Most groups of plants and animals are richer in species and more plentiful near the equator. In the ocean, that holds true for cold-blooded predators(掠食者). But warm-blooded predators are more diverse toward the poles and noticeably missing from several warm hot spots. Why?
John Grady, an ecologist, and his team considered the possibility—warm-blooded animals need a lot to fuel their metabolism(新陈代谢). Perhaps colder waters are just richer in small fish? But they found that at higher, colder places, there isn’t actually much more food around. It’s more that warm-blooded animals are eating a much bigger share of it than their cold-blooded competitors.
The real explanation is simple. An animal’s speed, swiftness, and intelligence depend on its metabolism, which in turn depends on its temperature. Since birds and mammals can keep heating their bodies in icy conditions, they remain fast and attentive. By contrast, the fish they hunt become slower and duller. At some tipping point of temperature, seals, dolphins, and penguins start outswimming their prey(猎物). They become more likely to come upon targets and outpace the cold-blooded predators of their own.
In Grady’s words, “Warm-bodied predators are favoured where preys are slow, stupid and cold.” That’s why sharks and other predatory fish dominate near the equator, but colder waters are the kingdom of whales and seals. By keeping food to themselves in the poles, these creatures can then specialize on specific types of prey, which makes them more likely to split into separate species. The killer whales of the North Pacific, for example, include mammal-eating transients and fish-eating, year-round residents.
But the world is changing. It’s likely that the surface of the oceans will warm by 2 to 3℃ within this century. Grady’s team estimates that every time the ocean’s surface warms by 1℃, populations of sea mammals will fall by 12%, and populations of seals and sea lions will fall by 24%.
But “predictions are hard,” Donna Hauser from the University of Alaska Fairbanks notes. “Polar bears are losers of a warming world, but some populations are still doing well. Some groups of whales have changed the timing of their migrations; others are hunting in deeper, colder waters. These changes might make sea mammals more adaptable to changing climates. Maybe they just need to find the places where fish remain slow, stupid and cold.”
1.Why are there more types of warm-blooded predators near the poles?
A. Because there is more food.
B. Because there are fewer enemies.
C. Because they are faster and wiser.
D. Because they consume less energy.
2.The author mentions the killer whales to show ______.
A. the benefit of biological evolution
B. food preference of different sea mammals
C. the distinction of specific types of predators
D. the advantage of constant body temperature
3.What is Donna Hauser’s attitude towards the future of the sea mammals?
A. Positive. B. Negative.
C. Neutral. D. Sceptical.
4.Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Are the Poles Heaven for Sea Predators?
B. How Do Sea Mammals Track Their Prey?
C. Why Do the Warm-Blooded Like Food Cold?
D. Is the World Too Hot for the Warm-Blooded?
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Most groups of plants and animals are richer in species and more plentiful near the equator. In the ocean, that holds true for cold-blooded predators(掠食者). But warm-blooded predators are more diverse toward the poles and noticeably missing from several warm hot spots. Why?
John Grady, an ecologist, and his team considered the possibility—warm-blooded animals need a lot to fuel their metabolism(新陈代谢). Perhaps colder waters are just richer in small fish? But they found that at higher, colder places, there isn’t actually much more food around. It’s more that warm-blooded animals are eating a much bigger share of it than their cold-blooded competitors.
The real explanation is simple. An animal’s speed, swiftness, and intelligence depend on its metabolism, which in turn depends on its temperature. Since birds and mammals can keep heating their bodies in icy conditions, they remain fast and attentive. By contrast, the fish they hunt become slower and duller. At some tipping point of temperature, seals, dolphins, and penguins start outswimming their prey(猎物). They become more likely to come upon targets and outpace the cold-blooded predators of their own.
In Grady’s words, “Warm-bodied predators are favoured where preys are slow, stupid and cold.” That’s why sharks and other predatory fish dominate near the equator, but colder waters are the kingdom of whales and seals. By keeping food to themselves in the poles, these creatures can then specialize on specific types of prey, which makes them more likely to split into separate species. The killer whales of the North Pacific, for example, include mammal-eating transients and fish-eating, year-round residents.
