In the reader, tap any word or sentence to hear it in English,
translate it, or look up a definition.
Words to know
membership
the number of people who belong to a club or group
publicity
a way to get attention so that many people notice a business
bumblebees
big, hairy, flying insects with black and yellow stripes
beekeepers
people who raise and care for insects that make honey
enrich
to make something better or more enjoyable
pollinators
insects or animals that carry dust between flowers so plants can make seeds
favored
liked or treated better than others
A For many years, beekeeping was seen mainly as a rural activity, closely tied to farms and open fields. Today it has become common in large cities as well. Several reasons explain this change. Many people worry that bees and other insects are dying out, and so they keep hives to help. Others are drawn to the idea of making their own honey at home. Changes in the law have mattered too. New York City, for example, ended its ban on honey bees in 2010, and the number of listed hives soon rose quickly. Similar trends have appeared in London, Paris, and other major cities, where beekeeping clubs report steady growth in membership.
B Bees in cities often live in ways quite different from those in the countryside. Gardens, parks, and street trees provide them with a varied mixture of flowers, which can supply food across a longer season than a single farm crop. Cities also tend to be warmer than the land around them, an effect known as the urban heat island. This added warmth may allow a colony to remain active for more of the year. City bees usually meet fewer farm chemicals as well, although they face other kinds of pollution instead. As a result, honey made in one part of a city can taste very different from honey made in another.
C One of the clearest signs of the trend is the placing of hives on rooftops. A flat roof offers a warm, sheltered space, safely cut off from people on the street, making it an attractive home for bees. The idea is not new. Hives have stood on the roof of the Paris Opera house since the early 1980s, and their honey is sold to guests. Since then, hotels, offices, and museums in many cities have installed colonies of their own. Some do so to support nature, whereas others treat it mainly as a form of publicity. Bees can travel several kilometers in search of food, so even a high roof far from any garden can still feed a colony well.
D Despite being popular, keeping bees in cities has drawn growing complaints from nature experts. The honey bee is only one of many insects that carry pollen. Cities are also home to wild bumblebees and solitary bees, many of which are already under pressure. When too many hives are packed into a small area, the honey bees may compete for the flowers that wild insects need. Several researchers argue that keeping honey bees simply to save the bees is misleading, because it can harm the very insects that most need protection. The danger is greatest where interest has grown faster than the supply of food.
E Responsible city beekeeping therefore depends on balance rather than on numbers alone. Experts advise that beekeepers register their hives, keep only a few colonies, and check that their bees stay healthy so that disease does not spread. Just as important, they encourage people to plant flowers, shrubs, and trees that supply food throughout the year, so that both managed and wild bees have enough. Some cities now offer training courses and set limits on how many hives an area may hold. Cared for well, beekeeping can enrich city life, yet its lasting value lies in protecting the whole community of pollinators rather than a single favored species.
Exam practice
Exam-style questions written by ESLDesk for practice.
They are not official IELTS or TOEFL questions, and ESLDesk is not affiliated with the exam providers.
True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?
Choose True if the statement agrees with the passage, False if it
contradicts the passage, or Not Given if the passage does not say.
In New York City, the number of officially listed hives climbed quickly once the ban on honey bees was removed.
Show answer
True — Para A: NYC ended its honey-bee ban in 2010 and the number of listed hives soon rose quickly.
Bees kept in cities come into contact with more farm chemicals than bees kept in the countryside.
Show answer
False — Para B says city bees usually meet FEWER farm chemicals than rural bees, the opposite of this.
Hives placed on rooftops yield more honey than hives kept at ground level.
Show answer
Not Given — The passage never compares the honey output of rooftop hives with that of ground-level hives.
Some researchers warn that keeping honey bees in order to help bees can actually damage the wild insects most in need of protection.
Show answer
True — Para D: researchers argue keeping honey bees to save the bees is misleading because it can harm insects needing protection.
Experts advise urban beekeepers to keep as many colonies as they can.
Show answer
False — Para E advises keeping only a FEW colonies, the opposite of as many as possible.
Matching Headings
The passage has 5 paragraphs, A–E.
Choose the best heading for each paragraph from the list below. There are two extra headings you will not use.
Concerns about harming wild pollinators
The health risks of city honey
Why beekeeping has moved into cities
Keeping urban beekeeping in balance
Taking hives up onto the roof
Making a profit from urban hives
How the city changes life for bees
Show answer
iii. Why beekeeping has moved into cities — Lists the reasons beekeeping spread to cities: worry over dying bees, homemade honey, and changes in the law.
Show answer
vii. How the city changes life for bees — Describes how urban conditions such as flowers, warmth, and chemicals differ from the countryside and shape city bees.
Show answer
v. Taking hives up onto the roof — Focuses on placing hives on rooftops, from the Paris Opera house to hotels, offices, and museums.
Show answer
i. Concerns about harming wild pollinators — Reports experts' worry that too many honey-bee hives compete with and harm wild bees.
Show answer
iv. Keeping urban beekeeping in balance — Argues responsible beekeeping needs balance, limits, and protection of all pollinators rather than numbers alone.
Summary Completion
Complete the summary below. Choose no more than two words
from the passage for each answer.
Although urban beekeeping is popular, some experts worry that packing too many hives into a small area forces honey bees to 1 with wild insects for scarce flowers. To avoid this, beekeepers are advised to register their hives and keep only a few 2. People are also encouraged to grow more flowers, shrubs, and 3 so that food is available all year. In the end, the real goal is to protect the entire community of 4, not just one favored species.
Show answers
compete — Para D: 'the honey bees may compete for the flowers that wild insects need.'
colonies — Para E: 'keep only a few colonies.'
trees — Para E: 'plant flowers, shrubs, and trees that supply food throughout the year.'
pollinators — Para E: 'protecting the whole community of pollinators.'
