Question

The world’s largest reef (礁), the Great Barrier Reef, has lost more than half of its coral (珊瑚) cover in the past 30 years because of global (全球) warming. The beauty of the Australian coast has been left lifeless.

Scientists have been trying to find ways to save it, and now they may have found a special helping hand---volcanoes(火山).

During a volcano eruption(火山噴發(fā))，wherever hot lava(巖漿) goes, villages and plants are burned right down to the ground. How could it possible save life on Earth?

When the lava goes into the ocean, it quickly cools down and becomes light rocks that can float in the water. For example, in 2006, shortly after the eruption of a volcano near Tanga, a southwest Pacific island, scientists found many large rocks floating on the ocean. These rocks traveled a long way from the island to Australia over the next eight months.

But they didn’t just float during this time—they acted like little lifeboat. Scientists found that the rocks “picked up” more than 80 kinds of corals, crabs and other life animals on their way, before arriving at the Great Barrier Reef.

Once near the reef, these animal “passengers” can easily jump onto the rocks and go to their new home. “It’s like a boat of people landing on an island,” Judith Winston, a biologist at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, US, told Scientific American.

Since volcanoes have been on Earth for all of history, scientists say these “Lifeboats” might have even helped form the Great Barrier Reef in the first place.

1.What problem does the Great Barrier Reef face?

A. There is less and less coral cover because of global warming.

B. It lies in an area with volcanoes happening now and then.

C. There are no living things on the Great Barrier Reef

D. The Great Barrier Reef is getting smaller and smaller.

2.Which is the right order of the following event, according to the passage?

(1) Lots of little animals climb onto the rocks.

(2) Many huge light rocks are floating on the ocean.

(3) Lava goes into the ocean after the eruption of a volcano.

(4) Animals move to their new home through the rocks.

A. (4) -- (3) -- (1)-- (2) B. (2)-- (1)-- (4)-- (3)

C. (3 )-- (1)-- (2)-- (4) D. (3)-- (2)-- (1)-- (4)

3.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. The beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is going away.

B. Volcanoes can help the Great Barrier Reef become lively again.

C. Global warming has a bad influence on the Great Barrier Reef.

D. Save volcanoes, save the Great Barrier Reef

Answer 1