【易伯华出品】雅思阅读机经真题解析-Coral reefs

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Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by

corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters

that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which

in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups.

Coral reefs

A Coral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 km2 just under 0.1% of the

oceans' surface area, about half the area of France. The Indo-Pacific region

accounts for 91.9% of this total area.Southeast Asia accounts for 32.3% of that

figure, while the Pacific including Australia accounts for 40.8%. Atlantic and

Caribbean coral reefs account for 7.6%. Yet often called “rainforests of the

sea", coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. They

provide a home for 25% of all marine species, including fish, mollusks (软体动物),

worms, crustaceans(甲壳类动物), echinoderms(棘皮动物),sponges, tunicates and other

cnidarians. Paradoxically, coral reefs flourish even though they are surrounded

by ocean waters that provide few nutrients. They are most commonly found at

shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water corals also

exist on smaller scales in other areas. Although corals exist both in temperate

and tropical waters, shallow-water reefs form only in a zone extending from 30°

N to 30° S of the equator. Deep water coral can exist at greater depths and

colder temperatures at much higher latitudes, as far north as Norway. Coral

reefs are rare along the American and African west coasts. This is due primarily

to upwelling and strong cold coastal currents that reduce water temperatures in

these areas (respectively the Peru, Benguela and Canary streams). Corals are

seldom found along the coastline of South Asia from the eastern tip of India

(Madras) to the Bangladesh(孟加拉国)and Myanmar borders. They are also rare along

the coast around northeastern South America and Bangladesh due to the freshwater

release from the Amazon and Ganges Rivers(恒河), respectively.

B Coral reefs deliver ecosystem services to tourism, fisheries and coastline

protection. The global economic value of coral reefs has been estimated at as

much as $US375 billion per year. Coral reefs protect shorelines by absorbing

wave energy(潮汐能), and many small islands would not exist without their reef to

protect them.

C The value of reefs in biodiverse (生物多样的) regions can be even higher. In

parts of Indonesia and the Caribbean where tourism is the main use, reefs are

estimated to be worth US$1 million per square kilometer, based on the cost of

maintaining sandy beaches and the value of attracting snorkelers (浮潜者)and scuba

divers (水肺潜水). Meanwhile, a recent study of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

found that the reef is worth more to the country as an intact ecosystem than an

extractive reserve for fishing. Each year more than 1.8 million tourists visit

the reef, spending an estimated AU$4.3 billion (Australian dollars) on

reef-related industries from diving to boat rental to posh island resort stays.

In the Caribbean, says UNEP, the net annual benefits from diver tourism was US$2

billion in 2000 with US$625 million spent directly on diving on reefs. Further,

reef tourism is important source of employment, especially for some of the

world's poorest people. UNEP says that of the estimated 30 million small-scale

fishers in the developing world, most are dependent to a greater or lesser

extent on coral reefs. In the Philippines, for example, more than one million

small-scale fishers depend directly on coral reefs for their livelihoods. The

report estimates that reef fisheries (渔场) were worth between $15,000 and

$150,000 per square kilometer a year, while fish caught for aquariums (水族馆) were

worth $500 a kilogram against $6 for fish caught as food. The aquarium fish

export industry supports around 50,000 people and generates some US$5.5 million

a year in Sri Lanka along.

D Unfortunately, coral reefs are dying around the world. In particular, coral

mining, agricultural and urban runoff(入水), pollution (organic and inorganic),

disease, and the digging of canals and access into islands and bays are

localized threats to coral ecosystems(生态系统). Broader threats are sea temperature

rise, sea level rise and pH changes from ocean acidification (酸化) , all

associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Some current fishing practices are

destructive and unsustainable. These include cyanide fishing, overfishing and

blast fishing. Although cyanide (氰化物毒)fishing supplies live reef fish for the

tropical aquarium market, most fish caught using this method are sold in

restaurants, primarily in Asia, where live fish are prized for their freshness.

To catch fish with cyanide, fishers dive down to the reef and squirt cyanide in

coral crevices and on the fast-moving fish, to stun the fish making them easy to

catch. Overfishing is another leading cause for coral reef degradation. Often,

too many fish are taken from one reef to sustain a population in that area. Poor

fishing practices, such as banging on the reef with sticks (muro-ami), destroy

coral formations that normally function as fish habitat. In some instances,

people fish with explosives (爆炸物) (blast fishing), which blast apart the

surrounding coral.

E Tourist resorts that empty their sewage directly into the water surrounding

coral reefs contribute to coral reef degradation. Wastes kept in poorly

maintained septic tanks can also leak into surrounding ground water, eventually

seeping out to the reefs. Careless boating, diving, snorkeling and fishing can

also damage coral reefs. Whenever people grab, kick, and walk on, or stir up

sediment (沉淀物) in the reefs, they contribute to coral reef destruction. Corals

are also harmed or killed when people drop anchors on them or when people

collect coral.

F To find answers for these problems, scientists and researchers study the

various factors that impact reefs. The list includes the ocean's role as a

carbon dioxide sink, atmospheric changes, ultraviolet light (紫外线光) , ocean

acidification, viruses, impacts of dust storms carrying agents to far flung

reefs, pollutants, algal blooms and others. Reefs are threatened well beyond

coastal areas. General estimates show approximately 10% of the world’s coral

reefs are dead. About 60% of the world's reefs are at risk due to destructive,

human-related activities. The threat to the health of reefs is particularly

strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs are endangered.

G In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef(大堡礁) is protected by the Great Barrier

Reef Marine Park Authority, and is the subject of much legislation, including a

biodiversity action plan. Inhabitants of Ahus Island, Manus Province, Papua New

Guinea, have followed a generations-old practice of restricting fishing in six

areas of their reef lagoon(环礁湖). Their cultural traditions allow line fishing,

but not net or spear fishing. The result is both the biomass and individual fish

sizes are significantly larger than in places where fishing is unrestricted.

Questions 14-19

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs A-G.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-G, in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

14 Geographical location of world’s coral reef

15 How does coral reef benefit economy locally

16 The statistics of coral reefs economic significance

17 The listed reasons for declining number of coral reef

18 Physical approach to coral reef by people

19 Unsustainable fishing methods are applied in regions of the world

Questions 20-25

Do the following statement agree with the information given in Reading

Passage 2?

TRUE if the statement is true

FALSE if the statement is false

NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage

20 Coral reefs provide habitat to variety of marine life.

21 Coral reef distribute around the ocean disproportionally.

22 Coral reef is increasingly important for scientific purpose.

23 Coral reefs are greatly exchanged among and exported to other

counties.

24 Reef tourism is of economic essence generally for some poor people.

25 As with other fishing business, coral fishery is not suitable to women

and

children

Questions 26

Choose the correct letter. A, B, C or D.

Write your answers in boxes 26 on your answer sheet.

What is the main purpose of the this passage

A Demonstrate how coral reef grow in the ocean

B To tell that coral reef is widely used as a scientific project

C Present the general benefits and an alarming situation of coral reef

D To show the vital efforts made to protect coral reef in Australia