CORAL reefs are,in fact,a necessary part of our ecosystem and provide opportunities for human beings to gain a better understanding of the ocean.Unfortunately,they're also disappearing faster than ever.
According to a warning by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) on Oct.8,the world is in its third recorded global coral bleaching（白化）since 1998 and 2010.This means no place with coral has been spared,as coral reefs are coming into contact with increasingly warm seas,which is leading to them dying off in large numbers.
Coral bleaching is like human cancer.It happens when corals are under stress from changes in light,nutrients,or temperature.This causes the coral to drive away the symbiotic algae（共生藻类）,living within their tissues（组织）, which play an important role in providing food for coral while making it colorful.Without the algae,coral reefs become pale and weak.In some cases they are not able to recover and eventually die off.
The current coral bleaching event started back in late 2014 and continued into this year with no signs of stopping.The BBC reports that 35% of coral reefs in the world will likely be affected,and an estimated 4,633 square miles (about 120,000 square kilometers) of coral reefs could die.
The loss of coral reefs is no small matter.Although they only take up 0.1% of the ocean floor,coral is home to about 25% of marine life.This isn't just a problem for divers and fish,as Eakin pointed out.Coral reefs are important globally,he added,as they protect shorelines,produce money in tourism,and help provide food for 500 million people worldwide.So people cannot overlook the environmental,economic and social effects of the loss.
The NOAA warning about coral bleaching came just about two months before a global climate summit（峰会）in Paris,where hundreds of world leaders will attempt to work our a plan to fight climate change.
Oceans will be a key subject during the summit,and Eakin says there's an "absolutely urgent need" for action.
1.Coral reefs,according to the passage,are dying off in large numbers as a result of .
A. disease B. warm seas
C. dirty water D. a lack of fool
2.What keeps coral reefs colorful?
A. Nutrients. B. Their tissues.
C. Light from seawater. D. The symbiotic algae.
3.The climate summit in Paris .
A. will be held two months before he NOAA warning about coral bleaching
B. has worked out a plan to fight climate change
C. will mainly discuss the problem of oceans
D. will regard oceans as a key topic of the global climate
4.Why are coral reefs important?
a.They protect shorelines.
b.They are beneficial to tourism.
c.They are home to most marine life.
d.They help provide food for 500 million people.
A. a b d B. a c d
C. a b c D. b c d
高三英语阅读理解困难题
CORAL reefs are,in fact,a necessary part of our ecosystem and provide opportunities for human beings to gain a better understanding of the ocean.Unfortunately,they're also disappearing faster than ever.
According to a warning by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) on Oct.8,the world is in its third recorded global coral bleaching（白化）since 1998 and 2010.This means no place with coral has been spared,as coral reefs are coming into contact with increasingly warm seas,which is leading to them dying off in large numbers.
Coral bleaching is like human cancer.It happens when corals are under stress from changes in light,nutrients,or temperature.This causes the coral to drive away the symbiotic algae（共生藻类）,living within their tissues（组织）, which play an important role in providing food for coral while making it colorful.Without the algae,coral reefs become pale and weak.In some cases they are not able to recover and eventually die off.
The current coral bleaching event started back in late 2014 and continued into this year with no signs of stopping.The BBC reports that 35% of coral reefs in the world will likely be affected,and an estimated 4,633 square miles (about 120,000 square kilometers) of coral reefs could die.
The loss of coral reefs is no small matter.Although they only take up 0.1% of the ocean floor,coral is home to about 25% of marine life.This isn't just a problem for divers and fish,as Eakin pointed out.Coral reefs are important globally,he added,as they protect shorelines,produce money in tourism,and help provide food for 500 million people worldwide.So people cannot overlook the environmental,economic and social effects of the loss.
The NOAA warning about coral bleaching came just about two months before a global climate summit（峰会）in Paris,where hundreds of world leaders will attempt to work our a plan to fight climate change.
Oceans will be a key subject during the summit,and Eakin says there's an "absolutely urgent need" for action.
1.Coral reefs,according to the passage,are dying off in large numbers as a result of .
A. disease B. warm seas
C. dirty water D. a lack of fool
2.What keeps coral reefs colorful?
A. Nutrients. B. Their tissues.
C. Light from seawater. D. The symbiotic algae.
3.The climate summit in Paris .
A. will be held two months before he NOAA warning about coral bleaching
B. has worked out a plan to fight climate change
C. will mainly discuss the problem of oceans
D. will regard oceans as a key topic of the global climate
4.Why are coral reefs important?
a.They protect shorelines.
b.They are beneficial to tourism.
c.They are home to most marine life.
d.They help provide food for 500 million people.
