2014届高考英语一轮复习 话题阅读素材67.doc

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1、2014届高考英语一轮复习话题阅读素材67　　ExxonValdezOilSpill　　TheExxonValdezdepartedfromtheTransAlaskaPipelineterminalat9:12pmMarch23,1989.AfterpassingthroughValdezNarrows,pilotMurphyleftthevesselandCaptainHazelwoodradioedtheCoastGuardtoreporttheExxonValdezhad"fetcheduphardaground"andwas"evidentlyleaking

2、someoil."Thatscratchy,understatedmessagesetthesceneforoneoftheworsthuman-causedenvironmentaldisastersinhistory.Overthenextspringandsummer,thenewsinAlaskaandaroundtheworldwasdominatedbyimagesandstoriesfromPrinceWilliamSoundandtheGulfofAlaska--thousandsofdeadanddyingbirdsandseamammals,ang

3、ryfishermen,armiesofrockwipersimprobablycleaningbeacheswithrags.　　BirdsandottershaveproventhemselveshighlyvulnerabletotheoildriftingaroundtheSound.Ottersaretheonlymarinemammallackingaprotectivelayerofblubberbeneaththeirhide.Theydependtotallyontheirdensefurforwarmthandfloatation.Whenthat

4、furgetsdirty,theotterdies.TheseanimalsaresosensitivetocontaminationthatearlyeffortstotransplantthemfromAlaskatootherpartsoftheWestCoastfailed.Theotters,theirfurdirtiedbyhandling,diedincaptivity.Giventhisproblem,scientistssawlittlehopeofsavingtheotters.Therewere4,000to6,000oftheseanimals

5、intheSound.Nooneknowshowmanyhadcomeincontactwiththeoil.　　Seabirdswerenotinmuchbettershapethanotters.Oilmattedthefeathersofbirds,andthatledtodeathinanumberofways.Mattedfeathersceasetoinsulateandbirdsdieofhypothermia.Oilcoatedfeathersmakeitimpossibleforthebirdstoflytosafeareas.Birdsexhaus

6、tthemselvestryingtostayafloatafteroildestroysthewaterrepellencyoftheirfeathers.Rescuerswerehavingadifficulttimegettingtothebirdstocatchthemonrockybeaches.Inordertorehabilitateonebirdsuccessfully,rescuersneeded150gallonsofwaterat104degrees.Theobstaclesstandinginthewayofthejobwereintimida

7、ting.　　Animalslivinginthenearbyforestsandroamontothetidelandsinsearchoffood.Mink,landottersandbearscouldbeharmed.Therearesimilarfearsforbaldeagles,anotherscavenger.Theeagleshavealreadybegunpreyingupontheseabirdskilledorinjuredbyoil.　　Scientistsknewthatthe11milliongallonsofoilth