高考英语二轮复习外刊阅读训练：水泥森林

高考英语二轮复习外刊阅读训练：水泥森林——改编自TheroarofmountainlionsmixeswiththeroaroftrafficLosAngelesisknownforitsbusyhighways,butitisalsohometomountainlionslivingintheSantaMonicaMountains,whicharevitaltomaintainingahealthyecosystem.Thepopulationoftheseapexpredatorsisstable,andtheirhabitatismostlypristinewilderness.However,theirexistenceisthreatenedbyhabitatfragmentationcausedbyRoute101,ahighwaycuttingthroughthemountains,effectivelyseparatingthelionsfromalargerwildernesstothenorth.Asaresult,geneticdegradationandinbreedinghavebecomesevereproblemsleadingtoincreasedchancesofextinction.Astudyconductedin2016showedthattherewasbetweena15-22%chanceofextinctionin50yearsduetoenvironmentalfactors.Still,themoresignificantconcernwasgeneticdeterioration,leadingtoa99.7%chanceofextinction.TheimportanceofgeneticdiversitypromptedCalifornianstotakeactionandcreateanoverpassbridgespanning165feet(50metres)wideoverRoute101,allowingmountainlionstopassoversafely.Similarcorridorshaveworkedelsewhere,suchastheelkoverpassesovertheTrans-CanadaHighwayandbridgesforredcrabsonChristmasIsland.Throughcampaigningandfundraisingefforts,thegovernorlaunchedconstructionofthecorridor.Mountainlionsbecomesexuallymatureattwoandahalftothreeyearsandhavecubseveryotheryear.Withintenyearsofcompletion,theoffspringofthefirstmatingbeyondthemountainscouldhavecubs,makingadifferencegenetically.Expertsbelievethatthissolutionwillhelpsustainthemountainlionpopulation,ultimatelysavingthemfromextinction.【重点词汇】1.LosAngeles/lɑsˈændʒəliːz/n.洛杉矶2.highways/ˈhaɪweɪz/n.高速公路3.mountainlions/ˈmaʊntɪnˈlaɪənz/n.“山狮”，即美洲狮4.SantaMonicaMountains/ˈsæntəmɒnɪkəˈmaʊntənz/n.圣莫尼卡山脉5.vital/ˈvaɪtl/adj.必不可少的；极其重要的6.maintaining/meɪnˈteɪnɪŋ/v.维持，保持7.healthyecosystem/ˈhɛlθiˈiːkəʊsɪstəm/健康生态系统8.population/ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən/n.种群；人口9.apexpredators/ˈeɪpɛksˈprɛdətərz/n.食物链顶端掠食者10.stable/ˈsteɪbl/adj.稳定的11.habitat/ˈhæbɪtæt/n.栖息地12.pristinewilderness/ˈprɪstiːnˈwɪldənɪs/n.原始野生13.existence/ɪɡˈzɪstəns/n.存在14.threatened/ˈθrɛtənd/v.威胁，使处于危险中15.habitatfragmentation/hæbɪtætˌfræɡmɛnˈteɪʃən/栖息地分割16.Route101/ruːtwʌnˈəʊwʌn/n.美国101号公路17.highway/ˈhaɪweɪ/n.公路；高速公路18.effectively/ɪˈfɛktɪvli/adv.有效地19.separating/ˈsɛpəreɪtɪŋ/v.分离，隔开20.largerwilderness/ˈlɑːdʒəˈwɪldənəs/更大的荒野21.geneticdegradation/dɪˌɡrædˈeɪʃən/遗传退化22.inbreeding/ˈɪnˌbriːdɪŋ/n.近亲繁殖23.problems/ˈprɑbləmz/n.问题；困难24.increasedchances/ɪnˈkristˈtʃænsɪz/增加概率25.extinction/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/n.灭绝26.study/ˈstʌdi/n.研究27.environmentalfactors/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmɛntlˈfæktəz/环境因素28.concern/kənˈsɜːrn/n.关注；担忧29.geneticdeterioration/dɪˌtɪriəˈreɪʃən/遗传恶化30.takeaction/teɪkˈækʃən/执行行动31.overpassbridge/ˈoʊvərpæsbrɪdʒ/立交桥32.spanning/ˈspænɪŋ/v.跨越33.safely/ˈseɪfli/adv.安全地34.corridors/ˈkɔːrədɔːrz/n.走廊；通道35.elkoverpasses/ɛlkˈəʊvəpɑːsɪz/麋鹿立交桥36.Trans-CanadaHighway/trænz-kəˈnædəˈhaɪweɪ/加拿大横贯公路37.bridges/ˈbrɪdʒɪz/n.桥梁38.redcrabs/rɛdkræbz/红蟹39.campaigning/kæmˈpeɪnɪŋ/v.竞选；宣传40.fundraisingefforts/ˈfʌndreɪzɪŋˈefərts/筹款努力41.governor/ˈɡʌvənər/n.