1、大学英语六级综合-阅读(十二)及答案解析(总分：60.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Unit 1(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、Passage One(总题数：1，分数：5.00)One negative result of peoples interference with the environment is that many kinds of animals are becoming rare. In fact, their numbers are decreasing so rapidly that they are in danger of being extinct. Bec
2、ause worried and concerned experts want to make sure that these animals do not disappear, an “endangered species“ list has been made, and ways to save them have been started. Some types of birds, like eagles, are in danger of extinction. This is the reason why many concerned citizens have organized
3、into groups to try to save the birds. The National Audubon Society (NAS) is one such organization.The people of the NAS, ironically, once tried to encourage interest in birds. The present situation indicates that they Were too successful. Nowadays the same people are looking for ways to protect the
4、birds from the people who want to watch them. Just a few years ago, bird watchers were stereotyped as harmless but strange: people thought of all bird watchers as eccentric hunters who chased their prey with binoculars to see better with, instead of guns to shoot with. Stereotypes of bird watchers w
5、ere the subjects of jokes because the general public did not find birds interesting. However, with a little education and advertising, bird watching and bird watchers really changed. Bird watching became a national pastime, an interesting hobby, a favorite way to spend leisure time.Because of the ef
6、forts of the NAS, the numbers of amateur ornithologists(鸟类学 者) have multiplied. Now between five and ten million non-professional bird watchers search for a glimpse of a golden pheasant, a pygmy swift, or a whooping crane. In the past decade, the NAS membership has quadrupled; such an increase of fo
7、ur times the number in only ten years indicates a surge of enthusiasm for birds. Unfortunately, this great growth of interest has meant another kind of interest: the over-enthusiasm of some amateur ornithologists has resulted in harming the birds and their habitats, the special environments that the
8、 birds choose. For example, both vegetation and the nesting places have been trampled; the natural places have been destroyed by the feet of the small percentage of overly enthusiastic watchers. One professional ornithologist reported that so many people have become interested in birds that one rare
9、 bird can bring a flock of bird watchers. A result is that where there were once flocks of birds, there are now only a few.（分数：5.00）(1).We can infer from the first paragraph that _.（分数：1.00）A.eagles are disappearingB.some people have realized the danger of extinction of some animalsC.people are in d
10、anger of extinctionD.endangered species include rare birds(2).Why does the author say the people of NAS were too successful in Paragraph 2?（分数：1.00）A.Because they succeeded in encouraging interest in birds, but this interest began to endanger the birds.B.Because they were so successful in encouragin
11、g interest in birds that they were awarded by the authorities.C.Because their success was well justified by other experts.D.Because the birds benefited much from their success in encouraging peoples interest in birds.(3).The word “swift“ (Line 3, Par（分数：1.00）A.3 ) most probably means _.A. Fast.B. A
12、bird.C. Neat.D. Tam(4).Which word best describes the authors attitude toward peoples enthusiasm in birds?（分数：1.00）A.Positive.B.Neutral.C.Negative.D.Indifferent.(5).The best title for this article should be _.（分数：1.00）A.Extinction of Rare BirdsB.Environmental ProtectionC.The National Audubon SocietyD
13、.Enthusiasm Endangers Rare Birds三、Passage Two(总题数：1，分数：5.00)An image taken of the Pacific Ocean last September is astonishing. Made using data collected from satellites monitored by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the picture shows the surface level of the Pacific as clearly
14、 as a yardstick lying across a lumpy bed. One sample of water-with a volume 30 times that of all the Great Lakes-is white, indicating that it is as much as 13 inches higher than its normal level.El Nino experts are still striving to tackle the really big question: what is causing the abnormal El Nin
15、o behavior of the past two decades? Some said because global warming accelerates the pace of E1 Nino formation and reinforces each event. Supporters of global warming as El Nino instigator include Kevin Trenberth, a climate analyst with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colora
16、do. “Theres evidence that global warming didnt have much impact until 1979, but now its beginning to break through,“ he says.Two additional arguments are on the table. One theory is that the recent E1 Nino epidemic is simply one of natures climatic tiffs, but that we havent been heating the tune lon
17、g enough to recognize the change in key. One problem is that historical data on El Nino is sketchy prior to the early 1970s and almost nonexistent going back more than 50 years. If one looks back further, however, fossil evidence suggests that something about E1 Nino has indeed changed. Fossil recor
