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Recinzioni virtuali: un bene per gli allevamenti e per la natura?

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Leggi un estratto di un articolo di VOA Learning English che confronta le recinzioni tradizionali con quelle virtuali basate sul GPS per i bovini.

Virtual Fences for Cows Show Benefits

Physical fences take time, labor and money to build. It can be difficult to put them in areas such as rocky and hilly land, wet areas, or places with thick vegetation. Over time, fences need to be fixed or new ones need to be built.

When hurricane Ian hit Florida last year, it destroyed four houses and 45 kilometers of physical fence on the land where Strickland works. But the cell towers for the virtual fence system kept working.

Physical fences can also harm wild animals by making it difficult for them to move within and to areas they need for survival.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a U.S-based environmental non-profit organization. It has partnered with cattle ranches in the states of Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado to research the effects of virtual fencing.

William Burnidge is Deputy Director of TNC’s North America Regenerative Grazing Lands Strategy. He said that by changing fence boundaries, the systems prevent animals from eating too much vegetation within one area. This helps plants regenerate, or grow again.

He added that virtual fences could help protect rare plants and areas near rivers and streams. They could also support conservation of wild animals, improve the health of animals and help ranch workers have a better quality of life.

Strickland works with partners at Florida Conservation Group and the University of Florida. With virtual fences, they can carefully control grazing. This helps them research the effects of grazing patterns on the growth of young cows, birth rates, and even the effects on nesting birds.

Capire il testo

Leggi il testo. Scegli la risposta corretta.

What does the text say about physical fences?
- a) They are cheap and quick to build.
- b) They take time, labour and money to build.
- c) They never need to be repaired.
Where is it especially difficult to put physical fences?
- a) On rocky, hilly or wet land
- b) In cities and towns
- c) Near main roads
What happened when Hurricane Ian hit Florida?
- a) The virtual fence towers stopped working.
- b) Strickland lost all of his cattle.
- c) Kilometres of physical fence were destroyed, but the virtual fence system kept working.
How can physical fences harm wild animals?
- a) By giving them electric shocks
- b) By making it hard for them to move to areas they need to survive
- c) By frightening them with noise
What is The Nature Conservancy?
- a) An environmental non-profit organisation
- b) A government department
- c) A cattle ranch in Kansas
According to William Burnidge, how do virtual fences help plants?
- a) By giving the plants more water
- b) By stopping animals from eating too much in one area
- c) By keeping all animals out of the fields
Burnidge believes virtual fences could improve life for ranch workers.
- a) True
- b) False
What do Strickland and his partners study with the help of virtual fences?
- a) How to build cheaper cell towers
- b) How hurricanes form
- c) How grazing patterns affect young cows, birth rates and nesting birds

Parole e dettagli

Scegli la risposta migliore, oppure scrivi una parola dal testo.

"places with thick vegetation" Vegetation means ...
- a) deep water
- b) plants in general
- c) large rocks
The text explains that regenerate means to grow ___.
TNC "has partnered with cattle ranches". This means it has ...
- a) worked together with them
- b) competed against them
- c) bought land from them
Virtual fences "could also support conservation of wild animals". Conservation means ...
- a) hunting
- b) counting
- c) protection
TNC works with cattle ranches in Kansas, New Mexico and ___.
The text mentions a better quality of life. This means ...
- a) a life that is more comfortable and satisfying
- b) longer working hours
- c) a move to a bigger city

Soluzioni

Capire il testo

b) They take time, labour and money to build.Le recinzioni fisiche richiedono tempo, manodopera e denaro per essere costruite e hanno bisogno di riparazioni nel tempo.
a) On rocky, hilly or wet landPuò essere difficile installarle su terreni rocciosi e collinari, in zone umide o in luoghi con vegetazione fitta.
c) Kilometres of physical fence were destroyed, but the virtual fence system kept working.L'uragano distrusse 45 chilometri di recinzione fisica, ma le torri per telefoni cellulari del sistema di recinzione virtuale continuarono a funzionare.
b) By making it hard for them to move to areas they need to surviveLe recinzioni fisiche possono rendere difficile per gli animali selvatici spostarsi verso le aree di cui hanno bisogno per sopravvivere.
a) An environmental non-profit organisationIl testo descrive TNC come un'organizzazione ambientalista senza scopo di lucro con sede negli Stati Uniti.
b) By stopping animals from eating too much in one areaModificando i confini delle recinzioni, i sistemi impediscono agli animali di mangiare troppa vegetazione in una sola area.
a) TrueDisse che potevano aiutare i lavoratori dei ranch ad avere una migliore qualità della vita.
c) How grazing patterns affect young cows, birth rates and nesting birdsStudiano gli effetti dei modelli di pascolo sulla crescita dei vitelli, sui tassi di natalità e sugli uccelli che nidificano.

Parole e dettagli

b) plants in generalVegetation significa piante, soprattutto quelle che crescono in una particolare zona.
againIl testo dice: This helps plants regenerate, or grow again.
a) worked together with themTo partner with someone significa collaborare con lui.
c) protectionConservation è la protezione degli animali, delle piante e delle aree naturali.
ColoradoTNC ha stretto collaborazioni con allevamenti di bovini in Kansas, Nuovo Messico e Colorado.
a) a life that is more comfortable and satisfyingQuality of life descrive quanto la vita di una persona sia buona, comoda e soddisfacente.