WASHINGTON—Two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population could be gone by 2050 if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, the US Geological Survey reported on Friday.
The fate of polar bears could be even worse than that estimate, because sea ice in the Arctic might be disappearing faster than the available computer models predict, the geological survey said in a report aimed at determining whether the big white bear should be listed as a threatened species.
“There is a definite link between changes in the sea ice and the welfare of polar bears,” said Steve Amstrup, who led the research team. He says Arctic sea ice is already at the lowest this year and is expected to retreat(退却) farther this month.
That means that polar bears—some 16,000 of them -- will disappear by 2050 from parts of the Arctic where sea ice is melting most rapidly, along the north coasts of Alaska and Russia, researchers said in a telephone briefing(简报).
Other polar bears could survive beyond that date but many of those could be gone by 2100, Amstrup said. By this century’s end, the only polar bears left might live in the Canadian Arctic islands and along the west coast of Greenland.
“It is likely to result in loss of approximately two-thirds of the world’s current polar bear population by the mid 21st century,” the report’s executive summary said.
“Because the observed trajectory(轨迹)of Arctic sea ice decline appears to be underestimated by currently available models, this assessment of future polar bear status may be conservative(保守的).”
In January, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species, noting polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform to hunt seals, their main food.
Without enough sea ice, polar bears would be forced onto land, but they are poor hunters once they get out of the water and ice, the researchers said. The bears’ disappearance would probably take place as young cubs(幼兽)failed to survive to adulthood and females were unable to reproduce successfully.
1.What was the US Geological Survey intended to do?
A. To determine whether the polar bear was in danger.
B. To measure how fast the sea ice melts in the Arctic.
C. To check the predictions of the computer models.
D. To find out the exact number of the polar bear.
2.What causes the polar bears to disappear by 2050?
A. The pollution of the Arctic region. B. The sea ice melting at high speed
C. Fewer food sources being left. D. The temperature getting colder.
3.The key to preventing polar bears dying out seems to _______________.
A. help young polar bears to survive the cold winter
B. have large number of seals living in the oceans
C. make sure there is enough sea ice in the Arctic
D. provide chances for adult polar bears to reproduce
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题
WASHINGTON—Two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population could be gone by 2050 if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, the US Geological Survey reported on Friday.
The fate of polar bears could be even worse than that estimate, because sea ice in the Arctic might be disappearing faster than the available computer models predict, the geological survey said in a report aimed at determining whether the big white bear should be listed as a threatened species.
“There is a definite link between changes in the sea ice and the welfare of polar bears,” said Steve Amstrup, who led the research team. He says Arctic sea ice is already at the lowest this year and is expected to retreat(退却) farther this month.
That means that polar bears—some 16,000 of them -- will disappear by 2050 from parts of the Arctic where sea ice is melting most rapidly, along the north coasts of Alaska and Russia, researchers said in a telephone briefing(简报).
Other polar bears could survive beyond that date but many of those could be gone by 2100, Amstrup said. By this century’s end, the only polar bears left might live in the Canadian Arctic islands and along the west coast of Greenland.
“It is likely to result in loss of approximately two-thirds of the world’s current polar bear population by the mid 21st century,” the report’s executive summary said.
“Because the observed trajectory(轨迹)of Arctic sea ice decline appears to be underestimated by currently available models, this assessment of future polar bear status may be conservative(保守的).”
In January, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species, noting polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform to hunt seals, their main food.
Without enough sea ice, polar bears would be forced onto land, but they are poor hunters once they get out of the water and ice, the researchers said. The bears’ disappearance would probably take place as young cubs(幼兽)failed to survive to adulthood and females were unable to reproduce successfully.
1.What was the US Geological Survey intended to do?
A. To determine whether the polar bear was in danger.
B. To measure how fast the sea ice melts in the Arctic.
C. To check the predictions of the computer models.
D. To find out the exact number of the polar bear.
2.What causes the polar bears to disappear by 2050?
A. The pollution of the Arctic region. B. The sea ice melting at high speed
C. Fewer food sources being left. D. The temperature getting colder.
3.The key to preventing polar bears dying out seems to _______________.
A. help young polar bears to survive the cold winter
B. have large number of seals living in the oceans
C. make sure there is enough sea ice in the Arctic
D. provide chances for adult polar bears to reproduce
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
More than two thirds of the world’s polar bears will be wiped out by 2050, according to a shocking new study. By then, scientists say, global warming will have melted 42 percent of the Arctic sea ice. By 2100, only a very few of these important creatures will be left.
