高中英语重庆大学版Unit1PlantWorldvoa慢速讲解提防有毒植物.docxVIP

VOA慢速讲解:提防有毒植物

WatchingOutfor“WickedPlants”

ThisistheVOASpecialEnglishAgricultureReport.

Justbecauseaplantlooksnicedoesnotmeanyoushouldeatit.Farmerslearnthislessontragicallysometimeswhentheiranimalsfeedonwildplants.Infact,someofthenicestlookingplantsintheworldarebestenjoyedfromadistance.

(MUSIC)

Belladonna

Agoodexampleisbelladonna.Abelladonna--likeintheStevieNickssong--isabeautifulwomaninItalian.Theplantisalsobeautiful.Ithasflowerslikestarsandshinyberriesthatstartoutgreenandturnpurpletoblack.Buteverypartofitispoisonous.Othernamesforbelladonnaincludedevilsherbanddeadlynightshade.

Yetjustbecausesomethingisdangerousdoesnotalwaysmeanitisallbad.Belladonnaandotherpoisonplantshavealonghistoryofmedicaluse.

Thecommonorpurplefoxgloveproducesprettyflowersalongatallleafystemcalledaspike.Foxglovecancauseheartfailure.YettheplantispartofagroupcalledDigitalisthatisusedinmedicinetotreatheartproblems.

Plantswithnameslikecoastfiddleneck,commoncocklebur,lowlarkspurandcommongroundselallpresentriskstopeopleoranimals.RecentlytherewasnewsthatashopperatamarketinnorthernGermanyfoundsmallamountsofgroundselinbagsofmixedsalad.Theaveragepersonwouldprobablynothaverecognizedit,butthispersonknewaboutpoisonousplants.

Manypeoplehappilyrecognizeoleander.Theevergreenshrubproducesbeautifulflowers--white,red,pinkandothercolors.ButofficialsinSouthernCaliforniasaysomeonerecentlypoisonedmorethantwentyshowhorsesbymixingoleanderintheirfeed.Localnewspaperssaythehorseshaverecovered.

AmyStewart

AmyStewartisabestsellingauthorofbooksaboutthegoodandbadinnature.ShelivesinNorthernCaliforniaandraisesapoisongardenofherown.HernewestbookiscalledWickedPlants.Sowhichplantdoessheconsiderthedeadli