Question

    The snow in Antarctica is turning green and scientists say climate change may be to blame. According to a study at the Cambridge University, microscopic algae blooms (藻类爆发) across the surface of the snow is slowly turning Antarctica’s winter white landscape green. Although microscopic, scientists say they’re able to see the “green snow” from space when the algae blooms all together.

Researchers created a large-scale map of green snow algae along the Antarctic coast using a combination of satellite data and on-the-ground observations over the course of two summers. The study found that the green snow algae bloomed in warmer areas where the average temperatures are just above 0℃ during the southern hemisphere’s (半球的) summer months from November to February.

“As Antarctica warms, we predict the overall mass of snow algae will increase,” said Dr Andrew Gray, lead author of the paper, and a researcher. Researchers say larger blooms of algae can be found north of the Antarctic and South Shetland Islands, where it can spread to higher ground as the snow melts.

The team also discovered some sea birds and mammals influenced the distribution of algae. Over 60% of algae blooms were found within three miles of a penguin settlement. Scientists hypothesize this may be due to their droppings, which act as a “highly nutritious fertilizer.”

“This is a significant advance in our understanding of land-based life on Antarctica, and how it might change in the coming years as the climate warms,” said Dr. Matt Davey in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences, who led the study.

1.What is turning the Antarctic snow green?

A.The melting of snow.

B.The blooming algae.

C.The beautiful landscape.

D.The balanced temperature.

2.Where is microscopic algae most likely to bloom in Antarctica?

A.North of the Antarctic.

B.West of the South Pole.

C.South of the Antarctic.

D.Around the southern hemisphere.

3.What does the underlined word “hypothesize” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A.Confirm. B.Support. C.Assume. D.Warn.

4.What can we learn from the text?

A.Penguins feed on microscopic algae.

B.Antarctic algae grow under the snow.

C.Ground observation lasted for four months.

D.Animal droppings contribute to the algae blooms.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。讲述了科学家们对南极洲藻类的爆发原因的调查研究。

1.

细节理解题。根据“microscopic algae blooms (藻类爆发) across the surface of the snow is slowly turning Antarctica’s winter white landscape green.”可知，遍布雪表面的微生物藻类的爆发正在慢慢地将南极洲冬天的白色景观变成绿色。所以南极洲的雪变绿的是藻类的爆发，故选B。

2.

细节理解题。根据“Researchers say larger blooms of algae can be found north of the Antarctic and South Shetland Islands”可知，调查者们说更大的藻类的爆发会在南极洲北部和南设得兰群岛被发现，A项符合，故选A。

3.

词义猜测题。根据“this may be due to their droppings”中的may（也许）和due to（因为）可知，科学家们是在推测和假设原因，故选C。

4.

细节理解题。文中并未提到企鹅以藻类为食，故A错，排除选项A；根据“across the surface of the snow”可知藻类覆盖在雪的表面，故B错，排除选项B；根据“on-the-ground observations over the course of two summers”可知，地面观察持续了两个夏天，故C错，排除选项C；根据“this may be due to their droppings”可知，藻类的爆发可能是因为企鹅等动物的粪便，故选D。