18、ds of coral in the Galapagos Islands show that some 4,000 years ago, an El Nino occurred only every 60 years or so. Studies of tree rings and ice cores indicate a more recent cycle of seven years, still much less frequent than the present cycle of every three or four years.Records are accurate enoug
19、h to show that were in the second El Nino intensive era of the past 100 years. The first was during the 1920s and 30s, and probably was responsible for the Dust Bowl, when drought destroyed hundreds of farms in Oklahoma and north Texas. The second seems to have started around 1976. These shifts seem
20、 to be due to periods of natural warming in the Pacific. The warming does not necessarily cause El Nino but certainly amplifies it, creating the appearance of more and more severe El Ninos.（分数：5.00）(1).The picture as depicted by the author in the first paragraph seems to be _.（分数：1.00）A.fairly reass
21、uringB.very bleakC.rather shockingD.quite exceptional(2).The idea of the “global warming as El Nino instigator“ (Line 4, Par（分数：1.00）A.2) roughly refers to _.A. the contribution of global warming to the occurrence of El NinoB. the unusual behavior of El Nino in the past two decadesC. the caution sho
22、wn by authorities against the destruction of El NinoD. the accurate forecast for the approach of El Nino(3).The reason why it is difficult to explain the odd E1 Nino behavior may be _.（分数：1.00）A.lack of detailed accountsB.its inconsistent behaviorC.the need for advanced technologyD.its increasing fr
23、equencies(4).According to the passage, the author considers forecasting of El Nino to be _.（分数：1.00）A.inconclusiveB.effortlessC.informativeD.precise(5).What is the passage mainly about?（分数：1.00）A.A trace to the mysteries of E1Nino.B.A vivid account of the impact of E1Nino.C.Exposure to the myths of
24、E1Nino.D.A review of different theories on E1 Nino.四、Passage Three(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Analysis of ice cores drilled from the glaciers of the Tibetan plateau shows that the region is warmer now than any other time since the so-called “Holocene maximum“, between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago. And the temperatu
25、res in central China during the past 50 years were a full degree Celsius warmer than those of the previous 50 years. The results are important because computer simulations show that central Asia is likely to be the first place where significant global warming due to the greenhouse effect will show u
26、p.Lonnie Thompson and his colleagues from Ohio State University have been working with researchers from Chinese Academy of Science and the University of Copenhagen. They drilled the ice cores from the large ice cap which lies high on the Tibetan plateau, south of the Gobi desert. The cores provide a
27、 record extending back well into the time of the latest ice age, and perhaps beyond 100,000 years ago. Such ice cores yield information about past climates in two waysfrom analysis of the varying. dust conrent at different layers in the core, and from measurements of the relative abundance of isotop
28、es (同位素) of oxygen locked up in the molecules of the ice. The amount of dust in the ice depends on how dry the atmosphere was when it was laid down, while the isotopic studies provide a direct measure of the average temperature.The amount of water evaporating from sea and falling as snow is differen
29、t for water containing each of the two main oxygen isotopes. The ratio between these depends on temperature in a well-determined way. Using these two lines of attack, Thompson and his colleagues have shown that, in the late stages of the most recent ice age, conditions were colder, wetter and dustie
30、r than today. This matches expectations based on the idea that stronger winds blew around an expanded northern ice cap. The new study is very interesting, however. It focuses on the discovery that the past 60 years were at least as warm as any period in the record, with highest values in the 1940s,
31、1950s and 1980s. Scientists have recently carried out computer simulations which show that the central part of the Asian continent is likely to be one of the regions most strongly affected by the anticipated global warming caused by the greenhouse effect.（分数：5.00）(1).Computer simulations show that _
32、.（分数：1.00）A.central Asian continent will affect the global climateB.central Asian will become one of the wannest regions in the worldC.greenhouse effect will affect the climate in central Asia firstD.greenhouse effect will have a strongest effect on the central Asian climate(2).The ice cores from th
33、e Tibetan plateau provide information about climate_.（分数：1.00）A.beyond 100,000 years agoB.from the 100,000 years ago to the latest ice ageC.as far as the latest ice age or even beforeD.since the Holocene maximum(3).The phrase “these two lines of attack“ (Line 3, Par（分数：1.00）A.3 ) refers to _.A. dust
34、 content analysis and isotopic studyB. calculating the ratio between water evaporating from sea and water falling as snowC. comparing the two main oxygen isotopesD. ice content analysis and average temperature measurement(4).In the new study, researchers are interested in the fact that _.（分数：1.00）A.
