Unit 4 Sharing Using language课时作业

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　　The spread of no-maintenance artificial lawns is threatening wildlife and rare plants, conservationists and gardening experts are warning. Gardens are an increasingly important shelter for wildlife which was forced into withdrawing from the countryside by loss of the natural homes and intensive farming. But the growth in the popularity of artificial lawns, which look like the real thing but require no cutting, watering or fertilizing, means there's no shelter in an increasing number of Britain's back gardens.

　　Tim Rumball, editor of Amateur Gardening magazine, said: "Artificial grass these days looks great and these days you can buy rolls of it whereas before it was a very specialist thing. It can take people a few minutes to realize they are on an artificial lawn rather than a real one."

　　Besides the impact on wildlife, a damaging impact has also been had on the wider environment because of replacing real grass. Mr Rumball said: "Lawns matter a lot. Plants change carbon dioxide into oxygen and if all the lawns are taken away in Britain you will significantly affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. When grass grows longer, it attracts insects. If you have an artificial lawn then these insects will be reduced and the whole of the food chain will be affected, especially birds that rely on insects for their diet."

Joy Wallis of Dorset Wildlife Trust is also concerned about the trend for artificial grass. "These days, gardens are a shelter for wildlife," she said. "Creatures can't survive in the countryside because it is so full of chemicals. Birds get absolutely nothing from artificial grass, and they can't dig for worms or anything like that. It seems a shame that people feel they haven't got the time or the tendency to look after a lawn."