This is a download from BBC Learning English.

To find out more, visit our website.

Six Minute English.

From BBC Learning English.

com. Hello, this is six minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

And I'm Sam. How are you, Neil?

Oh, I've been as busy as a bee this week, Sam.

Ah, don't you sound like the bee's knees?

All right, Sam, there's no need to get a bee in your bonnet.

As you can hear, English is full of idioms involving bees.

But the sad truth is that bee numbers are declining at an alarming rate and in some places

disappearing altogether.

And this has serious consequences for humans.

Today, one third of the food we eat depends on insects to pollinate crops, fruit and vegetables.

But these are in trouble. In some European countries up to half of all bee species are facing extinction, placing our food supply chain at risk.

Bees are vital in pollinating hundreds of crops from apples and blackberries to cucumbers.

In fact, almost all plants need insects to reproduce, which is my quiz question.

Of the world's top 50 crops, how many rely on insect

pollination? Is it a 35 out of 50, B 40 out of 50, or C 45 out 50.

I reckon those busy bees pollinate B 40 out of 50 of the most common crops.

Okay Sam we'll find out the answer later. Now if you

think back to your school biology lessons you may remember that plants and flowers

...