Overfishing of one of the ocean’ s top predators has triggered a lethal chain reaction that threatens to decimate populations of bay scallops, oysters, and clams, warns a new study, e Plunging populations of11 large shark species have caused a spike in the numbers of their prey, including smaller sharks, rays and skates．These creatures in turn are wiping out other marine organisms and may be destroying sea grass habitat, which serves as a nursery for many species．
Sharks have had a rough few decades．Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasin exploitation, and the creatures are often accidentally captured by swordfish and tuna fishers, As man as 73 million sharks are killed annually, and past studies have indicated many populations have been ct by half．Nonetheless, scientists have had difficulty gauging the decline in several shark species over the years because of a lack of data．The effect of this decline on ocean ecosystems has also proven hard t measure．
To get a better grip on the problem’, marine biologist Julia Baum of Dalhousie University in Halifax Canada, and colleagues trawled 35 years of marine surveys and fisheries data to document declines i large sharks off the eastern seaboard of the U．S．The numbers, reported today in Science, are stark The blacktip shark population has plummeted 93% since 1972, with similar declines for tiger, bull, an smooth hammerhead sharks．
Simultaneously, the abundance of 12 of the 14 species that these sharks prey on--including the litt] skate, the chain catshark, and the cownose ray--increased dramatically．The latter has seen its numbers swell ten-fold．The jump in ray numbers is especially troubling, notes co-author and marine biologist Charles Peterson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, because the fish shred the sea grass that houses crabs and clams．In fact, he notes, by 2004 ray predation had shut down Nort Carolina’s century-old bay scallop fishery．
The 11 other shark prey species whose populations rose over the 35-year period could be havin similar impacts to that of the cownose ray, says Baum．
The result is profound because the high diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic has bee thought to minimize catastrophic changes in the food web, says marine scientist Kenneth Frank of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Canada．Sharks are only part of the puzzle, however Frank warns．People’s appetites for oysters, clams, and scallops are likely having a more direct impact on these populations, he says．[414 words]
1．The overfishing of sharks may result in______
A．the abundance of sea grass habitat
B．the ruin of nursery for many marine species
C．the obvious increase of most marine species
D．the huge decline of the populations of their prey
2．What contributes most to the overfishing of sharks is______
A．the sharks accidentally captured by tuna fishers
B．the rough few decades that sharks have suffered
C．the ever-increasing demand for their fins and meat
D．the millions of sharks killed deliberately each year
3．Julia Baum studied marine surveys and fisheries data in order to______
A．prove the fact that shark populations have fallen sharply
B．cast light on the effect of shark decline on ocean ecosystrems
C．document the shark species which have declined most rapidly
D．understand the subtle relationship between predators and prey
4．The rapid increase of the cownose ray results from______
A．the ten-fold increase of its numbers in a short time
B．the abundance of the 12 species that sharks prey on
C．the tremendous decline of the number of its predators
D．the decline of sharks off the eastern seaboard of America
5．The populations of bay scallops, oysters, and clams are threatened directly by______.examda.
A．the high diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic
B．the catastrophic changes in the food web in the Atlantic
C．the lethal reaction triggered by the overfishing of sharks
D．the strong desire of many people for them as their delicious food