35、the weather in the past 60 years was as warm as or wanner than beforeB.the weather became warmer and warmer in the past 60 yearsC.the warmest weather occurred in 1940, 1950 and 1980D.the weather was colder 60 years ago than it is today(5).The most suitable title for the passage is _.（分数：1.00）A.Clima
36、te in Central Asia and Greenhouse EffectB.Chinese Ice Reveals Stronger Warming TrendC.Ice Cores Yield Information about Past ClimateD.Climate Changes during the Last Century in Central Asia五、Passage Four(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Scientists say there has been a severe decrease in the amount of water in Lake Cha
37、d in northern Africa in the last thirty years. They report that nature and humans share equal blame for this loss. In 1963 the fresh water lake covered twenty-five- thousand square kilometers. Now the lake is only about five percent of that size. It measures only about one-thousand-three-hundred squ
38、are kilometers in the dry season.Four nations surround Lake Chad. People in Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon use it for water, fish and plant life. Michael Coe and Jonathan Foley are water experts at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. They reported about Lake Chad in the Journal of Geophysica
39、l Research. They say the area has suffered from a lack of heavy rain for more than thirty years. This has forced people to build systems to carry water to dry land. These irrigation systems further decrease the lake.Mister Coe says Lake Chad will be only a small body of water in the future. He says
40、people still can get water from the lake to drink and for crops. But he says the lake will no longer provide a healthy environment for fish and plant life.The researchers used a computer to study what caused the water loss. Their computer study estimated the climate and amount of water in the area.
41、Then the researchers compared the estimates with the areas recorded climate and water supply for the same period.The computer study showed results similar to the recorded ones for the first twenty years. But there was a big change in the 1980s. At that time, the lake got smaller much faster than the
42、 computer research had estimated.The researchers say major irrigation systems were built in the 1980s. The systems took water from two rivers that flow into Lake Chad. The Chari and Logone rivers carry most of the water that enters the lake. The study showed the increased irrigation reduced the flow
43、 in the two rivers. Climate changes also were responsible for the reduction. Today the flow of the two rivers has been reduced by almost seventy-five percent. Scientists say the problem is expected to worsen in the coming years as the population and demand for water continue to increase.（分数：5.00）(1)
44、.What is this passage mainly about?（分数：1.00）A.Demonstrating the serious weather condition around Lake Chad.B.Introducing peoples activity around Lake Chad.C.Analyzing the factors that cause water decrease in Lake Chad.D.Introducing scientists work about water condition in Lake Cha(2).What did people
45、 do to solve the problem of lack of rain around Lake Chad?（分数：1.00）A.They moved out of this area.B.They drew water from Lake Chad.C.They carried water from other areas.D.They utilize seawater near this are(3).Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?（分数：1.00）A.Lake Chad is located in
46、 the middle of Chad in northern Africa.B.The water from Lake Chad can now only be used for irrigation.C.The area around Lake Chad has suffered from decreased rainfall for a few decades.D.Population around Lake Chad now begins to decrease due to lack of water.(4).Why did computer data become imprecis
47、e in the 1980s?（分数：1.00）A.The related programs on the computer were out of date.B.More and more people drew water directly from the lake for drink.C.There was a heavy rain around 1980.D.The irrigation which consumed the source water increase(5).what is scientists attitude towards the future of Chad
48、Lake?（分数：1.00）A.Pessimistic.B.Hopeful.C.Indifferent.D.Doubtful.六、Unit 2(总题数：0，分数：0.00)七、Passage One(总题数：1，分数：5.00)Global warming will stifle life-giving microscopic plants that live in the surface layer of the oceans, cutting marine food production and accelerating climate change, according to a stu
49、dy published on Wednesday.Phytoplankton(浮游植物) are not only the foundation of the marine food chain, but every day they take more than 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, scientists from Oregon State University, NASA and four other institutions said.But as global warming heats the surface layer of the ocean it becomes lighter and therefore separated from the cooler depths from which the phytoplankton get many of their nutrients. This cuts their numbers, not only reducing the food in the oc