The report has been produced by the US Geological Survey. The scientists have publicized their findings in the hope of influencing US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who has been asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
Polar bears depend on floating sea ice as a platform for hunting seals, which are their main food. Without enough ice, polar bears would be forced to go onto the land, where they are poorly skilled hunters, and would be unlikely to adapt to the life on the land in time. Experts say few little bears would survive and the stress could make many females unable to get pregnant.
The team of American and Canadian scientists spent six months studying bears, on the ground, from spotter planes and in the lab,using computer models. Some team members fear the result is even worse for the bears than what their report says. They say the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world and much faster than their computer had been forecasting. Satellite observations have showed that the ice has decreased to an alltime low.
However, not everyone in the scientific community believes that global warming is happening on such an alarming scale. Another investigation has found that polar bears are still being hunted by wealthy “sportsmen” who want their skins and heads. At least ten international companies offer bearhunting trips.
1.What do we know about Dirk Kempthorne according to the passage?
A. He is an animal scientist.
B. He is a protector of animals working for the US government.
C. He was asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
D. He offered to put polar bears on the endangered species list.
2.Why will polar bears die out if there is not enough sea ice?
A. Because polar bears can’t catch enough food without ice.
B. Because polar bears eat ice when they feel thirsty.
C. Because polar bears will be easily found by hunters without ice.
D. Because most female bears are used to giving birth under ice.
3.After a sixmonth study, some scientists fear that________.
A. there is something wrong with their computers
B. polar bears will disappear even faster than they ever expected
C. their computer models are not as accurate as they expected
D. global warming will destroy everything in the Arctic
高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
More than two thirds of the world's polar bears will be wiped out by 2050,according to a shocking new study. By then,scientists say,global warming will have melted 42 percent of the Arctic sea ice. By 2100,only a very few of these important creatures will be left.
The report has been produced by the US Geological Survey. The scientists have publicized their findings in the hope of influencing US Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne,who has been asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
Polar bears depend on floating sea ice as a platform for hunting seals,which are their main food. Without enough ice,polar bears would be forced to go onto the land,where they are poorly skilled hunters,and would be unlikely to adapt to the life on the land in time. Experts say few little bears would survive and the stress could make many females unable to get pregnant.
The team of American and Canadian scientists spent six months studying bears,on the ground,from spotter planes and in the lab,using computer models.
Some team members fear the result is even worse for the bears than what their report says. They say the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere in the world and much faster than their computer had been forecasting. Satellite observations have showed that the ice has decreased to an all-time low.
However,not everyone in the scientific community believes that global warming is happening on such an alarming scale. Another investigation has found that polar bears are still being hunted by wealthy “sportsmen” who want their skins and heads. At least ten international companies offer bear-hunting trips.
1.What do we know about Dirk Kempthorne according to the passage?
A.He is an animal scientist.
B.He is a protector of animals working for the US government.
C.He was asked to put polar bears on the US endangered species list.
D.He offered to put polar bears on the endangered species list.
2.Why will polar bears die out if there is not enough sea ice?
A.Because polar bears can't catch enough food without ice.
B.Because polar bears eat ice when they feel thirsty.
C.Because polar bears will be easily found by hunters without ice.
D.Because most female bears are used to giving birth under ice.
3.After a six-month study,some scientists fear that ________.
A.there is something wrong with their computers
B.polar bears will disappear even faster than they ever expected
C.their computer models are not as accurate as they expected
D.global warming will destroy everything in the Arctic
4.What does the writer want to tell us in the last paragraph?
A.The forecast about the future of polar bears is not correct.
B.Global warming won't have any effect on hunting trips in the Arctic.
C.Polar bears are an endangered species as a result of bear-hunting.
D.People don't pay enough attention to the protection of endangered species.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Polar bears are suffering in a 1.(warm) world.
Polar bears live in environments too cold for most animals.2.much of the year, they live and hunt on the frozen Arctic sea ice. Nature has prepared 3.for the cold conditions. But nothing has prepared the bears for the danger that 4. (threat)the only home they know.
The polar bears’ world is melting. Studies show that the polar ice has reduced by 9.8% every 10 years 5. 1978. Now about 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live in the Arctic. Polar bears depend on the sea ice for their 6. (survive). “The sea ice is more than just this platform that the bears walk over,” says Andrew Derocher, 7. scientist who studies North American polar bear populations. “8. it, they can’t exist.”
Some melting and refreezing of the polar ice is natural. 9. in a warmer world, these cycles speed up, and bears have less time to hunt. Normally, they have three months in the spring when they gain more weight. The extra fat is used later, 10. the bears are not actively hunting.