But the world is changing. It’s likely that the surface of the oceans will warm by 2 to 3℃ within this century. Grady’s team estimates that every time the ocean’s surface warms by 1℃, populations of sea mammals will fall by 12%, and populations of seals and sea lions will fall by 24%.
But “predictions are hard,” Donna Hauser from the University of Alaska Fairbanks notes. “Polar bears are losers of a warming world, but some populations are still doing well. Some groups of whales have changed the timing of their migrations; others are hunting in deeper, colder waters. These changes might make sea mammals more adaptable to changing climates. Maybe they just need to find the places where fish remain slow, stupid and cold.”
1.Why are there more types of warm-blooded predators near the poles?
A. Because there is more food.
B. Because there are fewer enemies.
C. Because they are faster and wiser.
D. Because they consume less energy.
2.The author mentions the killer whales to show ______.
A. the benefit of biological evolution
B. food preference of different sea mammals
C. the distinction of specific types of predators
D. the advantage of constant body temperature
3.What is Donna Hauser’s attitude towards the future of the sea mammals?
A. Positive. B. Negative.
C. Neutral. D. Sceptical.
4.Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Are the Poles Heaven for Sea Predators?
B. How Do Sea Mammals Track Their Prey?
C. Why Do the Warm-Blooded Like Food Cold?
D. Is the World Too Hot for the Warm-Blooded?
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Today, many species of animals and plants are endangered. This means they are in danger of becoming extinct and living on only in the pages of history books. The famous dodo is a classic example of a creature that became extinct. A flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius, it was discovered by sailors in 1598 but was hunted to extinction by 1681.
Hunting has caused the Bengal tiger and the African elephant to be endangered today but habitat destruction can also lead to extinction. This is equally true for plants. Animals and plants disappear for other reasons too, but the main cause is often a disruption（打乱，破坏） in the natural food chain, whether due to hunting, habitat destruction, or even the introduction of alien species.
The natural food chain is the cycle that governs the existence of all life on this planet. It is a carefully balanced cycle and any imbalance that occurs can cause knock-on effects that have serious consequences. At the beginning of the natural food chain are plants which turn sunlight into energy and draw nutrients from the earth. Plants are called producers.
After the producers come the consumers. There are three tiers of consumers. First are creatures such as plant-eating animals, fish and insects which feed off the producers. These animals that only eat plants are called herbivores. The second tier of consumers are carnivores - animals that live off other animals. The third tier of consumers eats both other animals and plants. These consumers, including most humans, are called omnivores.
After animals and plants die, they become food for other smaller creatures, such as bacteria and some plants, such as fungi. As they feed, these creatures turn the dead bodies back into gases and minerals which are again food for the producers at the beginning of the food chain. And so the cycle continues.
All of nature is connected and governed by hundreds of these delicate food chains and if a single plant in the chain cannot survive, then the insects that live off the plant start to die and the animals that eat the insects also start to die.
When a food chain is disrupted, the consequences can be extremely serious. One estimate suggests that for each plant species that is lost, up to 30 animals and insects may also die out. One wonders how many species were affected by the extinction of the dodo?
Humans can have disastrous effects on food chains. We've already mentioned hunting but now let's look at travel. When people first started to explore the world they took plant and animal species from their home countries and introduced them wherever they went. They didn't realize that by introducing alien species they were disrupting the natural food chains of the areas they discovered. Although there are strict rules in place today controlling the import and export of alien species, some places are still fighting the effects of aliens introduced hundreds of years ago.
For example, Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean is a breeding ground for albatrosses that have been nesting there for centuries. But in the 19th century, mice from passing ships were brought to the island. Being a species alien to the island, they had no natural predators and have now grown to such a size that they are attacking and killing albatross chicks. If they are allowed to continue, they will wipe out the albatross population.
