UNIT2 单元话题阅读二（Word练习）-【拓展阅读】2024-2025学年高中英语必修第二册（人教版2019）

[材料选自北师大(2019)新教材选择性必修第一册Unit 3] ◎ THE SIXTH EXTINCTION Extinctions, where entire species① are wiped② out, are not unusual③ in our Earth's history. In fact, over 90 percent of all species that ever lived are now extinct. In the last 500 million years, there have been five times when life on Earth has almost ended. These include the third mass④ extinction, known as the “Great Dying”， which killed 90% to 96% of all species. And the fifth event, which occurred 66 million years ago, caused the death of the dinosaurs. The reasons for extinctions are varied⑤. According to scientists, they include volcanic eruptions, asteroids⑥ hitting the Earth from space, changes in sea levels, the decrease⑦ of the oxygen content of the sea and global warming. Many scientists say we are now entering the Earth's sixth mass extinction. This time, human activity will be to blame⑧. Although it is not unusual for species to die out⑨ naturally, the rate at which this is now happening is cause for concern. A 2015 study by scientists who were based at Brown University and Duke University in the US, looked at how quickly species die out due to natural causes, that is, the “background extinction rate”. [1]They found that human activity is causing species to die out 1，000 times faster than normal. There is a long list of reasons why so many species are dying out: air and water pollution, forests being destroyed, factory farming and overfishing. It is clear that human activity has negatively affected⑩ all other species on Earth, including animals and plants. [1]本句是一个主从复合句。句中that引导宾语从句；1，000 times faster是倍数的表示方法。 If a sixth mass extinction occurs, scientists who have studied the issue believe that up to⑪ three quarters of all species on Earth could die out. Of course, as we humans depend on⑫ so many species for our survival, we would also be at risk⑬ of dying out. Our world and our lives depend on the balance in nature between animals and plants. [2]Without forests, we would have no air to breathe, and without clean water we would be unable to survive. [2]本句是一个并列句。由and连接两个并列分句，其中without与no构成双重否定。 Can a sixth extinction be avoided? Experts say that it is not yet too late, if we take action⑭ now. [3]This would mean we have to significantly change the way we live. For example, we need to take steps⑮ to save endangered⑯ species, including setting up special areas where plants and animals can be protected. We need to change how we work and travel by using cleaner, more natural sources of energy, such as wind and solar⑰ energy. We also need to improve our farming methods to reduce water, air and land pollution. In short⑱， if we want to survive, we need to stop destroying the planet that we live on and start to protect it. [3]本句是一个主从复合句。mean后面跟宾语从句；we live为定语从句，修饰先行词the way。 ◎ ①species ['spiːʃiːz] n. 物种，种 ②wipe [waɪp] vt. 擦；拭 wipe out彻底毁灭 ③unusual [ʌn'juːʒuəl] adj. 异常的；不平常的 ④mass [mæs] adj. 大量的 ⑤varied ['veərid] adj. 各种各样的，形形色色的 ⑥asteroid ['æstərɔɪd] n.小行星 ⑦decrease [dɪ'kriːs] vi.& vt. 减少n.减少的量； 减少 ⑧blame [bleɪm] vt. 责怪，指责 be to blame (对某事)负有责任 ⑨die out 消失；绝迹，灭绝 ⑩affect [ə'fekt] vt. 影响 ⑪up to 多达 ⑫depend on 依赖，依靠 ⑬be at risk 处境危险，受到威胁 ⑭take action 采取行动 ⑮take steps 采取措施 ⑯endangered [ɪn'deɪndʒəd] adj. 濒危的 ⑰solar ['səʊlə] adj. 太阳光(能)的 ⑱in short 总之 ◎ 第六次灭绝 物种灭绝，即某个物种的完全消失，在地球的历史上并不罕见。事实上，曾经存在的物种中90%以上现在都已经灭绝。在过去的五亿年中，地球上出现过五次生物几乎全部灭绝的情况。这其中包括称为“大灭绝”的第三次灭绝，那期间 90%至 96%的物种灭亡了。6 600 万年前发生的第五次灭绝导致了恐龙的灭亡。关于灭绝的原因各不相同。科学家认为原因包括火山爆发、小行星从太空撞击地球、海平面变化、海洋含氧量下降和全球变暖。许多科学家认为地球的第六次大灭绝即将来临。这一次，人类活动是主要原因。 虽然物种的自然灭绝并不罕见，但现在灭绝的速度让人担忧。2015年在美国布朗大学和杜克大学的科学家进行的一项研究，调查了物种自然状态下灭亡的速度，即“背景灭绝率”。他们发现人类活动导致物种灭亡的速度比正常情况快1 000倍。这么多物种正在消亡的原因有很多：空气和水污染、森林被毁、工厂化畜牧和过度捕捞。显然，人类活动对地球上所有其他物种产生了负面影响，包括动物和植物。 研究该问题的科学家们相信，如果发生第六次灭绝，地球上多达四分之三的物种有可能灭绝。当然，由于人类的生存依赖很多种物种，我们也有可能濒临灭绝。我们的世界和我们的生命依赖于动植物之间的自然平衡。没有森林，我们就不能呼吸空气；没有干净的水，我们将无法生存。 第六次灭绝可以避免吗？专家说，如果我们现在采取行动还为时不晚。这意味着我们必须极大地改变我们的生活方式。例如，采取措施拯救濒临灭绝的物种，包括建立动植物的特殊保护区。通过使用更清洁、更自然的能源，例如风能和太阳能来改变我们的工作和出行方式。我们还需要改进耕作方式，减少水、空气和土地污染。简而言之，如果我们想要生存，就需要停止破坏我们生活的星球并开始保护它。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$