C
The Antarctic’s ice-white environment is going green and facing other unexpected threats. Scientists say that as temperatures go up in the polar region, invading (入侵) plants and insects, including the flies, cause a major threat.More and more of these invaders, in the form of larvae (幼虫) or seeds, are surviving in coastal areas around the South Pole, where the temperature has risen by more than 3℃ over the past three decades. Glaciers have retreated, exposing more land which has been occupied by mosses that have been found to be growing more quickly and thickly than ever before—providing potential green homes for invaders.
“The common house flies are a perfect example of the problem the Antarctic now faces from invading species,” said Dominic Hodgson of the British Antarctic Survey. “It comes in on ships, where it exists in kitchens and then at bases on the continent. It now has an increasing chance of surviving in the Antarctic as it warms up, and that is a worry. Insects like the house flies carry bacteria that could have a deadly effect on native life forms.”
The Antarctic has several native species of insects. Together with its native mosses, these are now coming under the increased threat from three major sources: visiting scientists, increasing numbers of tourists and global warming. However, it is global warming that is the main driver of the greening of the Antarctic.
In 2015, more than 38,000 tourists visited the Antarctic. “These tourists are often very careful about not leaving waste or having mud. But they could carry seeds or larvae on their boots when they set foot on the Antarctic,” said Hodgson.
More and more invasive insects and plants have been found on the Antarctic and have required removal. “The insects and plants that are native to the Antarctic have survived there for thousands of years,” said Hodgson. “We have got to act now if we want to save the environment.”
7.What does the underlined word “mosses” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. A kind of plants.
B. House flies.
C. Coastal areas.
D. A kind of animals.
8.What is the main cause of the Antarctic going green?
A. Scientists’ coming.
B. Global warming.
C. A growing number of visitors.
D. The rapid spread of native planting.
9.What do we know about the house flies in the Antarctic?
A. They are native to the Antarctic.
B. They will disappear due to the cold climate.
C. They seriously affected the Antarctic native species.
D. They directly fly to the Antarctic from nearby islands.
10.What’s the best title for the text?
A. The Antarctic is faced with various threats
B. The Antarctic is becoming green and energetic
C. More and more scientists get to explore the Antarctic
D. Global warming has caused the temperature in the Antarctic to rise up
C
7.A 推理判断题。由第二段“…that have been found to be growing more quickly and thickly than ever before—providing potential green homes for invaders.”可知,……被发现比以往任何时候都生长得更快、更茂密,这为入侵者提供了潜在的绿色家园。由此可推知画线词指的是一种植物。故A选项正确。
8.B 细节理解题。由第四段“However, it is global warming that is the main driver of the greening of the Antarctic.”可知,全球变暖是南极洲变绿的主要驱动力。所以南极洲变绿的主要原因是全球变暖。故B选项正确。
9.C 细节理解题。由第三段“‘…Insects like the house flies carry bacteria that could have a deadly effect on native life forms.’”可知,像家蝇这样的昆虫携带的细菌可能会对当地的生命形式产生致命的影响。所以南极洲的家蝇严重影响了南极洲本土的物种。故C选项正确。
10.A 主旨大意题。由第一段“The Antarctic’s ice-white environment is going green and facing other unexpected threats.”可知,南极洲冰雪覆盖的环境正在变绿,并面临着其他意想不到的威胁。短文是按照总分的结构展开的,所以判断出短文的最佳标题为“南极洲面临着各种各样的威胁”。故A选项正确。