A. a b d B. a c d
C. a b c D. b c d
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Coral reefs are a necessary part of sea life and support it by providing shelter and habitat to various organisms. They also supply and recycle nutrients as well as enable a fish population to boom, along with other species, for a healthy and diverse ecosystem.
However, the rise in average water temperatures due to climate change has resulted in more frequent and extended “coral bleaching(珊瑚白化)” events that damage their health, causing fish and other sea species to abandon them.
In order to repair this delicate ecosystem, scientists from the UK and Australia conducted a study that involved using speakers underwater near damaged coral reefs to make them sound healthy and attract fish, potentially starting the natural recovery press of coral reefs and their dependent life forms.
The location for this experiment was the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, found alongside the east coast of Queensland Australia, which is famous to have the largest coral reef system in the world that’s 2, 300 kilometers long and covers an area of nearly 344, 400 square kilometers. By using loudspeakers to reproduce such sounds, areas of dead coral reefs were found to attract twice as many fish, compared to places where no sounds were played. These returning fish could help in the recovery of this ecosystem by giving those areas of coral a chance of new life.
“Fish are important for coral reefs to function as healthy ecosystems. Increasing fish populations in this way could help to start natural recovery process, reducing the damage we’re seeing on many coral reefs around the world. Of course, attracting fish to a dead reef won’t bring it back to life automatically, but the recovery process relies on fish that clean the reef to make space for corals to regrow.” said Mark Meekan.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The importance of coral reefs. B.The influence of climate change.
C.The perfect place for sea species. D.The ecosystem diversity and complexity.
2.What's the purpose of using speakers underwater?
A.To make fish more active. B.To test damaged coral reefs.
C.To help recover the ecosystem. D.To help speed the growth of reefs.
3.Why is the experiment carried out in the Great Barrier Reef?
A.It can attract rich sea species. B.It can draw public attention easily.
C.There exist more dead coral reefs. D.There is the largest coral reef system.
4.What is Mark Meekan's attitude towards the use of speakers?
A.Doubtful B.Positive
C.Disappointed D.Indifferent
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Coral reefs (珊瑚礁) are an integral part of sea life and sustain it by providing shelter and habitat to various organisms. They also supply and recycle nutrients as well as enable a growing fish population, along with other species, for a healthy and diverse ecosystem. However, the rise in average water temperatures due to climate change has resulted in more frequent and longtime coral bleaching (白化现象) events that damage their health, causing fish and other sea species to abandon them.
In order to restore this delicate ecosystem, scientists from the UK and Australia conducted a study that involved using loudspeakers underwater near damaged coral reefs to make them sound healthy and attract fish, potentially kick-starting the natural recovery process of coral reefs and their dependent life forms. The location for this experiment was the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, found alongside the east coast of Queensland, Australia. The site is noted to have the largest coral reef system in the world.
“Healthy coral reefs are remarkably noisy places-the crackle of snapping shrimp and the whoops and grunts of fish. Young fish concentrate on these sounds when they're looking for a place to settle,” said Steve Simpson, study co-author and a professor at the University of Exeter, UK.
By using loudspeakers to copy such sounds, parts of dead coral reefs were found to attract twice as many fish, compared to places where no sounds were played. “These returning fish, are crucial for coral reefs to function as healthy ecosystems. Boosting fish populations in this way could help to kick-start natural recovery processes, preventing the damage we're seeing on many coral reefs around the world,” said lead author, Tim Gordon.
1.What causes the phenomenon of coral bleaching?
A.Diverse species. B.Noise pollution.
C.Fishing industry. D.Climbing temperatures.
2.What approach is introduced to recover the coral reefs?
A.Removing damaged coral reefs. B.Using loudspeakers to keep fish away.
C.Building new homes for sea species. D.Playing certain sounds to appeal to fish.
3.Why are Steve Simpson's words quoted?
A.To provide some findings of the study. B.To show the progress of the experiment.
C.To explain reasons for the new approach. D.To give another solution to the problem.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.The attempts are in vain. B.Natural recovery is impossible.
C.Initial success has been achieved. D.The coral reefs have returned to normal.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
There are thousands of coral reefs(珊瑚礁) in the world; Unfortunately, however, they are now in serious danger. More than one-third are in such bad shape that they could die within ten years. 1. Here are the three main causes discovered.