難句透析
①Overfishing of one of the ocean’S top predators has triggered a lethal chain reaction Ethat threatens to decimate populations of bay scallops，oysters，and clams]，warns a new study．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】“warns a new study”是本句的主句?！癘veffishing of…clams”是“warns”的賓語從句；其中的主語是“0ver fishin9”，謂語動詞是“has triggered”。方括號所標(biāo)示的“that threatens…clams”是“reaction”的后置定語從句。
【釋義】一項新的研究成果警告說，對于一種海洋食肉動物的過量捕撈已經(jīng)引起了一串致命的連鎖反應(yīng)，可能將把絕大部分海灣扇貝、牡蠣、蛤蜊滅掉。
②”Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasing exploitation，and”the creatures are often accidentally captured by swordfish and tuna fishers．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句是由逗號和“and”連接的兩個分句組成的并列句。
【釋義】對鯊魚鰭和鯊魚肉的需求導(dǎo)致對鯊魚的捕撈日益增多；捕撈劍魚和金槍魚的漁民也常常偶然捕獲鯊魚。
③[To get a better grip on the problem]，marine biologist Julia Baum of Dalhousie University in Halifax，Canada， and colleagues trawled 35 years of marine surveys and fisheries data[to document declines in large sharks off the eastern seaboard of the U．S．]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句的主語是“marine biologist”，謂語動詞是“trawled”。方括號所標(biāo)示的兩個動詞不定式短語“To get…problem”和“to document…the U．S．”都是目的狀語。
【釋義】朱莉·鮑姆是位于加拿大哈利法克斯的達爾豪西大學(xué)的海洋生物學(xué)家。為了更透徹地了解此問題，朱莉·鮑姆和同事們研究了35年的海洋普查資料和漁業(yè)資料，以證明美國東海岸外海區(qū)的大型鯊魚數(shù)量的減少。
④Simultaneously，the abundance of l2 0f the l4 species[that these sharks prey on]--including the little skate，the chain catshark，and the cownose ray increased dramatically．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句的主語是“the abundance”，謂語動詞是“increased”。方括號所標(biāo)示的“that these sharks prey on”是“species”的后置定語從句。破折號之間的部分是對“species”的補充說明。
【釋義】與此同時，這些鯊魚捕食的14種海洋生物中，有12種數(shù)量急劇增長。其中包括小鰩魚、網(wǎng)紋貓鯊和牛鼻鲅魚等。
⑤“The result is profound”because the hiigh diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic has been thought to mini— mize catastrophic changes in the food web3，says marine scientist Kenneth Frank of the Bedford Institute of Ocea nography in Dartmouth，Canada．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】方括號所標(biāo)示的“because the high diversity…h(huán)as been thought tO minimize…web”是原因狀語從句；其中的主語是“the high diversity”，謂語動詞是“has been thought”。
【釋義】肯尼斯·弗蘭克是加拿大達特茅斯的貝德福德海洋學(xué)研究所的海洋科學(xué)家。他說，“其結(jié)果影響深遠”，因為人們一直認(rèn)為西北大西洋魚類品種的高度多樣化能限度地降低食物網(wǎng)的災(zāi)難性變化。
答案注釋
1．根據(jù)第一段最后一句中的“These creatures…may be destroying sea grass habitat，which serves as a nursery for many species”可知，選項B應(yīng)為答案。
2．根據(jù)第二段第二句“Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasing exploitation，…”可知，選項C應(yīng)為 答案。
3．根據(jù)第二段最后一句“The effect of this decline on ocean ecosystems has also proven hard tO measure”，以及第三段第一句“To get a better grip on the problem，marine biologist Julia Baum…trawled 35 years of marine sur— veys and fisheries data…”可知，選項B應(yīng)為答案。
4．根據(jù)第一段第二句“Plunging populations of ll large shark species have caused a spike in the numbers of their prey，includin9…rays…”，以及第四段第一句“…the abundance of…species that these sharks prey on— includin9…the cownose ray--increased dramatically”可知，選項C應(yīng)為答案。
5．根據(jù)本文最后一句“People’S appetites for oysters，clams，and scallops are likely having a more direct impact on these populations，he says”可知，選項D應(yīng)為答案。
全文翻譯
一項新的研究成果警告說，對于一種海洋食肉動物的過量捕撈已經(jīng)引起了一串致命的連鎖反應(yīng)，可能將把絕大部分海灣扇貝、牡蠣、蛤蜊滅掉。11種大型鯊魚物種數(shù)量的減少會導(dǎo)致其食物，比如體積較小的鯊魚、缸和鰩數(shù)量急速增加。而這些生物又可能會導(dǎo)致其他海洋生物滅絕，破壞海草生長環(huán)境，海草歷來是眾多海洋物種的滋生地。
過去的幾十年是鯊魚生存的艱難時期。對鯊魚鰭和鯊魚肉的需求導(dǎo)致對鯊魚的捕撈日益增多；捕撈劍魚和金槍魚的漁民也常常偶然捕獲鯊魚。每年多達7300萬頭鯊魚被捕殺，過去的研究表明許多鯊魚數(shù)量減半。盡管如此，由于數(shù)據(jù)缺乏，過去多年科學(xué)家無法對幾種鯊魚的減少作出準(zhǔn)確測算。鯊魚種類減少對海洋生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的影響也很難估量。
朱莉。鮑姆是位于加拿大哈利法克斯的達爾豪西大學(xué)的海洋生物學(xué)家。為了更透徹地了解此問題，朱莉。鮑姆和同事們研究了35年的海洋普查資料和漁業(yè)資料，以證明美國東海岸外海區(qū)的大型鯊魚數(shù)量的減少?？茖W(xué)雜志今日報道中的數(shù)據(jù)顯示：黑鰭鯊、老虎、公牛和錘頭鯊自1972年后數(shù)量驟減93％。
與此同時，這些鯊魚捕食的14種海洋生物中，有12種數(shù)量急劇增長。其中包括小鰩魚、網(wǎng)紋貓鯊和牛鼻鲅魚等……增長數(shù)量急劇膨脹10倍之多。合著者——北卡羅來納大學(xué)教堂山分校海洋生物學(xué)家查里。彼特森指出，觚數(shù)量的急速增長十分棘手，因為它們會把螃蟹和蛤棲身的海菜撕碎。他還指出，事實上，2004年以來舡的大量捕食已經(jīng)導(dǎo)致北加利福尼亞長達百年的海灣扇貝產(chǎn)業(yè)倒閉。
