Over the last 150 years, large
stretches of salmon habitat have
been eliminated by human activity:
Line mining, livestock grazing, timber
(5) harvesting, and agriculture as well
as recreational and urban devel-
opment. The numerical effect is
obvious: there are fewer salmon
in degraded regions than in pris-
(10) tine ones; however, habitat loss
also has the potential to reduce
genetic diversity. This is most
evident in cases where it results
in the extinction of entire salmon
(15) populations. Indeed, most
analysts believe that some kind
of environmental degradation
underlies the demise of many
extinct salmon populations.
(20) Although some rivers have
been recolonized, the unique
genes of the original populations
have been lost.
Large-scale disturbances in
(25) one locale also have the potential
to alter the genetic structure of
populations in neighboring areas,
even if those areas have pristine
habitats. Why? Although the
(30) homing instinct of salmon to their
natal stream is strong, a fraction
of the fish returning from the sea
(rarely more than 15 percent)
stray and spawn in nearby
(35) streams. Low levels of straying
are crucial, since the process
provides a source of novel
genes and a mechanism
by which a location can be
(40) repopulated should the fish
there disappear. Yet high rates
of straying can be problematic
because misdirected fish may
interbreed with the existing stock
(45) to such a degree that any local
adaptations that are present
become diluted. Straying
rates remain relatively low when
environmental conditions are
(50) stable, but can increase dramati-
cally when streams suffer severe
disturbance. The 1980 volcanic
eruption of Mount Saint Helens,
for example, sent mud and debris
(55) into several tributaries of the
Columbia River. For the next
couple of years, steelhead trout
(a species included among the
salmonids) returning from the
(60) sea to spawn were forced to
find alternative streams. As
a consequence, their rates of
straying, initially 16 percent,
rose to more than 40 percent
(65) overall.
Although no one has quantified
changes in the rate of straying
as a result of the disturbances
caused by humans, there is no
(70) reason to suspect that the effect
would be qualitatively different
than what was seen in the
aftermath of the Mount Saint
Helens eruption. Such a dra-
(75) matic increase in straying from
damaged areas to more pristine
streams results in substantial
gene flow, which can in turn lower
the overall fitness of subsequent
generations.
Q9:
The primary purpose of the passage is to
- argue against a conventional explanation for the extinction of certain salmon populations and suggest an alternative
- correct a common misunderstanding about the behavior of salmon in response to environmental degradation caused by human activity
- compare the effects of human activity on salmon populations with the effects of natural disturbances on salmon populations
- differentiate the particular effects of various human activities on salmon habitats
- describe how environmental degradation can cause changes in salmon populations that extend beyond a numerical reduction
Q12:
The author mentions the “aftermath of the Mount Saint Helens eruption” (lines 73-74) most likely in order to
A. provide an example of the process that allows the repopulation of rivers whose indigenous salmon population has become extinct
B. indicate the extent to which the disturbance of salmon habitat by human activity in one stream might affect the genetic structure of salmon populations elsewhere
C. provide a standard of comparison against which the impact of human activity on the gene flow among salmon populations should be measured
D. show how salmons’ homing instinct can be impaired as a result of severe environmental degradation of their natal streams
E. show why straying rates in salmon populations remain generally low except when spawning streams suffer severe environmental disturbance
再和大家探讨一下这两题:
Q9:虽然用排除法可以选出E,但是感觉有点牵强啊,全篇3段,有2段涉及人为破坏的影响,怎么能在主题题中只谈自然破坏的影响一边哩?E是不是有点以偏概全啊,另一个值得多看一眼的C虽然顾及了2边但是是不是compare用在这里不合适?原文只是在最后淡淡代过一句“ 类似”,而且还不是很确凿,所以排除。。。
Q12:这题就更争议啦。。。可以算GWD十大不解之谜了,前面的帖子也看了一些,只是我有个新想法让大家看看有没有道理。开始选的B,因为C长得太丑了,可是后来在B选项的最后发现了一个词elsewhere,再重读B选项,感觉是这样的:目的是指出人为造成的骚动在其他地方多大程度上影响了鲑鱼的基因结构。In order to的题目一定要和前后文及作者意图相联系,最后一段的意思主要是想对人为破坏和自然破坏造成的影响进行比较,MSH也是代表的自然破坏,但按B理解是将MSH和其他地区的破坏情况进行了比较,那么就有悖作者意图啦。。。
请指教。。。