高一英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Two-thirds of the world’s major rivers have now been disrupted (中断) with more than 50,000 dams in an attempt to stole water and provide power. In the US, there are more than 85,000 dams, disrupting large and small rives and in most cases transforming natural flow. The most famous of these, the Hoover Dam constructed in the 1930’s, is mainly responsible for the fact that the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean.
Dams besides all their attractive benefits also have negative impacts. Creating a reservoir means a large area must be flooded. Communities may lose their land, houses and cultural relics. Downstream (在下游方向) of a dam, the flow may be reduced so that farmers cannot irrigate (灌溉) their field.
Environmentally the new reservoir can be a paradise for wildlife especially birds. However it can cause greenhouse gas emissions (排放) and poison the water for fish. Also the dramatic rise and fall of water levels during dam releases is too extreme for plains and animals to cope with resulting in dead zones around the shores of reservoirs. Fish that lay their eggs in the sha Mows for example may find a few hours later that those sites are high and dry.
Dams don’t just block water flow. The flow may be reduced so that farmers will have great trouble getting water for their fields. They also prevent fish migrations and are a barrier to sediment (沉淀物) flows. Instead of rushing downriver sediments get backed up against the dam wall, which cause the reservoir level to increase over time. However, sediments which are rich in nutrients have become a problem. The fertility (富饶) of the entire system can be influenced with soils lost during seasonal rains not being replaced.
Perhaps the biggest problem can be seen in deltas (三角洲) often host to large cities, which are sinking into the oceans. Groundwater is being extracted to feed the city causing the urban weight to sink and sediments washed away by the ocean are no longer being replaced. The result is that sea level rise in cities from Shanghai to Alexandria.
1.What effects does creating a reservoir have on people’s life?
a. People will see fewer birds near the rivers.
b. Farmers below the dam may have less water to irrigate their field.
c. Visitors can’t see some cultural relics anymore.
d. More conflicts and wars over water will break out.
e. All kinds of fish will become extinct in the future.
A.b c B.c e
C.b e D.a c
2.With many dams built across rivers fish will______________.
A.find more places to lay their eggs B.feed on more sediment rich in nutrient
C.face a more dangerous living habitat D.find it easier to deal with the rise of water
3.How can dams influence the cities like Shanghai?
A.Its entire system will be influenced. B.It will lie below sea level in the future.
C.The rainy season will last longer. D.Rich soils will be washed away.
4.What does the text mainly talk about?
A.Environmental benefits of dams. B.Cultural loss dam.
C.Economical gain of dams. D.Environmental loss of dams.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Nowadays,human-polar bear conflict is on the rise. 1. Last year,there were 21 conflicts in the village of Ittoqqortoormiit,Greenland,alone. 2.,as the changing climate reduces polar bears’ sea-ice habitat(栖息地),and as humans take advantage of that ice loss in pursuit of economic opportunity.
Governments and industry leaders in Arctic countries must take responsibility and support ways for their citizens and employees to live and work safely together with potentially dangerous animals like polar bears,whose population will decrease by more than 30%by 2050 due to sea-ice habitat loss.
People living and working in the region need education,training and the necessary tools to protect themselves when faced with a polar bear. 3.Patrolmen help to safely scare away bears that may wander into their streets,using bright lights,loud noises,and etc.
4.; it’s also important to keep wildlife safe.There’s more to be done on national level.The five states with polar bear populations should keep their promise to work together on a 10-year plan to manage all aspects of polar-bear protection.
5.By actively supporting the shift to a low-carbon economy,and by reducing our own greenhouse gas missions,we common people are each helping protect the sea-ice habitat that polar bears and other marine mammals all depend on.
A.This will further increase
B.Ordinary people also have a role to play
C.But it’s not just about protecting human life
D.For example,polar bear patrols(巡逻队)have been set up in Greenland
E.Polar bears use the sea ice as a platform to hunt for seals,their main source of food
F.For example,9 human-polar bear conflicts were reported in all of Greenland in 2007
G.Governments need to make a more serious effort to assist Arctic communities with safe and clean waste disposal
高一英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
By the middle of the 21st century, the vast majority of the world's population will be living in the cities ______ in the country.
A. other than B. more than
C. better than D. rather than
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The United States Capitol Dome in Washington, D.C., is recognized around the world as a symbol of the U.S. government. Since last November, the dome has been surrounded by metal poles, or scaffolding(脚手架), and heavy cloth as part of a repair project.
The last major repair work on the U.S. Capitol took place in 1960. Since then, the dome has become weathered and worn. The Architect of the Capitol group reports the dome has more than 1,000 narrow breaks in its surface and other damage.
