1 . New research from the University of Portsmouth has shown a marked increase in shipping in the North East Atlantic. Scientists now warn that more monitoring is required to help protect sea life.
Researchers at the University of Ponsmouth have discovered that rates (率) of shipping in the North East Atlantic area rose by 34 per cent in a five-year period. The research is the first detailed survey of shipping activity in the North East Atlantic. Researchers used data from over 530 million vessel (船) positions recorded by Automatic Identification System(AIS). They looked at the change in shipping between 2013 and 2017 across ten different vessel types. In total the study area covered 1.1 million km², including waters off Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal. Spain, and the UK.
Lead author, James Robbins said: “This change is likely to put more pressure on the marine (海洋的) environment, and may influence the protection of at-risk species. Renewed monitoring effort is needed to make sure that protective measures are enough to save species under threat in a changing environment.”
Some of the greatest shipping increases were found in areas close to the Spanish coast. The Espacio Marino de la Costa da Morte saw a rise of 413 percent in vessel activity. It is an area used to protect seabirds.
Dr. Sarah Marley, Visiting Researcher at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Shipping is the most widespread human activity in our oceans, carrying a set of threats-from unnoticeable effects like underwater noise pollution to serious results when ships hit whales.”
Professor Alex Ford. from the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences, said: “Given the well-documented effects that shipping can have on the marine environment, it is necessary that this situation continues to be monitored-particularly in areas used to protect vulnerable (脆弱的) species which may already be under pressure.”
1. What can we say about the new research?| A．It started in 2013. | B．It is the first of its kind. |
| C．It was carried out by AIS. | D．It covers the whole Atlantic. |
| A．Rapid population growth. |
| B．Rising global temperatures. |
| C．The huge increase in shipping. |
| D．The disappearance of marine life. |
| A．Shipping plays an important role in the local economy. |
| B．Shipping can be a danger to the marine environment. |
| C．Noise pollution is closely related to human activity. |
| D．Marine areas should be monitored more carefully. |
| A．New waterways across the Atlantic |
| B．The shipping industry in the North East Atlantic |
| C．New research opens windows into life under the water |
| D．Sea life needs better protection from an increase in shipping |
2 . The city of Venice, Italy, has finally made a long-awaited decision. Starting on August 1, 2021,cruise ships(游轮)will no longer be allowed to enter the city’s waters.
Contrary to popular opinion, these cruise ship visitors contribute relatively little to the local tourism economy. The New York Times reported cruise ship passengers amount to 73% of visitors, but contribute a mere 18% of tourism dollars. ”The percentage is inverted for people who spend at least one night at a hotel; they represent 14%of visitors, but 48% of the business.”
Many people are overjoyed by the news, especially environmental activists. Firstly, he cruise ships would disturb the waterways and erode(侵蚀)the foundations of already weak buildings. A 2019 study published in Nature found the waves created by large ships could “redistribute industrial pollutants already present in the waters.” Others have said these same waves carve huge holes in the underwater bottoms of buildings, making them unstable. Furthermore, when canals are deepened in order to allow larger boats, it destroys coastal habitats and makes floods worse. This is part of the reason why, in recent years, Venice has experienced terrible flooding that completely flooded St. Mark’s Square and other landmarks.
The announcement came as a surprise as many did not expect the regional government to act so swiftly. In April a projected ban was issued, but it depended on finding an alternative port for the ships-a requirement that local people complained could take years to achieve. The announcement made last week, however, did away with that condition, allowing the city to move forward quickly with the ban.
Hopefully, more travelers are also realizing industrial-style tourism is a terrible way to travel for many reasons. It’s not unlike industrial agriculture and fast fashion in that its goal is to force as many sights, landmarks, and countries into as tight a schedule as possible, for as little money as possible. Its concentration on convenience erodes human connections, preservation of meaningful spots that make travel so valuable in the first place.
1. What does the underlined word “inverted” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Increased slightly. | B．Looked down upon. | C．Adjusted accordingly. | D．Turned upside down. |
| A．Reasons for Venice’s terrible floods. | B．Dangers cruise ships brought about. |
| C．Reaction to the long-awaited decision. | D．Damage erosion waves did to buildings. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Hopeful. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unfavorable. |
| A．Venice Says “No” to Cruise Ships. | B．The Long-awaited Decision is Made. |
| C．Cruise Ships Erodes Ancient Venice. | D．Venice Tries to Preserve Its Waterway. |
1.垃圾短信带来的困扰；
2.这种现象产生的原因；
3.此困扰的解决方法。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：垃圾短信junk messages
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