Unit2 Section A http (1).doc

Section A Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef（暗礁）is one of Australias most remarkable 非凡的natural gifts, blessed with 幸运的享有the breathtaking（惊人的）beauty of the worlds largest coral（珊瑚）reef system. It has long been known to and used by the aboriginal（土著的）Australian and Torres Strait Islander 托雷斯海峡peoples, and is an important part of local groups cultures and spirituality(精神). The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea珊瑚海, off the coast 海岸of Queensland 昆士兰in north-east Australia. There are 900 islands stretching for伸展 over 2,600kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres.The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park大堡礁海洋公园 stretches over 3000km almost parallel 平行线to the Queensland coast. The reef, between 15 kilometres and 150 kilometres off shore海滨 and around 65 km wide in some parts, is a gathering聚集 of brilliant灿烂的, vivid coral providing divers不同种类 with the most spectacular 壮观的underwater experience imaginable.可想象的 Swimming with the fish and admiring the colours of the coral is a must 必须的条件for any holiday to the Great Barrier Reef.The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space外层空间 and is the worlds biggest single structure 结构made by living organisms(微生物). This reef structure is composed of 由。组成and built by billions of tiny微小的 organisms,生物体 known as coral polyps(珊瑚虫). It supports a wide diversity多样化 of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site世界遗产地 in 1981. CNN labeled把。称为 it one of the seven natural wonders of the world.The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon(偶像) of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef contains an abundance 丰富of marine（海产的）life, comprises of 包含over 2,900 individual reef systems and coral cays（珊瑚礁）and literally(差不多) hundreds of picturesque 独特的tropical 热带的islands with some of the worlds most beautiful sun-soaked(阳光沐浴), golden beaches. A closer encounter 偶遇with the Great Barrier Reefs impressive 令人钦佩的coral gardens reveals 揭示many astounding(使人震惊的) underwater attractions 具有吸引力的事物including the worlds largest collection of corals in fact, more than 400 different kinds of coral, coral sponges(海绵动物), molluscs(软体动物), rays(伞形花序枝), dolphins, over 1500 species of tropical 热带fish, more than 200 types of birds, around 20 types of reptiles(爬行动物) including sea turtles and giant clams(蛤) over 120 years old. Due to its vast 巨大的biodiversity(生物多样性),warm clear waters and accessibility(易接近) from the tourist boats called live aboards, the reef is a very popular destination,目的地especially for scuba (自携式水中呼吸器) divers. 潜水员A variety of boat tours and cruises(游览) are offered, from single day trips, to longer voyages航海. Glass-bottomed boats and underwater observatories(观测台;嘹望台) are very popular, as are helicopter 直升机flights. By far, the most popular tourist activities on the Great Barrier Reef are snorkelling(水下呼吸) and diving, for which pontoons(潜水钟) are often used.The outer part of the Great Barrier Reef is favoured(有利于) for such activities, due to water quality.Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef is concentrated 集中in the Whitsundays降灵岛 and Cairns 凯恩斯due to their accessibility.These areas make up 7% of the Parks area. The Whitsundays and Cairns have their own Plans of Management管理. Many cities along the Queensland coast offer daily boat trips.Several continental and coral cay岩礁 islands are now resorts(常去的休闲度假之处), including the pristine(原始的) Lady Elliot Island艾里奥夫人岛. As of 1996, 27 islands on the Great Barrier Reef have supported resorts. Nowadays tourism is an important economic activity for the region地区, generating 发生$1billion per year. Domestic tourism 国内旅游业makes up most of the tourism in the region since 1996, and the most popular visiting times are in the Australian winter. It was estimated 估计that tourists to the Great Barrier Reef contributed A$776million per annum (年) at this time.Approximately two million people visit the Great Barrier Reef each year. Although most of these visits are managed in partnership with the marine航海的 tourism industry, there is a concern amongst 在。