英语阅读WeekFifteen自然环境.docx

英语阅读WeekFifteen自然环境.docx

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英语阅读WeekFifteen自然环境

WeekFifteen自然环境

一、阅读理解（共20小题；共40.0分）

A

Despiterecentstormsduringtheautumnandfirstpartofthewinter,droughtconditionsareforecasttocontinueoveralargepartofthePlains.

RainfallhasbeenenoughovertheOhioandlowerMississippibasins.However,unlessthereisabigturnlaterthiswinterandspring,moreimportantproblemscouldbeaheadfortheMississippiRiverabovetheOhioRiverconnection.

WhileastormisforecasttoswingnortheastwardovertheCentralstates,muchoftherainmayfallsouthandeastofSt.Louis.MississippiRiverlevelsareexpectedtodipagainnextweekatSt.Louis.

Engineershasbeentakingstepstokeeptheshippingchannelopenbydiggingtheriverbottom,removingrocksandplacingbarriersunderthewatertoreduceshiftingsoil.TherestisuptoMotherNature.Bargecompanieshavebeenlimitingtheirloadsduetothelowwaterlevels.

SnowfelloverpartofthewinterwheatbeltwiththestormjustafterChristmas2012.However,muchmoremoistureisneededthroughthewinterandintothespring.

AccordingtoDaleMohler,"OneofthebigproblemstheCentralstateshadlastspringwasalackofthunderstorms".ThesegroupsofthunderstormsarethemajorsourceforspringrainfallandrunoffoverthePlainsandMidwest,followingmeltingsnowearly.

"ThereareconcernsfordroughtcontinuingoverthecentralHighPlainsandthenorthernPlainsingeneralgoingintothespring,"Pastelokstatedthatthepatterndoesnotlooktobeasdryofastartthisspring,whencomparedtolastyearfromIowatotheOhioValleyandsomemoistureislikelytomakeappearancesoverthesouthernPlains.

ThereisalsosomegoodnewsfortheSoutheast."Signsarethatthedrought—abnormallydryareasoverGeorgiaandtheCarolinaswillshrinkmovingthroughthewinterandshouldbemostlygonebythespring,"Pasteloksaid.

1.Whichplaceisstillfacingtheseriousdrought?

A.ThecentralHighPlains.B.LowerMississippibasins.

C.OvertheOhioRiver.D.AreasoverGeorgia.

2.Bysaying"therestisuptomothernature",thewritermeans .

A.therestistodealwithnature

B.therestisatthemercyofnature

C.therestwillbeincontrolofnature

D.therestarebusyconqueringnature

3.Whatroledothethunderstormsplayinthecentralstates?

A.Theywillfloodthesestatesinsummer.

B.Theywillcausesnowtomeltearlyinspring.

C.Theywillbringalotofrainfallthere.

D.Theywillgetthesestatestobecomedry.

4.Patelok'sattitudetothedroughtintheSoutheastwas .

A.doubtfulB.disappointedC.concernedD.optimistic

5.Whatmightbethemostsuitabletitleforthepassage?

A.DroughtContinuesinSpiteofRecentStormsinAmerica

B.AmericaSufferedtheMostseriousDroughtinHistory

C.ManySouthernStatesinAmericaAreFacingDrought

D.MoreStormswillSolvetheDroughtProbleminAmerica

B

Thebadreputationicebergssometimeshaveisn'tentirelydeserved—evenifthescientistswhostudythesefloatingislandsoficearethefirsttoadmitjusthowriskytheycanbe.Thesesameexpertsarelearningmoreabouthowhelpfulicebergscanbeforlifetoo.

Icebergs,scientistsarediscovering,playhosttoallkindsoflife—everythingfromtinyorganismscalledphytoplanktontohugewhales.

Findinghowandwhyanimalschoosetomaketheirhomesinandaroundicebergshasn'tprovenaneasytaskforscientists.Icebergsrisetotoweringheightsandevenmoreterribledepths.Tostudythemunderwater,scientistsmaysinkscientificinstrumentshundredsofmeterstothechillyseafloor.Tounderstandwhat'sgoingondozensofmetersupontop,theseexpertsmaydependonremote-controlledaircraft.Meanwhile,wavesmayrockandwetscientistswavinginnearbyboats.

ThebiologistsKenSmithandRonKaufmannhavesailedthroughthewatersthatsurroundAntarcticatogetupclosewithicebergs.Nomatterhowcurioustheresearchersmaybe,theydomostoftheiradmiringfromafar.

"Whenanicebergbreaksofffromanicesheet,thelastplaceyouwanttobeisanywherenearit,"saysKaufmann."Alotoficebergsarecracked,andhugesheetscancomeoffatanytime,"addsSmith."Theycandropahugepieceoficeintothewater,andtheproblemisthatitcreatesahugewave,whichcouldfloodyourship."

Theplanetiswarming.Asaresult,theiceismelting.Moremeltingmeansmoreicebergscalvefromtheedgesoftheicesheetswheretheymeettheocean.Meltingicebergsdon'tjustletgohugequantitiesoffreshwaterintotheocean—theyalsodeliveralotofthefertilizerthatphytoplanktonneed.

Importantly,tinyphytoplanktonprovidemuchmorethandinner.Theyalsoconsumecarbondioxide—aboutasmuchasdoalltheplantsonland.

