作物会迫使非洲数百万小农户不再种植粮食。
“这侵犯了我们的主权，是另一种形式的殖民主义，发达国家阴谋通过接管我们的土地和种子来控制我们的粮食系统，然后控制整个农业粮食系统。”
我是凯蒂·韦弗。
