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  3. At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns brigh

At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns brigh

游客2024-03-11  29
问题    At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns bright red, surrounded by the remains of animals that were unfortunate enough to fall into the salty water. Bats, swallows and more are chemically preserved in the pose in which they perished, sealed in the deposits of sodium carbonate in the water. The lake’s landscape is bizarre and deadly—and made even more so by the fact that it’s the place where nearly 75 percent of the world’s flamingos(火烈鸟)are born.
   The water is so corrosive that it can burn the skin and eyes of unadapted animals. Flamingos, however, are the only species that actually makes life in the midst of all that death. Once every three or four years, when conditions are right, the lake is covered with the pink birds as they stop flight to breed. Three-quarters of the world’s flamingos fly over from other salt lakes in the Rift Valley and nest on salt-crystal islands that appear when the water is at a specific level—too high and the birds can’t build their nests, too low and predators can move briskly across the lake bed and attack. When the water hits the right level, the baby birds are kept safe from predators by a corrosive ditch.
   "Flamingos have evolved very leathery skin on their legs so they can tolerate the salt water," says David Harper, a professor at the University of Leicester. "Humans cannot, and would die if their legs were exposed for any length of time. " So far this year, water levels have been too high for the flamingos to nest.
   Some fish, too, have had limited success vacationing at the lake as less salty lagoons(泻湖)form on the outer edges from hot springs flowing into Lake Natron. Three species of tilapia(罗非鱼)thrive there part-time. " Fish have a refuge in the streams and can expand into the lagoons when the lake is low and the lagoons are separate," Harper said. "All the lagoons join when the lake is high and fish must retreat to their stream refuges or die. " Otherwise, no fish are able to survive in the naturally toxic lake.
   This unique ecosystem may soon be under pressure. The Tanzanian government has once again started mining the lake for soda ash, used for making chemicals, glass and detergents. Although the planned operation will be located more than 40 miles away,drawing the soda ash in through pipelines, conservationists worry it could still upset the natural water cycle and breeding grounds. For now, though, life prevails—even in a lake that kills almost everything it touches. [br] Flamingos nest only when the lake water is at a specific level so that their babies can______.
选项 A、find safe shelter more easily
B、grow thick feathers on their feet
C、stay away from predators
D、get accustomed to the salty water
答案 C
解析 事实细节题。定位句指出，世界上四分之三的火烈鸟从东非大裂谷的其他盐湖飞过来，在湖水达到特定水位时才出现的盐晶岛上筑巢——如果水位过高，火烈鸟就不能筑巢，如果水位过低，捕食者就会轻快地穿过湖床进行攻击。只有当湖水达到合适的水位时，一条腐蚀性的水沟才能保护幼鸟不被捕食者伤害。由此可知，火烈鸟只有在湖水达到特定水位时才筑巢，这样它们的幼鸟可以避开捕食者，故答案为C)。
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