Passage Fourteen
Antarctica has actually become a kind of space station a unique observation post for detecting important changes in the world s environment. Remote from major sources of pollution and the complex geological and ecological systems that prevail elsewhere, Antarctica makes possible scientific measurements that are often sharper and easier to interpret than those made in other parts of the world.
Growing numbers of scientists therefore see Antarctica as a distant-early-warning sensor, where potentially dangerous global trends may be spotted before they show up to the north. One promising field of investigation is glaciology. Scholars from the United States, Switzerland, and France are pursuing seven separate but related projects that reflect their concern for the health of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet a concern they believe the world at large should share.
The Transantarctic Mountain, some of them more than 14,000 feet high, divide the continent into two very different regions. The part of the continent to the east of the mountains is a high plateau covered by an ice sheet nearly two miles thick. West of the mountain, the half of the continent south of the Americas is also covered by an ice sheet, but there the ice rests on rock that is mostly well below sea level. If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared, the western part of the continent would be reduced to a sparse cluster of island.
While ice and snow are obviously central to many environmental experiments, others focus on the mysterious dry valley of Antarctica, valleys that contain little ice or snow even in the depths of winter. Slashed through the mountains of southern Victoria Land, these valleys once held enormous glaciers that descended 9,000 feet from the polar plateau to the Ross Sea. Now the glaciers are gone, perhaps a casualty of the global warming trend during the 10,000 years since the ice age. Even the snow that falls in the dry valleys is blasted out by vicious winds that roars down from the polar plateau to the sea. Left bare are spectacular gorges, rippled fields of sand dunes, clusters of boulders sculptured into fantastic shapes by 100-mile-an-hour winds, and an aura of extraterrestrial desolation.
Despite the unearthly aspect of the dry valleys, some scientists believe they may carry a message of hope of the verdant parts of the earth. Some scientists believe that in some cases the dry valleys may soak up pollutants faster than pollutants enter them.
1.What is the best title for this passage?
Antarctica and environmental Problems.
Antarctica: Earth s Early-Warning station.
Antarctica: a Unique Observation Post.
Antarctica: a Mysterious Place.
2.What would the result be if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared?
The western part of the continent would be disappeared.
The western part of the continent would be reduced.
The western part of the continent would become scattered Islands.
The western part of the continent would be reduced to a cluster of Islands.
3.Why are the Dry Valleys left bare?
Vicious wind blasts the snow away.
It rarely snows.
Because of the global warming trend and fierce wind.
Sand dunes.
4.Which of the following is true?
The Dry Valleys have nothing left inside.
The Dry Valleys never held glaciers.
The Dry Valleys may carry a message of hope for the verdant.
The Dry Valleys are useless to scientists.
教研分享:雅思听力第一堂课需要讲什么
雅思听力考试常见问题解答
真正提高雅思听力水平的3个步骤
如何吃透雅思听力套题
雅思听力Section4的应试技巧
快速提高雅思听力水平的三个方法
如何在雅思听力考场上充分利用时间
突破雅思听力难关的三个步骤
雅思听力地理场景解析+做题技巧
雅思听力如何获取正确的信息:双向听力法
提高雅思听说能力的三个要点
雅思听力练习首先要解决生词问题
雅思听力填空题该如何把握?
雅思听力训练中应注意的3个问题
雅思听力场景考点详细解析:相貌篇
克服雅思听力问题的三个招数
做到这11点 雅思听力轻松拿高分
雅思听力场景解析:相貌篇
避免雅思听力考试出现失误的四个方法
四种雅思听力题型的解题方法
复习半个月 雅思听力从5升到6.5
雅思听力练习中需要注意的三个问题
雅思听力材料:旅游场景-England介绍
雅思听力Section4的做题技巧及常见话题
雅思听力备考需养成的三个听力习惯
雅思听力9分牛人的听力备考方法
雅思听力备考中的矛盾问题:痛苦与成就感
利用资讯精听提高雅思听力水平的方法
利用双向听力法优化雅思听力练习
雅思听力词汇之常考国外地名汇总
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |