问答题
5. Texas wild rice, which only grows in a small region alongside the San Marcos River in Texas, is an endangered species. The plant's existence is being threatened by three factors, but efforts to reduce the damage being caused to it may prevent the plant from going extinct.
One problem is that Texas wild rice requires high levels of water to grow properly, but, in recent years, the water level of the San Marcos River has been severely lowered by farmers and residents of nearby towns. Fortunately, efforts to reduce the amount of river water being utilized have been enacted. People are being requested to do their utmost not to waste water, and, should they comply with these requests, the river's water level may begin increasing.
A second problem centers on the nutria, a wild rodent that frequently consumes Texas wild rice plants. Conservationists are presently dealing with the nutria by culling it from the region. People are being paid to trap and hunt the animal, and they receive a small fee for each nutria they kill. Scientists are additionally attempting to manufacture an effective pesticide which kills the nutria in large numbers but which causes no harm to other animals or plants.
The third major problem is that people who use the river for recreation are damaging the plant while also creating water pollution. To reduce the harm caused by humans, conservationists are informing the public about the threatened status of the plant. This information includes warnings to be careful when near the plant, not to strike it with boats, not to swim near it, and not to dislodge it from its habitat. Boaters are also being advised to keep the river clean of pollution and are being fined when they dirty its waters.
One problem is that Texas wild rice requires high levels of water to grow properly, but, in recent years, the water level of the San Marcos River has been severely lowered by farmers and residents of nearby towns. Fortunately, efforts to reduce the amount of river water being utilized have been enacted. People are being requested to do their utmost not to waste water, and, should they comply with these requests, the river's water level may begin increasing.
A second problem centers on the nutria, a wild rodent that frequently consumes Texas wild rice plants. Conservationists are presently dealing with the nutria by culling it from the region. People are being paid to trap and hunt the animal, and they receive a small fee for each nutria they kill. Scientists are additionally attempting to manufacture an effective pesticide which kills the nutria in large numbers but which causes no harm to other animals or plants.
The third major problem is that people who use the river for recreation are damaging the plant while also creating water pollution. To reduce the harm caused by humans, conservationists are informing the public about the threatened status of the plant. This information includes warnings to be careful when near the plant, not to strike it with boats, not to swim near it, and not to dislodge it from its habitat. Boaters are also being advised to keep the river clean of pollution and are being fined when they dirty its waters.
【正确答案】Sample Note-READING
Texas wild rice=being threatened w/extinction but may be saved
1 water level of San Marcos River=lowered
-trying to reduce river water used+people requested not to waste water
2 nutria consumes rice plants
-culling nutria by paying people to hunt and kill it
-scientists working on pesticide to kill it but no other animals or plants
3 people using lake for recreation harm plant
-inform people about plant=don't hit with boats, Swim near it, or dislodge
-advise boaters not to cause pollution normally can't see it because the rice stalks barely stick out of the water; therefore, boaters wind up hitting it while moving through the water. If you ask me, I'd say that Texas wild rice is doomed to extinction in the near future.
Sample Note-LISTENING
chances of survival for Texas wild rice are small
1 efforts to conserve water=futile
-population is growing+droughts reducing water level
2 efforts to hunt nutria ineffective
-breeds quickly=gives birth to 3 litters/year
-pesticides limited in effectiveness
3 human actions=killing rice plants
-chemical fertilizer runoff pollution hard to control
-boaters don't know to avoid plant+can't see it well
Sample Essay
Both the reading passage and the lecture are about Texas wild rice and the efforts to keep it from going extinct. While the reading passage presents hope that it can be saved, the professor casts doubt on the arguments in the passage and believes the plant will go extinct soon.
The professor first mentions the water level of the San Marcos River, where Texas wild rice grows. He argues that the water level is being lowered by excessive use from the growing population and notes the negative effects of droughts. Those two points go against the argument made in the reading passage that people can use less water to keep the river's water level from dropping.
Next, the professor claims that hunting the nutria, which eats the rice plants, is useless. The author of the reading passage declares that enough nutria can be killed by hunters, trappers, and pesticides. But the professor believes that the nutria breeds too rapidly and that pesticides are not effective on it.
Last, the professor discusses human actions such as pollution and boating. Although the reading passage asserts that humans are learning to avoid damaging Texas wild rice, the professor says that chemicals from farms cause the most pollution. He also stresses that boaters cannot usually see the plants, so they hit the rice while they are in the water.
