题型:阅读理解 题类:常考题 难易度:普通
四川省棠湖中学2019届高三上学期英语开学考试试卷
The world's first-known nursery for baby giant manta rays(蝠鲼) has been discovered hidden away in the Gulf of Mexico, the place of 70 miles off the coast of Texas, after studying decades of giant manta ray data from the area by the scientists.
Where the baby manta rays grow up has long troubled scientists, as they are rarely spotted in the four to five years it takes them to become adults, when they can often grow to more than 20ft wide.
In the study Mr Stewart and colleagues describe a reef (暗礁)—filled with mantas of all ages—where the sea floor runs down into deeper water. He said "We think they may be feeding on specific types of zooplankton(浮游生物) there, then migrating up toward the surface, where we saw them. They might be hanging around the banks because it could be a little safer than open water. We've seen them so rarely that we know very little about these baby manta rays. We don't know how far they move, or exactly what they feed on, or all of the habitats these access.”
Giant manta rays are listed as species dying out by protectors, although actual population numbers of the mysterious "gentle giant" are hard to calculate. Sightings of the closely-related reef manta, however, have dropped by 90 percent in regions of southeast Asia in the past decade, according to a study.
Fishing is considered the biggest threat to giant manta numbers, both intentional and accidental. Their gill plates(腮下肉)- the parts through which they filter(过滤) their food from seawater-are sold in China for medical purposes, while they often end up as something caught by mistake due to their huge wings.
Jaya, Topan, and Kasarna, the Sumatran tigers Those tiger cubs were born on January 2, 2015, at Chester Zoo in England. There are only 300 to 400 left in the wild, which places these felines on the critically endangered list. Most of their natural jungle habitat (栖息地) has been destroyed, and they are common targets for poachers(偷猎者). Found in the forests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the tiger is the smallest of big cat species. |
African painted dog pups Pictured at three months old, these African painted puppies were born at the Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, England. Originally from South Africa, the species are natural hunters and live in packs of 20-30 members. Scientists estimate their population size around 3,000 to 5,500. They are targets of human killings, and are easily harmed by disease and habitat destruction, placing them on the endangered list. |
Pancake, the cheetah Pancake was born on February 28, 2015, at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon. When she was six weeks old, a pup named Dayo arrived at the zoo to serve as his companion. Cheetahs are naturally shy, so zoos often pair them with dogs to help them overcome their anxiety. Cheetahs are native to eastern and southwestern Africa; fewer than 10,000 felines remain in the wild. |
Asmara, the Sumatran orangutan Asmara was born on November 22, 2014, at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo in Indiana. These monkeys are endangered in the wild, with fewer than 14,000 left. Agricultural development has ruined their natural forest home. They are hunted, mainly to be kept in homes as status symbols. They live in the trees, almost never touching the ground. |
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