Question

    Scientists have recently discovered a major habitat where live more than 1.5 million Adelie penguins(企鹅）near the Antarctic Peninsula. Based on direct ground counts and computer counts, the researchers found a total of 751,527 pairs of Adelie penguins on the Danger Islands in the Weddell Sea on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula. The Adelie penguins discovered here is more than the rest in the other places of Antarctic Peninsula, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Moreover, the number represents the first complete census of Adelie penguins in the Danger Islands, the researchers added. “Until recently, the Danger Islands wasn't known to be an important penguin habitat.” Heather Lynch, an ecologist from Stony Brook University who led the study, said, “These super habitats have gone undiscovered for decades partly because the islands themselves are distant and the dangerous waters that surround them.” The Danger Islands appears to have avoided recent loss in penguin population documented on other parts of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Another study published earlier suggested that more than 70 percent of king penguins may disappear by the end of the century as a result of global warming and overfishing. As the Danger Islands is likely to remain important islands for many penguins under climate change, scientists believe it deserves special consideration in the design of Marine Protected Areas in this area. “Now that we know how important this area is for penguin, we can better move forward designing Marine Protected Areas and managing the fishery,” said Lynch.

The idea of building the Marine Protected Areas, which covers 1.8 million square km of the Weddell Sea and around the Antarctic Peninsula, was first put forward by the European Union and supported by nongovernmental organization Greenpeace. In January, a global campaign has been started in the vast fishing-free zone to better protect wildlife.

1.What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A. Researchers knew the number of penguins only by computers.

B. There are 751,527 pairs of penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula.

C. Researcher may have never been to the Antarctic Peninsula.

D. The Danger Islands may be fit for penguins to live on.

2.What does the underlined word “census” in paragraph 2 mean?

A. Population count. B. Living condition.

C. Birth. D. Desert.

3.Why are there many penguins on the Danger Islands?

A. The Danger Islands is unknown for humans.

B. There is little climate change there.

C. Many people are protecting penguins.

D. The Danger Islands is free from being disturbed by humans.

4.What can we know from what Lynch said?

A. Half of king penguins will die out in the future.

B. The Antarctic Peninsula needn't become Protected Areas.

C. Because the Danger Islands is dangerous, it becomes a super habitat.

D. The number of penguins discovered here is the largest in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.D

4.D

【解析】

本文属于新闻，介绍科学家发现了栖息企鹅最多的地方，因为岛屿偏僻，周围水域危险，受人类活动的影响更小，因此几十年没被人发现，同时科学家正考虑采取措施保护这个栖息地。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句The Adelie penguins discovered here is more than the rest in the other places of Antarctic Peninsula, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports.可知，在Danger Islands发现的企鹅数量比南极洲其他地方发现的数量都多，可知，这个地方适合企鹅生长，故选D。

2.词义猜测题。根据第二段第一句中的the number可知，751,527 pairs这个数据是Adelie penguins的数量，可以推出census与数量有关，故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据第二段These super habitats have gone undiscovered for decades partly because the islands themselves are distant and the dangerous waters that surround them.可知，几十年都没发现这个巨大的企鹅栖息地是因为岛屿偏僻，周围水域危险，受人类活动的影响更小，故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据第二段Until recently, the Danger Islands wasn't known to be an important penguin habitat.” Heather Lynch, an ecologist from Stony Brook University who led the study, said, “These super habitats have gone undiscovered for decades partly because the islands themselves are distant and the dangerous waters that surround them.”可知，直到最近，Danger Islands才被人们了解为重要企鹅栖息地，主要原因是因为岛屿偏僻，周围水域危险，因此企鹅数量超过其他地方，故选D。