鮑姆表示，其他11種鯊魚食物物種在過去的35年間的大量增長，會產(chǎn)生與東部鰈鮫舡相似的影響。
肯尼斯。弗蘭克是加拿大達特茅斯的貝德福德海洋學(xué)研究所的海洋科學(xué)家。他說，“其結(jié)果影響深遠”，因為人們一直認(rèn)為西北大西洋魚類品種的高度多樣化能限度地降低食物網(wǎng)的災(zāi)難性變化。然而，弗蘭克警告說，鯊魚只是難題的一部分。人們對牡蠣、蛤和扇貝的需求將會對其數(shù)量產(chǎn)生更加直接的影響。
超綱詞匯
Predator n．捕食者，食肉動物
Decimate vt．每十人殺一人，大批殺害
scallop n．扇貝，干貝
Oyster n．[動]牡蠣，蠔
clam n．蛤
Plunge vt．使投入，使插入，使陷入
shark n．鯊魚
Spike n．峰值
Ray n．鲅魚，鰩魚
Skate n．[動]鰩
Marine adj．海的，海產(chǎn)的
fin n．鰭
Exploitation n．開采，開發(fā)
swordfish n．旗魚，劍魚
Tuna n．金槍魚
Gauge vt．估量，評價，判斷
trawl vt．水下觀測
Stark adj．硬的，完全的，十分明顯的
plummet vi．驟然跌落，垂直落下
bull n．公牛，公象，公鯨等
Hammerhead adj．錘頭狀的
shred v．撕碎，切碎
Crab n．螃蟹
Predation n．捕食作用
Catastrophic adj．悲慘的，災(zāi)難的
參考答案：1．B 2．C 3．B 4．C 5．D
Sharks have had a rough few decades．Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasin exploitation, and the creatures are often accidentally captured by swordfish and tuna fishers, As man as 73 million sharks are killed annually, and past studies have indicated many populations have been ct by half．Nonetheless, scientists have had difficulty gauging the decline in several shark species over the years because of a lack of data．The effect of this decline on ocean ecosystems has also proven hard t measure．
To get a better grip on the problem’, marine biologist Julia Baum of Dalhousie University in Halifax Canada, and colleagues trawled 35 years of marine surveys and fisheries data to document declines i large sharks off the eastern seaboard of the U．S．The numbers, reported today in Science, are stark The blacktip shark population has plummeted 93% since 1972, with similar declines for tiger, bull, an smooth hammerhead sharks．
Simultaneously, the abundance of 12 of the 14 species that these sharks prey on--including the litt] skate, the chain catshark, and the cownose ray--increased dramatically．The latter has seen its numbers swell ten-fold．The jump in ray numbers is especially troubling, notes co-author and marine biologist Charles Peterson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, because the fish shred the sea grass that houses crabs and clams．In fact, he notes, by 2004 ray predation had shut down Nort Carolina’s century-old bay scallop fishery．
The 11 other shark prey species whose populations rose over the 35-year period could be havin similar impacts to that of the cownose ray, says Baum．
The result is profound because the high diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic has bee thought to minimize catastrophic changes in the food web, says marine scientist Kenneth Frank of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Canada．Sharks are only part of the puzzle, however Frank warns．People’s appetites for oysters, clams, and scallops are likely having a more direct impact on these populations, he says．[414 words]
1．The overfishing of sharks may result in______
A．the abundance of sea grass habitat
B．the ruin of nursery for many marine species
C．the obvious increase of most marine species
D．the huge decline of the populations of their prey
2．What contributes most to the overfishing of sharks is______
A．the sharks accidentally captured by tuna fishers
B．the rough few decades that sharks have suffered
C．the ever-increasing demand for their fins and meat
D．the millions of sharks killed deliberately each year
3．Julia Baum studied marine surveys and fisheries data in order to______
A．prove the fact that shark populations have fallen sharply
B．cast light on the effect of shark decline on ocean ecosystrems
C．document the shark species which have declined most rapidly
D．understand the subtle relationship between predators and prey
4．The rapid increase of the cownose ray results from______
A．the ten-fold increase of its numbers in a short time
B．the abundance of the 12 species that sharks prey on
C．the tremendous decline of the number of its predators
D．the decline of sharks off the eastern seaboard of America
5．The populations of bay scallops, oysters, and clams are threatened directly by______.examda.