The dome was completed around 1863. U.S. Senate Historian Don Ritchie says the dome’s cast iron frame(铸铁钢架) is at special risk of weathering. “The capitol dome, being cast iron, has been hit by lightning countless times. And so the present construction(=building) is to repair the leaks, to fill in the cracks, to take off unnecessary layers of paint.”
Workers are removing old paint. They covered a large part of the building in plastic and a special cloth to protect workers from the wind and other elements. Much of the work is done at night, when lawmakers are not in the building.
Some recent visitors to the Capitol were unhappy about its present appearance. They had hoped to get a picture of the usually shining dome. Joyce said, “It was dramatic, and very fantastic, and all white, but when I come here today, it is under construction so my family cannot see it clearly. It is kind of a disappointment.”
Others were more understanding of the repairs. Rick Jones, another visitor, said, “It’s a little inconvenient for us not to see the dome but you have to think about the future and the people will be coming to this place for centuries...and you know, there just needs to be preventive maintenance(保养). I am not upset with that at all.”
The project is expected to take more than two years to complete. The dome should be ready for the inauguration of a new president in January 2017.
1.We can learn from the passage that the United States Capitol Dome is ______.
A.worn by exposure to the weather
B.surrounded by many repair projects
C.well kept and in excellent condition
D.regarded as a symbol of the U.K. government
2.According to Don Ritchie, the present repair work involves ______.
a. stopping the leaks
b. changing the frame
c. removing the old paints
d. replacing the lights e. filling the narrow breaks
A.abc B.bcd
C.bde D.ace
3.Which of the following can describe the recent visitors to the Capitol Dome?
A.They could get a clear look at the dome.
B.They were impressed by the white dome’s fantastic beauty.
C.They held different views on the Capitol’s current appearance.
D.They were all disappointed at the sight of the Capitol building.
4.The underlined word “inauguration” in the last paragraph most probably means _____.
A.tour B.taking office
C.interview D.taking photos
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As the world’s population continues to grow, the ______ of food becomes more and more of a concern.
A. worth B. supply C. back pack D. list
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
With a large part of the world's population living close to the oceans, rising sea levels bring the potential for destructive (破坏性的)results. But scientists are still unable to make predictions exact enough for people to plan to handle the loss of land and the threat to coastal communities expected over this century.
“We know sea level is going to rise, but how much, and how fast, and where, we really still don’t know," said Josh Willis, a climate scientist.
The ocean isn't like water in a bathtub. It doesn’t rise all the same as more water pours in. As global warming raises sea levels, some places are expected to see higher-than-average increases, and a few places, may even see decreases.
It’s reported that over the course of this century, sea levels will rise between 8 inches and 6.6 feet around the planet. Scientists know this increase will be driven by the expansion of water as it warms—warmer water takes up more space—and the melting of ice. But the effects of warming water and melting ice on sea-level rise are expected to vary from area to area. And the melting of ice of the Antarctic and Greenland presents the largest uncertainty for the future, but air, land and water also play roles in changes to sea level. For example, sea level near the ice getting melt actually decreases, because the ground under the melting ice rises as the heavy ice disappears.
Climate change is expected to change ocean currents and the winds that help drive ocean currents. These changes will affect the distribution of heat within the oceans, and, as a result, affect changes in sea level.
Nowadays, scientists use two types of models to make predictions about the future of sea levels, but the two don’t agree. If scientists can't accurately predict sea-level increase for the coming years, the least we can do is measure what happening today with the help of the satellite, Jason-2, but it’s reaching the end of its operational life.
1. The first paragraph implies that_______ .
A. the rising sea levels mainly happens near the coast
B. people living in coastal communities have to move
C. scientists have ways to handle the rising sea levels
D. coastal cities are easily affected by the rising sea levels
2.What does the writer mean by saying "The ocean isn’t like water in a bathtub" in the third paragraph?
A. The rising sea level is hard to tell.
B. The ocean can be easily controlled.
C The ocean isn’t equal to a bathtub in size.
D. There is too much water for us to control.
3.According to the text, which of the following shows the right cause and effect?
①climate change;
②ocean currents;
③the winds;
④changes in sea level;
⑤the distribution of heat
A. ①→⑤→③→④→② B. ①→③→②→⑤→④
C. ③→④→⑤→②→① D. ①→⑤→③→②→④
4.What problems will scientists meet with in predicting future climate changes?
A. It's too difficult to measure what's happening.
B. Types of models for prediction are difficult to set up.
C. There will probably be no satellites to help the scientists.
D. There aren’t enough scientists studying the changes of sea levels.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析