Can the planet's coral reefs be saved?
A Conservationists have put the final touches to a giant artificial reef they have been assembling at the world-renowned Zoological Society of London (London Zoo). Samples of the planet’s most spectacular corals – vivid green branching coral, yellow scroll, blue ridge and many more species – have been added to the giant tank along with fish that thrive in their presence: blue tang, clownfish and many others. The reef is in the zoo’s new gallery, Tiny Giants, which is dedicated to the minuscule invertebrate creatures that sustain life across the planet. The coral reef tank and its seven-metre-wide window form the core of the exhibition.
‘Coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystems on Earth and we want to show people how wonderful they are,’ said Paul Pearce-Kelly, senior curator of invertebrates and fish at the Zoological Society of London. ‘However, we also want to highlight the research and conservation efforts that are now being carried out to try to save them from the threat of global warming.’ They want people to see what is being done to try to save these wonders.
B Corals are composed of tiny animals, known as polyps, with tentacles for capturing small marine creatures in the sea water. These polyps are transparent but get their brilliant tones of pink, orange, blue, green, etc. from algae that live within them, which in turn get protection, while their photosynthesising of the sun’s rays provides nutrients for the polyps. This comfortable symbiotic relationship has led to the growth of coral reefs that cover 0.1% of the planet’s ocean bed while providing homes for more than 25% of marine species, including fish, molluscs, sponges and shellfish.
C As a result, coral reefs are often described as the ‘rainforests of the sea’, though the comparison is dismissed by some naturalists, including David Attenborough. ‘People say you cannot beat the rainforest,’ Attenborough has stated. ‘But that is simply not true. You go there and the first thing you think is: where are the birds? Where are the animals? They are hiding in the trees, of course. No, if you want beauty and wildlife, you want a coral reef. Put on a mask and stick your head under the water. The sight is mind-blowing.’
D Unfortunately, these majestic sights are now under very serious threat, with the most immediate problem coming in the form of thermal stress. Rising ocean temperatures are triggering bleaching events that strip reefs of their colour and eventually kill them. And that is just the start. Other menaces include ocean acidification, sea level increase, pollution by humans, deoxygenation and ocean current changes, while the climate crisis is also increasing habitat destruction. As a result, vast areas – including massive chunks of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – have already been destroyed, and scientists advise that more than 90% of reefs could be lost by 2050 unless urgent action is taken to tackle global heating and greenhouse gas emissions.
Pearce-Kelly says that coral reefs have to survive really harsh conditions – wave erosion and other factors. And ‘when things start to go wrong in the oceans, then corals will be the first to react. And that is exactly what we are seeing now. Coral reefs are dying and they are telling us that all is not well with our planet.’
E However, scientists are trying to pinpoint hardy types of coral that could survive our overheated oceans, and some of this research will be carried out at London Zoo. ‘Behind our … coral reef tank we have built laboratories where scientists will be studying coral species,’ said Pearce-Kelly. One aim will be to carry out research on species to find those that can survive best in warm, acidic waters. Another will be to try to increase coral breeding rates. ‘Coral spawn just once a year,’ he added. ‘However, aquarium-based research has enabled some corals to spawn artificially, which can assist coral reef restoration efforts. And if this can be extended for all species, we could consider the launching of coral-spawning programmes several times a year. That would be a big help in restoring blighted reefs.’
F Research in these fields is being conducted in laboratories around the world, with the London Zoo centre linked to this global network. Studies carried out in one centre can then be tested in others. The resulting young coral can then be displayed in the tank in Tiny Giants. ‘The crucial point is that the progress we make in making coral better able to survive in a warming world can be shown to the public and encourage them to believe that we can do something to save the planet’s reefs,’ said Pearce-Kelly. ‘Saving our coral reefs is now a critically important ecological goal.’
Reading Passage 2 has six sections, A–F.
Choose the correct heading for each section from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-vii, in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.