With import laws and people's rising awareness of how humans affect the natural environment, hopefully we can learn to fit better into the natural food chains that govern our world. Otherwise we need to accept that the loss of any more plants and animals could eventually mean our own extinction.
1.What do the first two paragraphs mainly tell us?
A. Hunting and habitat destruction lead to extinction.
B. Many species of animals and plants are endangered.
C. Plants and animals become extinct for the same reasons.
D. The main cause of extinction is often a disruption in the natural food chain.
2.Which of the following sentence is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Strict rules alone can remove the bad effects of alien species.
B. Plants, herbivores and carnivores are the three tiers of consumers.
C. If a bird becomes extinct, the relevant food chain will be disrupted.
D. Animals and plants become extinct because alien species are imported.
3.By mentioning the mice in Gough Island, the author intends to highlight ______.
A. mice worldwide are growing all the time
B. being aliens, they had no natural predators
C. some places are still fighting the effects of aliens
D. traveling can have disastrous effects on food chains
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Survival of the fittest.
B. Endangered animals and plants.
C. How to protect the natural environment.
D. The link between food chains and extinction.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Many of the earth’s plants and animals have already ______ and several other species are endangered．
A．died away B．died out C．died down D．died of
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The remains of animals and plants which ________ in or near water are most likely to be preserved.
A.had lived B.lived C.live D.are living
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Plants and animals usually do not live apart, as in many ways they are important to each other. Most green plants can make their own food. The food of other living things, even the food of meat-eating animals, comes directly or indirectly from green plants. For example, some people eat mutton (羊肉); mutton comes from a goat; the goats eat grass. These steps, or links, make up what is called a food chain. Without green plants, all other living things would in time die of starvation.
Plants help animals in other ways too. They furnish homes and shelter for many animals. Many birds, as you know, build their nests in trees. Deer and many other animals use bushes for shelter. And even man depends much upon plants for his shelter. Animals repay some of this debt by helping plants. You may be aware that many insects and some birds do important work for plants by pollinating (授粉) them. You must have also learned how animals often help plants by spreading seeds.
What is waste material for one of these kinds of life is often valuable substance for the other. For example, animals give off carbon dioxide gas when they breathe. When plants make food, they absorb this gas from the air, using the carbon and releasing some of the oxygen back into the air. The oxygen that is released, then, is again supplied to animals. Thus the cycle continues, animals helping plants, and plants helping animals.
All plants and animals have their enemies. Insects eat plants; birds eat insects; other animals kill birds. But here too, animals such as birds and bats help the plants by destroying harmful insects. Many plants and animals are helpful to some living things but are harmful to others. Then there are other rules in nature that act as checks and balances. For example, if there are more animals in a certain area than there is food to support them, some of the animals must migrate or starve. In either case, the number of animals will be reduced until the balance between animals and the available food supply is restored.
These helps and hindrances (障碍) are constantly going on in the plant and animal world to achieve a balance. As long as one living thing is dependent on another, whenever the scales are tipped (使倾斜), nature takes steps to balance the scales again.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS.)
1.What does the author mean by saying “Plants and animals usually do not live apart”?
2.Besides providing food and shelter for animals, plants can also ______ to help animals to live.
3.“Checks and balances” refers to ______ in the world of animals and plants.
4.What will be the final result if some animals migrate or starve for lack of food?
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
Many of the earth’s plants and animals have already1.(die) out, and a hundred species become 2.(endanger) every day. If nothing is done, we may find ourselves3. (lonely) on the earth.
Wild animals live in the4. (forest) which are being destroyed by people. As5. result, the animals are 6.(lose) their habitats. Without the trees, the animals are short of food. And many animals are dying out because of pollution.
I suggest that measures should be taken 7.(protect) wildlife. The government should keep people 8.destroying forests and shut down the factories 9. pollute rivers and air, I think more wildlife reserves should also be 10.(build)
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
________more and more forests in Australia damaged, some animals and plants are facing the danger of dying out.
A.As B.For C.With D.By
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans are responsible for causing changes in the environment that hurt animals and species(物种). We take up more space on Earth for our homes and cities. We pollute habitats(栖息地). ________1. illegally hunt and kill animals. All of these activities take resources and habitats away ________2.________ plants and animals.
