课时作业12 Earth first+写作专练（二）-（课时作业）【红对勾讲与练】2024版新高考英语大一轮复习全新方案（外研版）

必修第二册　 3 课时作业 12　 Earth first Ⅰ. 阅读理解 " (2022·广东广州高三期中) British birdwatchers are used to bad news. House sparrow numbers have fallen from an estimated 30 m to 10 m since 1966. Curlews (杓 鹬) have become a rare sight, their numbers sharply declining by 50% in 15 years. Cuckoos (布谷鸟), once-frequent visitors from Africa, have decreased by 63% in the south-east in the past two decades. Earlier springs that confuse migrant birds, more efficient farming and the transformation of ruined buildings ( good for nesting) into modern homes have all contributed to these woes. But data released by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), a research charity, suggest some are rising. Tracking bird populations by means of regular surveys, the figures give the clearest picture of 49 species across Britain. Blackcaps (黑顶林莺), small woodland birds native to Germany and eastern Europe, are unwilling to return after their summer short visits: Since 1967 numbers have increased by 177%. The little egret (小白鹭), a white heron- like bird, arrived from continental Europe in 1989 and now numbers over 5,000. Wood pigeons(斑 尾鸽), once found shyly singing in forests, have bravely moved into cities and suburbs. Environmental and agricultural changes have helped as well as confused birds. Modern farming techniques allow grain to be planted in the autumn rather than the spring; that helps wood pigeons feed in winter. Warmer winters mean rivers and ponds are less likely to freeze, providing the little egrets with food. James Pearce-Higgins of the BTO says that blackcaps