州长42.construction/kənˈstrʌkʃən/n.建设【阅读理解练习题】1.WhatisthemainthreattothemountainlionpopulationintheSantaMonicaMountains?A.LackofpreyB.CompetitionfromotherpredatorsC.HabitatfragmentationcausedbyahighwayD.DiseaseoutbreaksAnswer:C中文解析：SanteMonica山脉中美洲狮的主要威胁是一条切穿山脉的公路，导致栖息地被分割。2.Whatenvironmentalproblemiscausedbygeneticdegradationandinbreeding?A.IncreasedpredationB.HighercompetitionforresourcesC.ReducedgeneticdiversityD.OverpopulationAnswer:C中文解析：基因退化和近亲繁殖带来的一个环境问题是降低了基因多样性。3.Whatwasthechanceofextinctionduetoenvironmentalfactorsin50yearsaccordingtothe2016study?A.15-22%B.50-75%C.80-90%D.99.7%Answer:A中文解析：2016年的研究显示，由于环境因素，在50年内灭绝的可能性在15-22%之间。4.WhatsolutiondidCalifornianscreatetoaddresstheissueofhabitatfragmentationforthemountainlions?A.BuildinganoverpassbridgeoverthehighwayB.RemovingRoute101fromthemountainsC.CreatingmorehousingdevelopmentsintheareaD.RelocatingthemountainlionpopulationtoanotherlocationAnswer:A中文解析：加利福尼亚人为解决山狮的栖息地分裂问题创造的解决方案是在公路上建造一座过街天桥。5.Whatisthepurposeoftheelkoverpassesandredcrabbridgesmentionedinthearticle?A.ToprovidebetterviewsofwildlifeB.TomakethehighwaysmoreaestheticallypleasingC.TokeepanimalsfromcrossingthehighwayD.TosafelyconnectfragmentedhabitatsAnswer:D中文解析：文章提到的麋鹿天桥和圣诞岛上蟹子的天桥的目的是为了安全地连接分裂的栖息地。6.Atwhatagedomountainlionsbecomesexuallymature?A.OneandahalftotwoyearsB.TwoandahalftothreeyearsC.FourtofiveyearsD.SixtosevenyearsAnswer:B中文解析：美洲狮在两岁半到三岁左右会变得性成熟并每隔一年生育幼崽。7.Howoftendomountainlionfemaleshavecubs?A.EveryyearB.EveryotheryearC.EverythreeyearsD.EveryfouryearsAnswer:B中文解析：美洲狮雌性每隔一年会生育幼崽。8.Whatdoexpertsbelievebuildingthecorridorwillultimatelyachieveforthemountainlionpopulation?A.LowergeneticdiversityB.IncreasedhabitatfragmentationC.ImprovementsinhuntingsuccessD.ProtectionagainstextinctionAnswer:D中文解析：专家认为修建走廊最终将保护山狮免于灭绝。【全文逐句对照翻译】洛杉矶以其繁忙的高速公路而闻名，但它也是生活在圣莫尼卡山脉的美洲狮的家园，它们对维持健康的生态系统至关重要。LosAngelesisknownforitsbusyhighways,butitisalsohometomountainlionslivingintheSantaMonicaMountains,whicharevitaltomaintainingahealthyecosystem.这些顶级食肉动物的数量是稳定的，它们的栖息地大多是原始的荒野。Thepopulationoftheseapexpredatorsisstable,andtheirhabitatismostlypristinewilderness.然而，它们的生存受到101号公路造成的栖息地破碎的威胁，这条公路穿过山脉，有效地将狮子与北部更大的荒野分开。However,theirexistenceisthreatenedbyhabitatfragmentationcausedbyRoute101,ahighwaycuttingthroughthemountains,effectivelyseparatingthelionsfromalargerwildernesstothenorth.因此，遗传退化和近亲繁殖已经成为严重的问题，导致灭绝的可能性增加。Asaresult,geneticdegradationandinbreedinghavebecomesevereproblemsleadingtoincreasedchancesofextinction.2016年进行的一项研究表明，由于环境因素，50年内灭绝的可能性在15-22%之间。Astudyconductedin2016showedthattherewasbetweena15-22%chanceofextinctionin50yearsduetoenvironmentalfactors.然而，更令人担忧的是基因退化，导致99.7%的灭绝几率。Still,themoresignificantconcernwasgeneticdeterioration,leadingtoa99.7%chanceofextinction.基因多样性的重要性促使加州人采取行动，在101号公路上建造了一座165英尺(50米)宽的立交桥，让美洲狮安全地通过。TheimportanceofgeneticdiversitypromptedCalifornianstotakeactionandcreateanoverpassbridgespanning165feet(50metres)wideoverRoute101,allowingmountainlionstopassoversafely.类似的走廊在其他地方也奏效了