The first cause is pollution on land. The pollutants run with rainwater into rivers and streams, which carry the poisons into the ocean. 2. So they will be easily infected(感染) with diseases.
3. Higher ocean temperatures kill the important food source(来源) for the coral—the algae, the tiny greenish-gold water plants that live on coral. 4. This process has happened more and more frequently in recent years.
The last factor contributing to the disappearance of coral reefs is people. People sometimes crash into reefs with their boats, breaking off large blocks of coral. 5. Moreover, some people even break coral off to collect for souvenirs since it is so colorful and pretty.
A. Global warming is another reason.
B. Many might not even last that long!
C. Divers who walk on reefs can also do serious damage.
D. Reefs provide a home for 25% of the fish in the ocean.
E. Chemicals from the poisons kill reefs or make them weak.
F. Steps must be taken now to stop over-fishing and pollution of the oceans.
G. When the algae die, the coral loses its color and it also dies in the end.
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
Friends play an important part in our lives, and although we may take the fact of friendship for granted, we often don’t clearly understand how we make friends. While we get on well with a number of people, we are usually friends with only a very few. For example, the average among students is about 6 per person.
In the beginning, it much depends on how people meet, and on good first impressions. As we get to know people, we consider things like age, race, looks, economic and social status, and intelligence. Although these factors are not of the greatest importance, it is more difficult to have a good relationship with people when there is a big difference in age and background.
We pay attention to actual behavior, facial expression, and the way a person speaks. Friends will stand closer together and soft voices also express friendliness, and it is because they may give the wrong signals that shy people often have difficulty in making friends. A friendly look with the wrong facial expression can turn into an unfriendly stare, and nervousness may be wrongly understood as unfriendliness.
Some relationships are a result of argument and discussion, but it is usual for close friends to have the same ideas and beliefs, the same opinions and interests — they often talk about “being on the same wavelength”. The more closely involved people become, the more they depend on one another. People want to do friends favors and hate to let them down. Equally, friends have to learn to make allowances for each other, to put up with annoying habits, and to accept differences in opinion.
In contrast with marriage, there are no friendship ceremonies to strengthen the relationship between two people. But the mutual support and understanding that results from shared experiences and emotions does seem to create a close and lasting relationship, which can overcome differences in background, and break down barriers of age, class or race.
1.Why should we consider such things as age and background when making friends?
A. Because people of different age can’t have the same interest.
B. Because people who enjoy different social status have nothing in common.
C. Because when making friends people need know these.
D. Because differences in age and background make it difficult to make friends.
2.From the passage we know that ______.
A. we should hold ceremonies to celebrate our friendship
B. we can’t make friends with the people of different races
C. friends should understand each other
D. argument and discussion may break down the friendship.
3.According to the author, unfriendliness may be caused by ______.
A. worried expressions B. nervousness
C. different opinions D. wrong words
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Coral reefs(珊 瑚 礁)are not just beautiful to look at，but also very useful．They shelter nearly 25％ of ocean life and provide food for billions of people．However, like many other species，this amazing ecosystem(生态系统)is in danger of dying out!
There are two main reasons for the destruction—the rising carbon dioxide levels caused by global warming as well as human influences like bottom operation．While not much can be done about the former，the loss caused by the latter can be reduced．
Bottom operation involves dropping nets to the ocean bed and then dragging them up when filled with fish．This action damaged the ocean floor，causing the coral branches to separate from the reefs．While that is very discouraging，the good news is that if these branches are found quickly，they can be saved．At present，that work is being performed by volunteer divers. But the method has only limited success because they cannot stay long underwater, nor reach depths of over 200 meters where some of the deep-sea coral grows．
However，this is not the case for Coral bots—the robots that can constantly seek out broken branches．A team of ‘coral bots’，each individually working to simple rules will piece together’ damaged bits of coral, allowing them to regrow. They are programmed to be able to distinguish between other things and the coral．The robots work together in groups，similar to bees．If one coralbot is damaged then the others will still be able to complete the task．
Dr Lea-Anne Henry said：“The project of using coral bots offers us the possibility to restore(修复)the function of reefs．It is in the final stage of testing．Once ready, the researchers hope to build hundreds of them and use them effectively in the waters off Scotland and then hopefully in the oceans across the world．”
1.Which of the following is a cause of the danger that coral reefs are facing?
A．The appearance of new creatures．
B．The seriously polluted sea water．
C．The activities of volunteer divers．
D．Human activities like bottom operation．
2.Compared with volunteer divers，coralbots ______________．
A．can stay longer underwater
B．must work as bees do
C．can distinguish what is coral
D．can never be damaged
3.What does the underlined word“them”in the last paragraph refer to?