A．the high diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic
B．the catastrophic changes in the food web in the Atlantic
C．the lethal reaction triggered by the overfishing of sharks
D．the strong desire of many people for them as their delicious food
難句透析
①Overfishing of one of the ocean’S top predators has triggered a lethal chain reaction Ethat threatens to decimate populations of bay scallops，oysters，and clams]，warns a new study．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】“warns a new study”是本句的主句?！癘veffishing of…clams”是“warns”的賓語從句；其中的主語是“0ver fishin9”，謂語動詞是“has triggered”。方括號所標(biāo)示的“that threatens…clams”是“reaction”的后置定語從句。
【釋義】一項新的研究成果警告說，對于一種海洋食肉動物的過量捕撈已經(jīng)引起了一串致命的連鎖反應(yīng)，可能將把絕大部分海灣扇貝、牡蠣、蛤蜊滅掉。
②”Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasing exploitation，and”the creatures are often accidentally captured by swordfish and tuna fishers．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句是由逗號和“and”連接的兩個分句組成的并列句。
【釋義】對鯊魚鰭和鯊魚肉的需求導(dǎo)致對鯊魚的捕撈日益增多；捕撈劍魚和金槍魚的漁民也常常偶然捕獲鯊魚。
③[To get a better grip on the problem]，marine biologist Julia Baum of Dalhousie University in Halifax，Canada， and colleagues trawled 35 years of marine surveys and fisheries data[to document declines in large sharks off the eastern seaboard of the U．S．]．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句的主語是“marine biologist”，謂語動詞是“trawled”。方括號所標(biāo)示的兩個動詞不定式短語“To get…problem”和“to document…the U．S．”都是目的狀語。
【釋義】朱莉·鮑姆是位于加拿大哈利法克斯的達爾豪西大學(xué)的海洋生物學(xué)家。為了更透徹地了解此問題，朱莉·鮑姆和同事們研究了35年的海洋普查資料和漁業(yè)資料，以證明美國東海岸外海區(qū)的大型鯊魚數(shù)量的減少。
④Simultaneously，the abundance of l2 0f the l4 species[that these sharks prey on]--including the little skate，the chain catshark，and the cownose ray increased dramatically．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】本句的主語是“the abundance”，謂語動詞是“increased”。方括號所標(biāo)示的“that these sharks prey on”是“species”的后置定語從句。破折號之間的部分是對“species”的補充說明。
【釋義】與此同時，這些鯊魚捕食的14種海洋生物中，有12種數(shù)量急劇增長。其中包括小鰩魚、網(wǎng)紋貓鯊和牛鼻鲅魚等。
⑤“The result is profound”because the hiigh diversity of fishes in the northwest Atlantic has been thought to mini— mize catastrophic changes in the food web3，says marine scientist Kenneth Frank of the Bedford Institute of Ocea nography in Dartmouth，Canada．
【結(jié)構(gòu)】方括號所標(biāo)示的“because the high diversity…h(huán)as been thought tO minimize…web”是原因狀語從句；其中的主語是“the high diversity”，謂語動詞是“has been thought”。
【釋義】肯尼斯·弗蘭克是加拿大達特茅斯的貝德福德海洋學(xué)研究所的海洋科學(xué)家。他說，“其結(jié)果影響深遠”，因為人們一直認(rèn)為西北大西洋魚類品種的高度多樣化能限度地降低食物網(wǎng)的災(zāi)難性變化。
