In 2014, an art student from university went to Beijing Zoo. Little did he know that a chance encounter with corals (珊瑚) there would start a lifelong passion. Until today, Xu Yitang, a Beijing native, has settled in Hainan province, where he serves as a coral conservationist. For Xu, who had been studying Peking Opera since childhood, becoming a coral conservationist was an unexpected turn of events.
After he first saw corals at the zoo, he began to frequent the local market to learn about coral farming from sellers of coral products. He also learned diving and underwater photography to get a closer look at corals for research purposes. Each day, he spends several hours diving deep under the waves to observe and document the growth and development of the creatures and shares photos and videos of corals on social media platforms. His goal was to raise awareness and knowledge about corals, so that people can learn how to protect them effectively.
As he studied deeper into the creature, he learned that corals are known as “underwater gardens” of the ocean, providing a home for a quarter of all ocean life. Unfortunately, with the strengthening of the greenhouse effect, rising sea temperatures have led to coral bleaching (白化). Xu felt an increasing sense of urgency and responsibility to protect them.
While pursuing his passion to protect corals, he met his life partner, Liu Xiwen, through their shared hobby of diving in Hainan. “Unlike many young people who care about their dress and appearance, he is simply focused on protecting corals,” says Liu about Xu.“Despite his skin injury from spending long hours in the seawater, his attitude is different from what I’ve seen in most young people in Beijing, and it’s attractive to me.”
4. What can we learn about Xu Yitang from the first paragraph?
A.He majored in coral protection. |
B.He was born in Hainan province. |
C.He worked in Beijing as a coral expert. |
D.He found his love for corals by chance. |
5. Why does Xu Yitang share photos and videos of corals on social media?
A.To record his exploring process. |
B.To spread knowledge about corals. |
C.To introduce his diving experience. |
D.To show off his photography ability. |
6. What contributed to the coral bleaching?
A.The pollution of ocean environment. |
B.The development of ocean farming. |
C.The damage to underwater gardens. |
D.The increase in ocean temperatures. |
7. Which of the following best describes Xu Yitang?
A.Emotional. | B.Devoted. |
C.Public-spirited. | D.Curiosity-driven. |