Somoreglobalwarmingcouldmeanmoreicebergs.Andmoreicebergscouldmeanmorephytoplankton.Inturn,morephytoplanktonmayleadtolesscarbondioxideinEarth'sairandwater.

Willicebergcommunitieshelpslowtherateatwhichglobaltemperaturesarerising?

It'sstillunclear.

6.Thethirdparagraphismainlyabout .

A.thedifficultyofstudyingicebergs

B.themethodofstudyingicebergs

C.thebenefitsofstudyingicebergs

D.thescientificequipmentofstudyingicebergs

7.FromwhatKaufmannsaid,wecaninferthat .

A.thenearertotheicebergs,thesaferitis

B.itisverydangeroustogetclosetoicebergs

C.icebergsarethelastplacepeopleneverlandon

D.anicesheetcanformintomanyicebergs

8.Theunderlinedword"calve"maymean .

A.cutoffB.falloffC.breakoffD.putoff

9.Whatisthefinalresultofmoreicebergs?

A.Theymayincreasetheamountofcarbondioxide.

B.Theybecomeshelterforphytoplankton.

C.Theyprovidefoodforvariousorganisms.

D.Theymayslowthespeedofglobalwarming.

10.Thepassagemainlytellsusthat .

A.icebergshostlargeandlivelycommunitiesoflife

B.icebergsareathreattothesafetyofsailing

C.icebergsarefloatingacrossoceansslowly

D.icebergsarehometomanyseaanimals

C

Visitthebeachonahotafternoonandyoumaynotrealizeit,butsomeone—orrathersomething—iswatchingfromabove.Ifyoustandintherightplace,thesilentwatcher'sunseenspotlightwillpassrightoveryou,likethespotlightofapoliceairplaneflyingoverhead.

Scientiststhesedaysareworriedaboutsealevel.AsEarthwarms,thesurfaceoftheoceanisrisingupward.Thisriseishappeningpartlybecausesaltwaterincreasesatinybitasitwarms."Warmerwaterexactlyistaller,"explainsJoshWillis.

SealevelalsoisrisingbecausewarmtemperatureshavepromptedglaciersinAntarctica,Greenlandandotherusuallycoldplacestomeltmorequickly.Glaciersareessentiallyriversofice,andtheirmeltingaddsfreshwatertotheocean.AntarcticaandGreenlandaretogetherlosingabout350cubickilometersoficeperyear—enoughmelt-watertofillup80,000baseballstadiums.Spreadovertheworld'soceans,thatmelt-wateraloneraisessealevelabout1millimeterorsoeachyear.

Scientistshavelongknownthatsealevelchangesovertime.PaulHearty,ageologist,hasfoundstonescoveredinshellssome30metersabovesealevel.Thosehighanddrybarnaclesareseveralmillionyearsold.Theyserveasevidencethatsealevelwasoncemuchhigher.

Sealevelhasrisenandfallenwiththeiceages,overhundredsofthousandsofyears.Duringpasticeages,oceanswerelowerbecausemorewaterwastiedupinglaciersonland.Butbetweeniceages,sealevelsometimesrosehigherthanitistoday,asmeltingglacierssweatedtheirwaterintotheocean.

Thebigchallengeforscientistshasbeenhowtomeasurechangestosealevelthroughoutthepast50to100years.BruceDouglas,aretiredscientistspentyearsworkingonthis.Duringthe1980sand1990shemeasuredsealevelrisebystudyingrecordsfromtidegauges.Harboroperatorshavereliedonthesedevicesformorethan200yearstowatchthewaterlevelincoastalareasinordertowarnshipsofrunningaground.Butthegaugesmeasuredtheleveloftheworld'soceans,whichcover360millionsquarekilometers,inonly20or30places!

11.Thesecondparagraphimpliesthat .

A.waterlevelislowerifitisfrozen

B.saltwateriseasiertobecomewarm

C.thesurfaceoftheoceanisreducing

D.theoceanisbecomingsmallerinsize

12.Fromthethirdparagraphweknowthat .

A.Antarcticahasthelargestamountoficeintheworld

B.themeltingofglacierscausessea-leveltorise

C.icefromGreenlandraisessealevelabout1millimeter

D.80,000baseballstadiumsarefloodedbyseawater

13.Duringtheiceagesoceanswerelowerbecause .

A.morewaterwasfrozenintoiceinthesea

B.glaciersprovidedmorewaterintotheocean

C.morewaterwasleftonlandasice

D.watercouldn'tfloweasilyincoldweather

14.Whydidharboroperatorrecordtidegauges?

A.Tolearnmoreaboutthechangesoftides.

B.Topreventthecoastalareasbeingflooded.

C.Tomeasuretheleveloftheworld'soceans.

D.Towarnshipsnottorunaground.

15.Whatmightbethemostsuitabletitleforthepassage?

A.WatchingOurSeaLevelRiseB.MeasuringtheOceanLevel

C.ChangingtheSeaLevelD.StudyingtheWorldSeas

D

TheUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgencysaysonlysevenpercentofplasticwasteintheUnitedStatesisrecycledeachyear.AnewcompanyinnorthernNewYorksaysitcanincreasethatpercenta