A．Coralbots． B．Broken branches．
C．working bees． D．Bits of coral．
4.We can infer from the passage that _______________．
A．bottom operation has affected most underwater creatures
B．broken branches of coral can regrow if saved in time
C．hundreds of the coralbots have worked well in the oceans
D．with the coralbots all damaged coral reefs can be restored
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Coral reefs(珊瑚礁) are not just beautiful to look at，but also very useful．They shelter nearly 25％ of ocean life and provide food for billions of people．However, like many other species，this amazing ecosystem(生态系统) is in danger of dying out!
There are two main reasons for the destruction—the rising carbon dioxide levels caused by global warming as well as human influences like bottom operation．While not much can be done about the former，the loss caused by the latter can be reduced.
Bottom operation involves dropping nets to the ocean bed and then dragging them up when filled with fish．This action damaged the ocean floor，causing the coral branches to separate from the reefs．While that is very discouraging，the good news is that if these branches are found quickly，they can be saved．At present，that work is being performed by volunteer divers. But the method has only limited success because they cannot stay long underwater, nor reach depths of over 200 meters where some of the deep-sea coral grows.
However，this is not the case for Coralbots—the robots that can constantly seek out broken branches．A team of ‘coral bots’，each individually working to simple rules will piece together damaged bits of coral, allowing them to regrow. They are programmed to be able to distinguish between other things and the coral．The robots work together in groups，similar to bees．If one coralbot is damaged, then the others will still be able to complete the task.
Dr Lea-Anne Henry said：“The project of using coralbots offers us the possibility to restore(修复) the function of reefs．It is in the final stage of testing．Once ready, the researchers hope to build hundreds of them and use them effectively in the waters off Scotland and then hopefully in the oceans across the world．”
1.Which of the following is a cause of the danger that coral reefs are facing?
A．The appearance of new creatures.
B．The seriously polluted sea water.
C．The activities of volunteer divers.
D．Human activities like bottom operation.
2.Compared with volunteer divers，coralbots ________．
A．can stay longer underwater
B．must work as bees do
C．can distinguish what is coral
D．can never be damaged
3.What does the underlined word“them”in the last paragraph refer to?
A．Coralbots． B．Broken branches．
C．working bees． D．Bits of coral．
4.We can infer from the passage that ________．
A．bottom operation has affected most underwater creatures
B．broken branches of coral can regrow if saved in time
C．hundreds of the coralbots have worked well in the oceans
D．with the coralbots all damaged coral reefs can be restored
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Wild weather, unexpected coral reefs and dangerous sea creatures… these are the nightmares (噩梦) you can imagine a teenager on a solo voyage (独自旅行) around the world might suffer from. But for Laura Dekker, sailing around the globe seems less a price to be paid than a prize to be treasured.
As the 19-year-old Dutch sailor said in Maidentrip, a documentary（纪录影片） released last year about her experience of becoming the youngest person to sail around the world alone in 2012, “I was born on a boat. I lived my first five years at sea. And ever since, all I have wanted is to return to that life.”
With her yacht(游艇) Guppy, Dekker began her journey at 14 and sailed 50,004 kilometers in 519 days.
The flying fish keeping her company, the dolphins following in her wake and the warm days spent on deck playing the flute (长笛) as she watched another unforgettable sunset were enough to make others jealous.
But these didn’t always go well. There were terrible moments in which Dekker feared death. On one occasion, a whale almost turned Guppy over. Another time, she battled extreme winds and Guppy surfed down 8-meter-high waves.
Out on the open sea alone, she also got used to living without a fridge, a flushing（用水冲洗） toilet, and a hot shower.
“As a human being you don’t need much,” she told Stuff.co.nz. “ They might make life more comfortable, but you really don’t need them to be happy.”
In fact, her outlook on life was shaped by the trip. “I wanted the storms. I wanted the calms. I wanted to feel loneliness,” she told The New York Times. “And now I know all these things. It’s the end of the dream I had as a child, and it’s the beginning of my life as a sailor.”
1.According to the text, in which year did Dekker begin her journey of 50,004 kilometers at sea?
A. In 2012 B. In 2010 C. In 2009 D. In 2011
2. The method the author uses to develop Paragraph 5 is ________.
A. offering analyses B. providing explanations
C. giving examples D. making comparisons
3.Which of the following can best describe the girl Laura Dekker? _________.
