PTE Academic Reading Test 4

For centuries, honeybees have been celebrated not only for the honey they produce but also for the vital service they provide as pollinators. As a bee moves from flower to flower in search of nectar, it inadvertently transfers pollen, enabling plants to reproduce. This process underpins a significant proportion of global food production, with crops ranging from almonds to apples relying heavily on insect pollination. In recent years, however, beekeepers around the world have reported alarming declines in their colonies, a phenomenon often referred to as colony collapse disorder. Scientists have struggled to pinpoint a single cause, and the evidence increasingly suggests that multiple factors are at work. Among the suspected culprits are certain pesticides, particularly a class known as neonicotinoids, which can impair a bee's ability to navigate and forage. Parasitic mites and viral infections also weaken colonies, while the loss of wildflower habitats reduces the variety of food available to bees. Climate change adds a further layer of complexity, altering the timing of flowering and disrupting the delicate synchrony between plants and their pollinators. The implications extend well beyond the beekeeping industry. Were pollinator populations to collapse, the cost of pollinating crops by other means would be enormous, and the availability of many familiar foods could be threatened. Researchers therefore argue that protecting bees is not merely an environmental concern but an economic and agricultural imperative that demands coordinated action.

What does the passage suggest about the decline of honeybee colonies?

1. A.It can be attributed to a single, clearly identified cause.
2. B.It is likely the result of several interacting factors.
3. C.It affects only the beekeeping industry and has no wider consequences.
4. D.It has been reversed in most parts of the world.

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