昆虫数量近几十年来 “令人担忧地” 下降，科学家表示，光污染可能是其中一个因素。英国一项研究发现，人造路灯会扰乱夜蛾的行为，使毛虫数量减少一半。

There’s growing alarm over plunging insect populations with climate change, habitat destruction and pesticides all thought to play a role. But now, scientists say there’s another culprit: artificial streetlights.

人们对昆虫数量的锐减愈发感到担忧，气候变化、栖息地被破坏和杀虫剂的使用都被认为是造成这一现状的因素。但现在，科学家指出还有另一个原因——人造路灯。

Researchers from the charity Butterfly Conservation counted caterpillars at the sides of brightly lit roads. Compared with similar stretches of unlit roads, caterpillar numbers were reduced by half, suggesting streetlights can affect the abundance of insects – at least on a local scale.

慈善机构蝴蝶保护委员会（Butterfly Conservation）的研究人员在灯光明亮的道路两旁清点了毛虫的数量。与没有照明的类似路段相比，毛虫数量少了一半，这表明路灯可以影响昆虫数量是否充足，至少在当地范围内是如此。

The scientists say with insects in trouble, we should be doing all we can to reduce negative influences. But there are practical solutions such as dimming streetlights in the early hours, installing motion sensors, or using colour filters to modify the light.

科学家指出，由于昆虫陷入了生存困境，我们应竭尽所能减少对它们的负面影响。但同时，也存在一些切实可行的解决方案，比如在凌晨调暗路灯的灯光、安装运动传感器或使用彩色滤光片来改变光线。

词汇表

plunging 锐减
culprit 起因，罪魁祸首
artificial 人造的
streetlights 路灯，街灯
caterpillars 毛虫，蝶或蛾类昆虫的幼虫
stretches 路段
abundance 大量，充足
dimming 调暗
installing 安装
motion sensors 运动传感器
filters 过滤器，此处指滤光片

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. Other than streetlights, what things are thought to affect insect populations?

2. What did researchers count to understand how insects were affected?

3. What were the results of the research into insect population near streetlights?

4. What practical solutions are mentioned to help with the problem of artificial streetlights?

答案  

1. Other than streetlights, what things are thought to affect insect populations?
Climate change, habitat destruction and pesticides are all thought to affect insect populations.

2. What did researchers count to understand how insects were affected?
The researchers counted caterpillars.

3. What were the results of the research into insect population near streetlights?
Caterpillar numbers were reduced by half in areas of lit roads.

4. What practical solutions are mentioned to help with the problem of artificial streetlights?
Dimming streetlights in the early hours, installing motion sensors, or using colour filters to modify the light could all help.