答案注釋
1．根據(jù)第一段最后一句中的“These creatures…may be destroying sea grass habitat，which serves as a nursery for many species”可知，選項B應(yīng)為答案。
2．根據(jù)第二段第二句“Demand for their fins and meat has resulted in increasing exploitation，…”可知，選項C應(yīng)為 答案。
3．根據(jù)第二段最后一句“The effect of this decline on ocean ecosystems has also proven hard tO measure”，以及第三段第一句“To get a better grip on the problem，marine biologist Julia Baum…trawled 35 years of marine sur— veys and fisheries data…”可知，選項B應(yīng)為答案。
4．根據(jù)第一段第二句“Plunging populations of ll large shark species have caused a spike in the numbers of their prey，includin9…rays…”，以及第四段第一句“…the abundance of…species that these sharks prey on— includin9…the cownose ray--increased dramatically”可知，選項C應(yīng)為答案。
5．根據(jù)本文最后一句“People’S appetites for oysters，clams，and scallops are likely having a more direct impact on these populations，he says”可知，選項D應(yīng)為答案。
全文翻譯
一項新的研究成果警告說，對于一種海洋食肉動物的過量捕撈已經(jīng)引起了一串致命的連鎖反應(yīng)，可能將把絕大部分海灣扇貝、牡蠣、蛤蜊滅掉。11種大型鯊魚物種數(shù)量的減少會導(dǎo)致其食物，比如體積較小的鯊魚、缸和鰩數(shù)量急速增加。而這些生物又可能會導(dǎo)致其他海洋生物滅絕，破壞海草生長環(huán)境，海草歷來是眾多海洋物種的滋生地。
過去的幾十年是鯊魚生存的艱難時期。對鯊魚鰭和鯊魚肉的需求導(dǎo)致對鯊魚的捕撈日益增多；捕撈劍魚和金槍魚的漁民也常常偶然捕獲鯊魚。每年多達7300萬頭鯊魚被捕殺，過去的研究表明許多鯊魚數(shù)量減半。盡管如此，由于數(shù)據(jù)缺乏，過去多年科學(xué)家無法對幾種鯊魚的減少作出準(zhǔn)確測算。鯊魚種類減少對海洋生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的影響也很難估量。
朱莉。鮑姆是位于加拿大哈利法克斯的達爾豪西大學(xué)的海洋生物學(xué)家。為了更透徹地了解此問題，朱莉。鮑姆和同事們研究了35年的海洋普查資料和漁業(yè)資料，以證明美國東海岸外海區(qū)的大型鯊魚數(shù)量的減少?？茖W(xué)雜志今日報道中的數(shù)據(jù)顯示：黑鰭鯊、老虎、公牛和錘頭鯊自1972年后數(shù)量驟減93％。
與此同時，這些鯊魚捕食的14種海洋生物中，有12種數(shù)量急劇增長。其中包括小鰩魚、網(wǎng)紋貓鯊和牛鼻鲅魚等……增長數(shù)量急劇膨脹10倍之多。合著者——北卡羅來納大學(xué)教堂山分校海洋生物學(xué)家查里。彼特森指出，觚數(shù)量的急速增長十分棘手，因為它們會把螃蟹和蛤棲身的海菜撕碎。他還指出，事實上，2004年以來舡的大量捕食已經(jīng)導(dǎo)致北加利福尼亞長達百年的海灣扇貝產(chǎn)業(yè)倒閉。
鮑姆表示，其他11種鯊魚食物物種在過去的35年間的大量增長，會產(chǎn)生與東部鰈鮫舡相似的影響。
肯尼斯。弗蘭克是加拿大達特茅斯的貝德福德海洋學(xué)研究所的海洋科學(xué)家。他說，“其結(jié)果影響深遠”，因為人們一直認(rèn)為西北大西洋魚類品種的高度多樣化能限度地降低食物網(wǎng)的災(zāi)難性變化。然而，弗蘭克警告說，鯊魚只是難題的一部分。人們對牡蠣、蛤和扇貝的需求將會對其數(shù)量產(chǎn)生更加直接的影響。
超綱詞匯
Predator n．捕食者，食肉動物
Decimate vt．每十人殺一人，大批殺害
scallop n．扇貝，干貝
Oyster n．[動]牡蠣，蠔
clam n．蛤
Plunge vt．使投入，使插入，使陷入
shark n．鯊魚
Spike n．峰值
Ray n．鲅魚，鰩魚
Skate n．[動]鰩
Marine adj．海的，海產(chǎn)的
fin n．鰭
Exploitation n．開采，開發(fā)
swordfish n．旗魚，劍魚
Tuna n．金槍魚
Gauge vt．估量，評價，判斷
trawl vt．水下觀測
Stark adj．硬的，完全的，十分明顯的
plummet vi．驟然跌落，垂直落下
bull n．公牛，公象，公鯨等
Hammerhead adj．錘頭狀的
shred v．撕碎，切碎
Crab n．螃蟹
Predation n．捕食作用
Catastrophic adj．悲慘的，災(zāi)難的
參考答案：1．B 2．C 3．B 4．C 5．D