题目关键词：two， educational goals
答案位置：Section A 第 2 小节
题解：小标题：两个明确的教育目标
分析：本题体现了划分段落结构的重要性。在描述了“小小巨人”水族箱的生态多样及如何壮美之后， Section A 第 2 小节使用了两个表达希冀的词组来引出建造目的：（1）we want；（2）we also want，前者希望人们看到它们的奇妙（how wonderful they are），后者指出我们也希望借此展示科研人员和环保组织目前正努力（research and conservation efforts）从全球变暖的威胁中，挽救这些自然奇观。这两个想要，一个属于科普展示，另一个则属于保护成果展示，而小标题 v 中的 educational goals 足以涵盖这两个目标。因此答案为 v。
题目关键词：cooperation， beneath the waves
答案位置：Section B 第 5—7 行
题解：小标题：海底世界的合作
分析：预判时须知，如果能选小标题 ii，答案段落 一定要体现是水下的合作。Section B 中作者解释珊瑚虫本是透明的，因为共生的（live within them）藻类而使珊瑚虫有了颜色（get...tones）。而这些藻类在珊瑚体内获得保护（protection），并通过光合作用（photosynthesising）为珊瑚虫提供养分（provides nutrients）。此处已经可知两种生命之间是有合作关系的，呼应了小标题 ii 中的 cooperation，而此处确实是海底生命的互助，因而也符合 beneath the waves。如果这些互助没能够引起注意，那么下文中也有明确指出这种相互依存的共生关系（symbiotic relationship），使得珊瑚礁得以生长，也与小标题 ii 当中的表述吻合。因此答案为 ii。
题目关键词：disagreement， accuracy， certain phrase
答案位置：Section C 第 1—2 行
题解：小标题：对某一说法准确性的争议
分析：预判时须知，答案段落应包含具体某个短语或习语。Section C 提及，珊瑚礁常被称为“海中雨林”（rainforests of the sea）。作者指出，然而（though）包括 David Attenborough 在内的一些博物学家对这个比喻不置可否（dismissed）。此处表示转折的 though，包括 dismissed，都是对于珊瑚礁被称作“rainforests of the sea”这一 certain phrase 的不认同，对应着小标题 iv 当中的 disagreement。因此答案为 iv。
题目关键词：warning， further trouble
答案位置：Section D 第 1 小节第 6—9 行
题解：小标题：警告未来会有更多麻烦
分析：Section D 接续在 Attenborough 夸赞海底珊瑚 礁生态壮美之后，并用 unfortunately 开头，为上述美景背后危机重重（under very serious threat、other menaces）做出情绪转折，暗示要展开负面内容了。 作者在 Section D 详细罗列了造成危机的诸多成因（thermal stress、ocean acidification 等），因此造成大片珊瑚礁消亡，而且这还只是目前的损失。作者进一步 指出，科学家警告若不采取紧急行动来应对全球变暖和温室气体排放，到 2050 年（by 2050），90% 以上的珊瑚礁可能会消失（could be lost），表达未来情况依旧堪忧。这与小标题 vii 当中的 warning of further trouble ahead 完全吻合。因此答案为 vii。
题目关键词：working， lessen， problems
答案位置：Section E 第 1—2 行
题解：小标题：致力于缓解问题
分析：当严峻威胁出现并造成诸多影响（Section D），根据文章的逻辑结构，下面应该要描述解决问题的办法了。阅读可知，Section E 展示了科学家的两个目标（one aim、another will be to）：（1）寻找最“耐高温”的强健珊瑚品种（pinpoint hardy types 、find those... survive best）；（2）提高珊瑚繁殖率（increase...breeding rates）。这两个目标都能极大帮助（a big help）恢复（restoring）受损珊瑚礁。综上所述，Section E 确实在陈述解决上文危机的方案，这与小标题 iii 当中的 working to lessen the problems 完全吻合。因此答案为 iii。
题目关键词：promoting hope
答案位置：Section F 第 4—6 行
题解：小标题：传递希望
分析：Section F 将上文中科学家做出的努力框架拉大，扩大到全球范围的合作，依旧是在展示所做的努力， 而“小小巨人”展览，在策展人 Pearce-Kelly 眼中，直观展示了（shown to the public）科学家在帮助珊瑚适应海洋变暖取得的每一项进展。她认为这些展览能够鼓励人们相信（encourage them to believe），科学家是能够采取行动挽救（can do something to save）这些珊瑚礁的。如果一个问题没有任何方式能缓解，我们会说没希望了，而当文中提到了为保护受损珊瑚，科学家做出了如此这般的努力，就代表着珊瑚尚有希望。而策展人 Pearce-Kelly 鼓励人们相信的，就是拯救珊瑚还有希望。小标题 vi 的 promoting hope 很好地概括了 Section F 的主旨。因此答案为 vi。