首页
登录
职称英语
[originaltext] Winter is a pain in the animal kingdom. Birds can flee it by
[originaltext] Winter is a pain in the animal kingdom. Birds can flee it by
游客
2024-03-07
24
管理
问题
Winter is a pain in the animal kingdom. Birds can flee it by migrating to warmer regions but land beasts, including mammals, have no choice but to stick around. To cope with it, many species have learned to spend the winter in a long sleep. Some, like the Columbian ground squirrel, spend up to nine months of each year in their shelters. This conserves energy but leaves them with only three months to become well-rounded for the next winter and, crucially, to reproduce.
To make matters worse, climate change is leading them to emerge from winter sleep later than usual. Global warming means that creatures have longer ice-free periods to go about their evolutionary tasks. But it can also disturb weather patterns, which may have the opposite effect.
Because female squirrels remain in their place of birth, the researchers were able to tag and observe them and their offspring each year for the past two decades. A typical female would bear three babies. On average, only 30% of them survive the first winter, enough to sustain population numbers since female squirrels can expect three or four litters in their lifetime. If the proportion falls, however, the population reduces.
In the first decade of the study, the number of squirrels dropped just once. But it fell in four of the past ten years. Dr. Lane, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Edinburgh, speculates that this might be explained by the fact that over the past 20 years the late snow has delayed the melting of ice by half a day each year, on average, shortening the squirrels’ breeding and feeding season by several days and disrupting their life cycles.
Questions 13 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
13. How do many land animals spend the winter according to the passage?
14. What does global warming mean to animals?
15. What might explain the reduced squirrel population according to Dr. Lane?
选项
A、They sleep for a long time.
B、They migrate to warmer areas.
C、They eat more food to keep warm.
D、They store up food for the next year.
答案
A
解析
由原文可知,为了应对寒冷的冬天,许多陆栖动物学会了通过冬眠来度过冬季。因此答案为A。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3513608.html
相关试题推荐
[originaltext]Hereisaquestionforyou.Thecustomerisalwaysright.Rig
[originaltext]Hereisaquestionforyou.Thecustomerisalwaysright.Rig
[originaltext]Moderator:Hello,ladiesandgentlemen.Itgivesmegreat
[originaltext]Moderator:Hello,ladiesandgentlemen.Itgivesmegreat
[originaltext]MedicalexpertssaymostAmericansdonotgetenoughsleep.T
[originaltext]TheWorldHealthOrganizationsays57nationsinSouthernAfr
[originaltext]TheWorldHealthOrganizationsays57nationsinSouthernAfr
[originaltext]TheWorldHealthOrganizationsays57nationsinSouthernAfr
[originaltext]W:WhatdoyouthinkofTV?Ithinkitisafalsegod,adang
[originaltext]W:WhatdoyouthinkofTV?Ithinkitisafalsegod,adang
随机试题
[img]2022m3x/ct_ve01202001m_eillist_1248_220329[/img][br][originaltext]M:Wel
男性,58岁。吸烟30年。咳嗽咳痰20余年,活动后气急4年,偶有下肢轻度水肿。查
课外体育活动的业务工作责任人是( )。A.学生干部 B.体育教师 C.学生
A.河北B.东北及内蒙古东部C.浙江D.四川E.新疆、西藏紫草主产于()。
根据《建设工程监理规范》,工程质量评估报告由()编制。 A、总监理工程师
15世纪末,意大利人文主义教育实践形式主义化的标志是 A.西塞罗主义B.昆
日前,美国知名公关公司爱德曼发布信任度调查报告显示,过去一年中国民众对本国政府的
下列不属于晚期梅毒特点的是A.具有较强的传染性 B.梅毒血清试验阳性 C.发
有人对某地区250例胃癌患者进行流行病学调查,包括人口学资料、饮酒、吸烟、劳动强
有关类风湿关节炎和类风湿因子的描述,正确的是A.类风湿因子阴性可排除类风湿关节炎
最新回复
(
0
)