之中the general public that tourism is harmful to the Great Barrier Reef.Nowadays a large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem (生态系统) include runoff (径流), climate change accompanied by mass聚集起来 coral bleaching (变白), and cyclic（周期的）population（群体）outbreaks（突发蔓延）of the crown-of-thorns（棘冠星鱼) starfish（海星）.(688 words)New Words reef ri:f n. 暗礁，礁脉breathtaking bre,teiki a. 惊人的coral krl n. 珊瑚aboriginal ,bridnl a. 1. 最早就有的;土著的;原始的 2. 土著居民的 n. 1. 土著居民 2. 土生动物(或植物)spirituality ,spirituliti n. 精神(性)；灵性organism :gnizm n. 有机体；生物(体)；微生物polyp plip n. 珊瑚虫icon aikn n. 偶像，崇拜对象marine mri:n a. 海的；海产的cay kei n. 珊瑚礁；沙洲，小岛literally litrli ad. 差不多，简直sun-soaked sukt a. . 阳光沐浴的astounding staundi a. 使人震惊的sponge spnd n. 海绵动物mollusc mlsk n. 软体动物ray rei n.【植物；植物学】星状毛分枝，伞形花序枝；【动物；动物学】鳍刺；魟reptile reptail n. 爬虫，爬行动物clam klm n. 蛤biodiversity baiu,daiv:sti n. 生物多样性accessibility k,sesibiliti n. 可近，易接近scuba skju:b n. 自携式水中呼吸器 cruise kru:z n.口语游览，旅行，周游observatory bz:v,tri n. 观测台;嘹望台snorkelling sn:kli n. 使用水下呼吸管潜游pontoon pntu:n n. 潜水钟favour feiv v. 有利于resort riz:t n. 常去的休闲度假之处;名胜pristine pristi:n a. 原始的；纯朴的annum nm n.拉丁语年ecosystem ekusistm n. 生态系统runoff rn,:f n. 径流；溢出bleach bli:t v. (借阳光)漂白，变白cyclic siklik a. 周期的；轮转的，循环的population ,ppjulein n.【生物学】虫口；种群；群体；族，组outbreak aut,breik n. (虫害等)突发蔓延starfish st:fi n. 海星Useful Expressionsbe blessed with 在.方面有福气；幸运地享有be known to 为.所知be parallel to 与.平行provide . with. 为.提供.be composed of 由.组成a wide diversity of 多种多样的an abundance of 大量；许多comprise of 由构成by far 到目前为止as of 自起make up 组成;构成in partnership with 和合伙(合作)Proper NamesGreat Barrier Reef 大堡礁Torres Strait 托雷斯海峡Coral Sea 珊瑚海Queensland 昆士兰Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 大堡礁海洋公园World Heritage Site 世界遗产地区CNN（=Cable News Network） 美国有线电视新闻网Queensland National Trust 昆士兰国民信托 Whitsundays n.降灵群岛Cairns 凯恩斯Lady Elliot Island 艾里奥夫人岛Notes1. Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate（碳酸钙）secreted（分泌）by corals. Coral reefs are colonies（集群）of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients（养分）. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals（石珊瑚类）, which in turn consist of polyps（珊瑚虫）that cluster（群集）in groups.2. The Coral Sea is a marginal sea（边缘海）off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded（限制;邻接）in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef.3. Queensland is Australias second largest and third most populous(人口稠密的) state, located in the northeast of the country. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean.4. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the UNESCO(联合国教科文组织) as of special cultural or physical significance.5. Cable News Network (CNN) is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage(报导), and the first all-news television channel in the United States.6. Seven Natural Wonders of the World Similar to the other lists of wonders, there is no consensus(一致) on a list of seven natural wonders of the world, and there has been debate over how large the list should be. One of the many existing lists was compiled(编辑) by CNN: Aurora Grand Canyon Great Barrier Reef Harbor of Rio de Janeiro Mount Everest Parcutin volcano Victoria Falls7. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects a large part of Australias Great