Unlocking Word
Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in
today’s article.
1. biodiversity
(n.) [bahy-oh-di-vur-si-tee, ‐dahy‐] – the existence of a wide variety
of plant and animal species in their natural environments
Example: Forest destruction affects the
earth’s biodiversity.
2. meadow
(adj.) [med-oh] – an area of grassland
Example: The meadow is a perfect place to
grow flowering plants.
3. variety
(n.) [vuh-rahy-i-tee] – a group or collection of different things
Example: The museum contains a wide variety
of artworks.
4. habitat
(n.) [hab-i-tat] – a place or environment where a plant or animal usually lives
Example: Icy lands are the natural habitats
of penguins and polar bears.
5. cultivate
(v.) [kuhl-tuh-veyt] – to grow a plant
Example: Farmers usually cultivate crops
during the rainy season.
Article
Read the text below.
In an effort to save vanishing biodiversity in the UK, British
botanists have started collecting and growing seeds of native plants.
Under the project called UK Native Seed Hub,
botanists collect seeds from lowland meadows
and semi-natural grassland to help commercial seed growers provide seeds to
restoration groups. These groups use seeds to restore natural habitats in
UK’s countryside, 98% of which have vanished since 1930s.
According to Paul Smith, head of the
international conservation project Millennium Seed Bank, commercial seed
growers cannot provide high quality seeds suitable for growth in the intended
habitats. On the other hand,
restoration groups do not have adequate financial and technical support to
encourage companies to grow the right variety
of seeds.
To help solve this problem, botanists from UK
Native Seed Hub have started cultivating
seeds on a small scale. Carefully selected seeds are grown in temporary
seed beds located in a walled nursery at Wakehurst Place. The seeds are then replanted to larger beds
in preparation for a larger scale production.
UK Native Seed Hub is a four-year project done
with the help of Millennium Seed Bank, an international project involving the
storage and preservation of seeds from around the world.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
What
benefits can we get from plants?
·
Can
we live without plants?
Discussion
B
·
What
are other factors that cause extinction of plants?
·
What
things can we do to prevent extinction of plants?