A. Modest and optimistic
B. Patient and hospitable
C. Brave and generous
D. Brave and determined
4. How did Laura Dekker think of her life on the sea?
A. It was so dangerous and almost ruined her.
B. It brought her great happiness and much comfort.
C. It is the sailing on the sea that made her well known.
D. Full of danger and challenge, it made her experience happiness and better understand life as well.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Wild weather, unexpected coral reefs and dangerous sea creatures… these are the nightmares (噩梦) you can imagine a teenager on a solo voyage (独自旅行) around the world might suffer from. But for Laura Dekker, sailing around the globe seems less a price to be paid than a prize to be treasured.
As the 19-year-old Dutch sailor said in Maidentrip, a documentary released last year about her experience of becoming the youngest person to sail around the world alone in 2012, “I was born on a boat. I lived my first five years at sea. And ever since, all I have wanted is to return to that life.”
With her yacht Guppy, Dekker began her journey at 14 and sailed 50,004 kilometers in 519 days.
The flying fish keeping her company, the dolphins following in her wake and the warm days spent on deck playing the flute as she watched another unforgettable sunset were enough to make others jealous.
But these didn’t always go well. There were terrible moments in which Dekker feared death. On one occasion, a whale almost turned Guppy over. Another time, she battled extreme winds and Guppy surfed down 8-meter-high waves.
Out on the open sea alone, she also got used to living without a fridge, a flushing toilet, and a hot shower.
“As a human being you don’t need much,” she told Stuff.co.nz. “ They might make life more comfortable, but you really don’t need them to be happy.”
In fact, her outlook on life was shaped by the trip. “I wanted the storms. I wanted the calms. I wanted to feel loneliness,” she told The New York Times. “And now I know all these things. It’s the end of the dream I had as a child, and it’s the beginning of my life as a sailor.”
1.According to the text, in which year did Dekker begin her journey of 50,004 kilometers at sea?
A. In 2012 B. In 2010
C. In 2009 D. In 2011
2.The method the author uses to develop Paragraph 5 is ________.
A. offering analyses B. providing explanations
C. giving examples D. making comparisons
3.Which of the following can best describe the girl Laura Dekker? _________.
A. Modest and optimistic B. Patient and strong
C. Brave and generous D. Brave and determined
4. How did Laura Dekker think of her life on the sea?
A. It was so dangerous and almost ruined her.
B. It made her experience happiness and better understand life.
C. It is the sailing on the sea that made her well known.
D. It brought her great happiness and much comfort.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Around the world coral reefs(珊瑚礁) are facing threats(威胁) brought by climate change and great changes in sea temperatures. While ocean warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold events can also whiten corals. A new study by scientists compared damaged to corals exposed to heat as well as cold stress. The results show that cool temperatures can cause more damage in the short term, but heat is more destructive(破坏性的) in the long run.
Climate change is widely known to produce warming conditions in the oceans, but extreme cold-water events have become more frequent and serious as well. In 2010, for example, coral reefs around the world faced on of the coldest winters and one of the hottest summers on record.
During a unique experiment, corals under cold temperatures suffered greater damage in just days compared with heat treated corals. Yet the researchers found that corals were eventually able to adjust to the cold conditions, make their health stable and continue to grow. However, over the long term corals subjected to heat suffered more greatly than those in cold, with evidence of severe whitening and growth stoppage, which leads to death.
The coral’s ability to adjust to cool temperatures surprised the researchers, who say the study’s results show the complexities(复杂性) of monitoring coral health in response to different environmental factors(因素).
“Global warming is associated with increases but also decreases of temperatures,” said Deheyn, one of the researchers. “Not much has been known about the comparative effects of temperature decrease on corals. These results are important because they show that corals react differently to temperature differences, which is important for future management of coral reefs in the field of climate change.”
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Corals are unable to adjust to temperature changes.
B. Cold temperature causes greater damage to corals.
C. Hot temperature helps coral reefs to grow quickly.
D. Heat and cold damage corals in their own ways.
2.We can learn from the passage that .
A. scientists used to pay no attention to the effect of cold events on corals
B. 2010 witnessed one of the greatest temperature differences on record
C. corals prefer warmer conditions to cold temperatures in the long run
D. global warming has nothing to do with the decrease of temperature
3.According to the research, .
A. corals may continue to grow in cold events after a few days
B. cold events help corals grow more quickly in a short time
C. corals show no response to hot temperatures in the first days
D. corals are whitened mainly because of warm temperatures
4.Scientists reached the conclusion through .
A. news report B. scientific study C. great imaginationD.natural conditions
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析