题目内容
The breaking of a taboo is usually upsetting or embarrassing for the person and the people around him or her.
A. to concern B. concerning C. concerned D. concern
C
Some scientists say that animals in the oceans are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings.
The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels(分贝)measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect.
Some scientists have proposed setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected.
Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds object to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.
【小题1】 According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?
| A.The man-made noises. | B.The noises made by themselves. |
| C.The sound of earthquakes. | D. |
| A.Different places with different types of noises. |
| B.The very human ears sensitive to all types of noises. |
| C.The ocean animals' reaction to noises. |
| D.The same noise measured differently on land and in the ocean. |
| A.prevent them from doing their research work |
| B.benefit them a lot in their research work |
| C.do good to their health |
| D.increase the industrial output |
| A.They will try their best to decrease noise. |
| B.They will work hard to cut down noise pollution. |
| C.They will study the effect of different noises. |
| D.They will protect animals from harmful noises. |
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”
The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.
【小题1】
One day, the wise man saw the young man .
| A.dancing along the beach | B.walking with a dancer |
| C.picking up starfish for sale | D.trying to save as many starfish as possible |
Near the end of the passage, “something very special” refers to .
| A.the gifts from friends | B.the strength of making decision |
| C.our own starfish | D.the ability of shaping one’s own future |
From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that .
| A.the wise man realized something new and important |
| B.the wise man thought it was foolish of the young man to throw starfish into the ocean |
| C.the young man had the ability to make a difference |
| D.it is necessary for us to save starfish on the beach |
The writer told this story in order to show us .
| A.how and where we can write a good article |
| B.everyone can do something for the future |
| C.wise men are sometimes stupid |
| D.young people are actually wiser than old people |