# Urban biodiversity - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：中频 - 最近考试：2021.11.6 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/88c4d090-8a1d-4332-98c6-bb6cb7ecde60（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 You will hear a professor of environmental biology talking about urban biodiversity. 00:00:07,600 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty on page seven. 00:00:16,000 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:00:23,960 Today I want to talk about urban biodiversity. That is the amazing variety of plant and animal life that we find in cities throughout the world. 00:00:35,160 Cities are providing new opportunities for wildlife through habitats provided in spaces such as parks and empty, undeveloped lots. With some help from humans, species can be preserved despite living close to people. Sometimes species survive more successfully than in rural areas where they may be threatened by hunting, though this is increasingly regulated by governments. 00:01:03,380 Another threat they face in rural areas is the ever-encroaching spread of farms and suburban housing, which reduces natural habitats significantly. 00:01:15,040 Once you start to look, you will be amazed by the variety of life which exists side by side with people in cities. 00:01:23,680 Look at the wildlife which share our buildings. There are moss and lichens on older buildings, and particularly numerous are the insects which find breeding places and shelter there. 00:01:37,740 And urban environmentalists have for a long time been aware of the particular attraction of garden walls made of wood, stone, brick, and even concrete, which provide ideal spots for smaller plant and animal species to thrive. 00:01:55,060 Over time, many species that were initially crowded out from their habitats return to the sites of their original inhabitation, now in the heart of cities. This is particularly true in the case of birds. London is today home to the peregrine falcon, a bird once thought close to extinction there, but now doing very well. This magnificent falcon has actually learned how to search for food by night when its urban prey is more likely to be active instead of its traditional forays for food by day. 00:02:32,940 And the seagull now living in cities provides safety for its offspring from urban predators by building its nest using trash from the streets below. 00:02:48,360 This adaptation of urban animals can be compared with the adaptation of humans themselves about ten thousand years ago when they developed as a society from being hunter-gatherers to a much more geographically stable system dependent upon agriculture. 00:03:07,680 This process led initially to lower life expectancies, in part because the diet of these early humans became less varied and thus, ironically, less healthy. 00:03:20,280 In addition, as humans began to live in ever more dense population centers, disease increased significantly. But over several thousand years, new human gene variants slowly allowed them to cope with these threats to their very existence. 00:03:38,000 Special urban biodiversity projects are being set up in a number of big cities across the world, including Toronto and Singapore, where inhabitants are being encouraged to create a record of the biodiversity in their environment. 00:03:55,120 Glasgow has recently launched a plan for volunteers from interested community groups to record information using surveys to determine residents' ideas about how to increase local biodiversity. Gathering such data has led to a variety of schemes promoting wildlife. 00:04:14,800 In the UK, a group called Biodiversity Strategy is conducting a special program to encourage the introduction of thousands more trees in urban areas because of their particular suitability as shelter for large numbers of wildlife species. 00:04:32,560 Certain animals, including most famously rats and pigeons, have adapted incredibly successfully to cities and in fact have done so well in some instances that they have become nuisances and a hazard to health. 00:04:47,500 Likewise, among plants, some weeds often adjust well to urban life, much to the annoyance of landscape specialists and gardeners. 00:04:56,820 Many urban dwellers will tolerate nature only if they can control it and if it is relatively clean, not messy or random. In other words, if wildlife is not truly wild. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Introduction Cities provide new habitats for wildlife, preserving species. Common threats to wild animals in rural areas: ·31_____ ·increase in farms and housing Introduction Cities provide new habitats for wildlife, preserving species. Common threats to wild animals in rural areas: ·31_____ ·increase in farms and housing **答案**：hunting 原文定位：Sometimes species survive more successfully than in rural areas where they may be threatened by hunting, though this is increasingly regulated by governments ### 32. Location of wildlife in cities Older buildings -moss, lichens and 32_____ . Location of wildlife in cities Older buildings -moss, lichens and 32_____ . **答案**：insects 原文定位：There are moss and lichens on older buildings, and particularly numerous are the insects which find breeding places and shelter there ### 33. The 33_____ of gardens -small plants and animals. The 33_____ of gardens -small plants and animals. **答案**：walls 原文定位：And urban environmentalists have for a long time been aware of the particular attraction of garden walls made of wood, stone, brick, and even concrete, which provide ideal spots for smaller plant and animal species to thrive ### 34. Birds in cities The London peregrine falcon now feeds at 34_____ . Birds in cities The London peregrine falcon now feeds at 34_____ . **答案**：night 原文定位：This magnificent falcon has actually learned how to search for food by night when its urban prey is more likely to be active instead of its traditional forays for food by day 同义替换：「feeds」↔「search for food」 ### 35. The seagull uses trash for its 35_____ . The seagull uses trash for its 35_____ . **答案**：nests 原文定位：And the seagull now living in cities provides safety for its offspring from urban predators by building its nest using trash from the streets below ### 36. Link with human adaptation 10,000 years ago human society became based on 36_____ . Link with human adaptation 10,000 years ago human society became based on 36_____ . **答案**：agriculture 原文定位：This adaptation of urban animals can be compared with the adaptation of humans themselves about ten thousand years ago when they developed as a society from being hunter-gatherers to a much more geographically stable system dependent upon agriculture 同义替换：「became based on」↔「dependent upon」 ### 37. This initially reduced life expectancy due to: ·dietary change ·spread of 37_____ in heavily populated areas But genetic change gradually reduced these problems. This initially reduced life expectancy due to: ·dietary change ·spread of 37_____ in heavily populated areas But genetic change gradually reduced these problems. **答案**：diseases 原文定位：In addition, as humans began to live in ever more dense population centers, disease increased significantly 同义替换：「reduced」↔「lower」；「due to」↔「because」；「spread of」↔「increased significantly」；「heavily populated areas」↔「dense population centers」 ### 38. Urban biodiversity projects Glasgow: volunteers use 38_____ to collect information. Urban biodiversity projects Glasgow: volunteers use 38_____ to collect information. **答案**：surveys 原文定位：Glasgow has recently launched a plan for volunteers from interested community groups to record information using surveys to determine residents' ideas about how to increase local biodiversity 同义替换：「collect」↔「record」 ### 39. UK Biodiversity Strategy aims to increase the number of 39_____ in cities, but: UK Biodiversity Strategy aims to increase the number of 39_____ in cities, but: **答案**：trees 原文定位：In the UK, a group called Biodiversity Strategy is conducting a special program to encourage the introduction of thousands more trees in urban areas because of their particular suitability as shelter for large numbers of wildlife species 同义替换：「aims to increase」↔「encourage the introduction of thousands more」；「cities」↔「urban areas」 ### 40. ·some forms of wildlife may be a danger to people's 40_____ . ·city residents want wildlife to be controlled and not really wild. ·some forms of wildlife may be a danger to people's 40_____ . ·city residents want wildlife to be controlled and not really wild. **答案**：health 原文定位：Certain animals, including most famously rats and pigeons, have adapted incredibly successfully to cities and in fact have done so well in some instances that they have become nuisances and a hazard to health 同义替换：「danger」↔「hazard」；「people」↔「human」 --- 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。