Human activity often changes or destroys the habitats that plants and animals need to survive. 3.________ human populations are growing so fast, animals and plants are disappearing many times faster 4.________ they have in the past 65 million years.
Animals and plants have always had a ________5.________ time surviving. Animals became extinct (灭绝的) in the past for a wide variety of reasons. In some cases, competition for resources among animals led to extinction and in ________6.________ cases, environmental changes caused extinction.
Fortunately, we humans are beginning to realize our mistakes, ________7.________ we could destroy everything on Earth. We must not only use our knowledge and abilities to manage the Earth, but to make the Earth ________8.________ safe and healthy place where all animals and plants——including humans ourselves——can live.
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
Camels are large animals living in dry areas. There are two species of camels; the Arabian camel with a single hump(驼背) from the dry desert areas of West Asia, and the Bactrian camel with two humps from Central and East Asia. Camels are over 7 feet tall and weigh over 1,600 pounds. They will live up to 40 to 50 years. Most camels are domesticated(驯化) and fed by people. Camels are plant-eaters．
Camels are very strong animals with wide, padded feet. They have thick leathery pads on their knees and chest. Camels have nostrils(鼻孔)that can open and close, protecting them from the desert environment. Bushy eyebrows and two rows of long eyelashes protect their eyes from sand. Their mouth is extremely tough, allowing camels to eat thorny(带刺的)desert plants. Their widened feet help them move without sinking into the sand. Their thick coats reflect sunlight, and also protect them from the intense heat from desert sand. Their long legs help by keeping them further from the hot ground．
Camels can go without food and water for 3 to 4 days. They do not store water in their humps as is commonly believed．The humps are actually a container of fat. Camels are incredibly well-adapted to their environment. When conditions heat up, camels can increase their own body temperature, which prevents sweating and therefore water loss. They may not sweat at all during the day．
Camels are sometimes called“ships of the desert”because people ride them around the hot, dry deserts of the world．However, the number of camels is becoming smaller for various reasons．
1.According to the passage, camels usually live in ________．
A. Asia B. Africa
C. America D. Australia
2.Paragraph 2 is mainly about ________．
A. camels are useful animals B. camels are clever animals
C. camels’ body structure and function D. camels’ characteristics and habits
3.The reason why camels lose little water in deserts is that they ________．
A. get water from green foods B. can adjust their temperature
C. store enough water in the humps D. can manage without water
4.What will the author probably talk about following the last paragraph?
A. Ways to protect camels． B. Habitats of camels．
C. Reasons for raising camels． D. Functions of camels．
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Dolphins (海豚) are not fish, but warm-blooded animals. They live in groups, and speak to each other in their own language. In this way they are like other animals, such as bees and birds. But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals. Their brain is nearly the same size as our own, and they live a long time --- at least twenty or thirty years.
Like some animals, dolphins use sound to help them find their way around. They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food. We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds, but the lower part of the mouth, called the jaw.
Strangely, dolphins seem to like man, and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people.
There is a story about sailors in the 19th century. In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand, they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack. From 1871 to 1903 Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way. Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack. He recovered and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area－except for The Penguin.
Today, some people continue to kill dolphins, but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them.
1.By telling the story of Jack the writer wanted to show that _____.
A. people are cruel to animals
B. dolphins are friendly and clever
C. Jack is different from other dolphins
D. dolphins should be protected by law
2.Dolphins are different from many other animals in that they _____.
A. live in groups B. have their own language
C. are warm-blooded D. have large brains
3.Which of the following does the dolphin use to help it find its way around?
A. Its mouth. B. Its ears.
C. Its nose. D. Its eyes.
4.Why did the sailors off the coast of New Zealand look for Jack?
A. They wanted his help.
B. They enjoyed playing with him.
C. He was seriously wounded.
D. He was lonely and liked to be with people
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析