Texas wild rice=being threatened w/extinction but may be saved
1 water level of San Marcos River=lowered
-trying to reduce river water used+people requested not to waste water
2 nutria consumes rice plants
-culling nutria by paying people to hunt and kill it
-scientists working on pesticide to kill it but no other animals or plants
3 people using lake for recreation harm plant
-inform people about plant=don't hit with boats, Swim near it, or dislodge
-advise boaters not to cause pollution normally can't see it because the rice stalks barely stick out of the water; therefore, boaters wind up hitting it while moving through the water. If you ask me, I'd say that Texas wild rice is doomed to extinction in the near future.
Sample Note-LISTENING
chances of survival for Texas wild rice are small
1 efforts to conserve water=futile
-population is growing+droughts reducing water level
2 efforts to hunt nutria ineffective
-breeds quickly=gives birth to 3 litters/year
-pesticides limited in effectiveness
3 human actions=killing rice plants
-chemical fertilizer runoff pollution hard to control
-boaters don't know to avoid plant+can't see it well
Sample Essay
Both the reading passage and the lecture are about Texas wild rice and the efforts to keep it from going extinct. While the reading passage presents hope that it can be saved, the professor casts doubt on the arguments in the passage and believes the plant will go extinct soon.
The professor first mentions the water level of the San Marcos River, where Texas wild rice grows. He argues that the water level is being lowered by excessive use from the growing population and notes the negative effects of droughts. Those two points go against the argument made in the reading passage that people can use less water to keep the river's water level from dropping.
Next, the professor claims that hunting the nutria, which eats the rice plants, is useless. The author of the reading passage declares that enough nutria can be killed by hunters, trappers, and pesticides. But the professor believes that the nutria breeds too rapidly and that pesticides are not effective on it.
Last, the professor discusses human actions such as pollution and boating. Although the reading passage asserts that humans are learning to avoid damaging Texas wild rice, the professor says that chemicals from farms cause the most pollution. He also stresses that boaters cannot usually see the plants, so they hit the rice while they are in the water.
【答案解析】[听力原文]
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
M Professor: Without a doubt, someday soon, Texas wild rice will become extinct, uh, at least in the wild. While some plants are grown in university laboratories, it's estimated there are fewer than 200 plants remaining by the San Marcos River in southeastern Texas. While attempts are being made to save it, I, uh, I don't like the plant's chances of surviving.
Why is that...? Well, the plant requires copious amounts of water, but the water in the San Marcos River is being depleted. The river is being drained and dammed, so less water is flowing through it, which means that the rice can't survive. Efforts being made to reduce water usage are futile, too, since the local population is growing. There have been some droughts as well, thereby further reducing the water level.
Another problem concerns the nutria, which is, uh, basically a large water rat. It chews rice stalks and often digs up the plants by their roots and eats them, which kills the plants. Efforts to hunt the nutria aren't effective since it breeds so quickly. Females, you see, can give birth to three litters a year. And pesticides have limited effects since most aren't effective against the nutria.
Human actions, such as polluting the San Marcos River and irresponsible boating, are further killing the rice plants. Pollution can't be controlled easily because chemical fertilizer runoff from farms beside the river is the primary cause. And most boaters don't even know the plant is endangered, so they don't avoid it. Plus, they normally can't see it because the rice stalks barely stick out of the water; therefore, boaters wind up hitting it while moving through the water. If you ask me, I'd say that Texas wild rice is doomed to extinction in the near future.
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
M Professor: Without a doubt, someday soon, Texas wild rice will become extinct, uh, at least in the wild. While some plants are grown in university laboratories, it's estimated there are fewer than 200 plants remaining by the San Marcos River in southeastern Texas. While attempts are being made to save it, I, uh, I don't like the plant's chances of surviving.
Why is that...? Well, the plant requires copious amounts of water, but the water in the San Marcos River is being depleted. The river is being drained and dammed, so less water is flowing through it, which means that the rice can't survive. Efforts being made to reduce water usage are futile, too, since the local population is growing. There have been some droughts as well, thereby further reducing the water level.
Another problem concerns the nutria, which is, uh, basically a large water rat. It chews rice stalks and often digs up the plants by their roots and eats them, which kills the plants. Efforts to hunt the nutria aren't effective since it breeds so quickly. Females, you see, can give birth to three litters a year. And pesticides have limited effects since most aren't effective against the nutria.
Human actions, such as polluting the San Marcos River and irresponsible boating, are further killing the rice plants. Pollution can't be controlled easily because chemical fertilizer runoff from farms beside the river is the primary cause. And most boaters don't even know the plant is endangered, so they don't avoid it. Plus, they normally can't see it because the rice stalks barely stick out of the water; therefore, boaters wind up hitting it while moving through the water. If you ask me, I'd say that Texas wild rice is doomed to extinction in the near future.