# Seed banks - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：超高频 - 最近考试：2025.3.22 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/28ccfa62-853e-40b9-9e8e-cf4ca5fbba93（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 00:00:00,100 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:00:07,440 Hello. Today, there are nearly two thousand seed banks in the world. Seed banks are places where seeds from millions of different plants are stored to keep them safe for the future. Today, I'd like to tell you a little bit about seed banks and how and why they're used. 00:00:28,300 So let's look at some history, and we'll start in ancient Mesopotamia around eight thousand BC. 00:00:36,260 This was when the ancient Mesopotamians started to practice agriculture. They were the first to do so as far as we know. 00:00:45,420 Every year, they would harvest their crops for food, but they also used some of these crops to make clothing. As well as this, they also collected the seeds, so they would have crops for the following year or years. 00:01:01,360 Thanks to archaeologists, we now know how these seeds were stored. 00:01:07,000 When examining ancient settlements in Mesopotamia, archaeologists found the precious seeds underground, stored in baskets. 00:01:17,220 After much examination, they concluded that in order to protect the seeds, they were combined with large quantities of ash from old fires before being buried. 00:01:29,660 Archaeologists wanted to establish why seeds were buried underground and concluded the most likely threat was posed by animals who might have found them a good food source. 00:01:42,460 Today, there are many more reasons why we need to protect seeds, and that's why we have sophisticated facilities like seed banks. 00:01:51,300 Seed banks provide a type of insurance against the very damaging effects that climate change is bringing to the natural world. 00:01:59,440 Extreme weather events like floods can wipe out entire crops. 00:02:05,420 Seed banks are also necessary because they can help to reduce the crop losses that can result if a disease occurs in a certain type of plant. 00:02:15,380 Importantly too, seed banks allow scientists to discover how different plants can be used in the production of medicine. Many plants have healing properties that we are only just now beginning to understand, and having banks of seeds means that we will hopefully always have them around to study and use. 00:02:42,120 Scientists need to be able to identify the plants and maintain accurate records. For this reason, each sample collected is then assigned a special code, which scientists around the world can recognize. 00:02:56,640 The seeds need, of course, to be cleaned. There are many different ways of doing this. Whichever technique is used, this process occurs in an environmentally controlled room in which the temperature is kept constant. Furthermore, the humidity is strictly monitored to make sure it doesn't change too much. All of this helps to ensure the quality of the specimen. 00:03:22,250 The seeds need then to be stored in a safe environment. To do this, scientists freeze the seeds at very low temperatures, about minus twenty degrees Celsius. Then the scientists place these frozen seeds in specially designed airtight canisters, and they do this in order to protect the seeds from contamination, something we really don't want. 00:03:47,440 One thing that might surprise you about seed banks is that they don't just contain edible plants. Scientists also include plants that are known to be poisonous and which can cause sickness, as these plants might one day be useful. 00:04:04,220 Although governments have financed the setting up of some of these seed banks, they're expensive to run, and many require ongoing donations from the public to help support them. 00:04:15,300 Okay, let me now tell you- 00:04:20,780 That is the end of part four. You now have one minute to check your answers to part four. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Mesopotamia 8000 BC crops were gathered to prepare food produce 31_____ and to provide seeds. Mesopotamia 8000 BC crops were gathered to prepare food produce 31_____ and to provide seeds. **答案**：clothing 原文定位：Every year, they would harvest their crops for food, but they also used some of these crops to make clothing. As well as this, they also collected the seeds 同义替换：「produce」↔「make」；「provide」↔「collected」 ### 32. Archaeologists discovered that seeds were placed in baskets and buried underground. Seeds were mixed with 32_____ before being buried. Archaeologists discovered that seeds were placed in baskets and buried underground. Seeds were mixed with 32_____ before being buried. **答案**：ash 原文定位：After much examination, they concluded that in order to protect the seeds, they were combined with large quantities of ash from old fires before being buried 同义替换：「mixed」↔「combined」 ### 33. Strong seeds underground meant that no 33_____ could eat them. Strong seeds underground meant that no 33_____ could eat them. **答案**：animals 原文定位：Archaeologists wanted to establish why seeds were buried underground and concluded the most likely threat was posed by animals who might have found them a good food source 同义替换：「eat」↔「food source」 ### 34. Seed banks today They protect seeds from natural disasters such as 34_____ . Seed banks today They protect seeds from natural disasters such as 34_____ . **答案**：floods 原文定位：Extreme weather events like floods can wipe out entire crops 同义替换：「natural disasters」↔「Extreme weather events」；「such as」↔「like」 ### 35. They protect certain plant crops They allow for research into 35_____ that can be made from plants. They protect certain plant crops They allow for research into 35_____ that can be made from plants. **答案**：medicine 原文定位：Importantly too, seed banks allow scientists to discover how different plants can be used in the production of medicine 同义替换：「research into」↔「scientists to discover」；「that can be made from plants」↔「production of medicine」 ### 36. The samples: - are given an individual 36_____ for identification purpose The samples: - are given an individual 36_____ for identification purpose **答案**：code 原文定位：For this reason, each sample collected is then assigned a special code, which scientists around the world can recognize 同义替换：「individual」↔「special」；「identification purpose」↔「scientists can recognize」 ### 37. - are cleaned in a room with controlled temperature and 37_____ - are cleaned in a room with controlled temperature and 37_____ **答案**：humidity 原文定位：This process occurs in an environmentally controlled room in which the temperature is kept constant. Furthermore, the humidity is strictly monitored to make sure it doesn't change too much 同义替换：「controlled temperature」↔「temperature is kept constant」；「and」↔「Furthermore」 ### 38. - are frozen and stored in containers to prevent 38_____ - are frozen and stored in containers to prevent 38_____ **答案**：contamination 原文定位：Then the scientists place these frozen seeds in specially designed airtight canisters, and they do this in order to protect the seeds from contamination, something we really don't want 同义替换：「containers」↔「canisters」；「prevent」↔「protect」 ### 39. - even include species of plant that are 39_____ to people - even include species of plant that are 39_____ to people **答案**：poisonous 原文定位：Scientists also include plants that are known to be poisonous and which can cause sickness, as these plants might one day be useful ### 40. - 40_____ from individuals are often needed to maintain seed banks. - 40_____ from individuals are often needed to maintain seed banks. **答案**：donations 原文定位：Although governments have financed the setting up of some of these seed banks, they're expensive to run, and many require ongoing donations from the public to help support them 同义替换：「individuals」↔「public」；「often needed」↔「require ongoing」；「maintain」↔「help support」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。