2014职称英语考试理工a 第四十六篇

理工A2第四十六篇ANTSHAVEBIGIMPACTONENVIRONMENTAS“ECOSYSTEMENGINEERS“蚂蚁作为“生态系统工程师”对环境影响巨大RESEARCHBYTHEUNIVERSITYOFEXETER1HASREVEALED透露THATANTS蚂蚁HAVEABIGIMPACT影响ONTHEIRLOCAL当地的ENVIRONMENT环境ASARESULTOFTHEIRACTIVITY活动AS“ECOSYSTEMENGINEERS“ANDPREDATORS捕食者THESTUDY,PUBLISHEDINTHEJOURNALOFANIMALECOLOGY,FOUNDTHATANTSHAVETWODISTINCTEFFECTSONTHEIRLOCALENVIRONMENTFIRSTLY,THROUGHMOVINGOFSOILBYNESTBUILDING2ACTIVITYANDBYCOLLECTINGFOODTHEYAFFECTTHELEVELOFNUTRIENTSINTHESOILTHISCANINDIRECTLYIMPACTTHELOCALPOPULATIONSOFMANYANIMALGROUPS,FROMDECOMPOSERSTOSPECIESMUCHHIGHERUPTHEFOODCHAINSECONDLY,THEYPREYONAWIDERANGEOFOTHERANIMALS,INCLUDINGLARGERPREYWHICHCANBEATTACKEDBYVASTNUMBERSOFANTWORKERSDIRKSANDERS,ANAUTHOROFTHESTUDYFROMTHEUNIVERSITYSCENTREFORECOLOGYANDCONSERVATION,SAID“ANTSAREVERYEFFECTIVEPREDATORSWHICHTHRIVEINHUGENUMBERSTHEYREALSOVERYTERRITORIAL3ANDVERYAGGRESSIVE,DEFENDINGTHEIRRESOURCESANDTERRITORYAGAINSTOTHERPREDATORSALLOFTHISMEANSTHEYHAVEASTRONGINFLUENCEONTHEIRSURROUNDINGAREA“INTHISRESEARCH,WESTUDIEDFORTHEFIRSTTIMEHOWBIGTHISIMPACTISANDTHESUBTLETIESOFITWHATWEFOUNDISTHATDESPITEBEINGPREDATORS,THEIRPRESENCECANALSOLEADTOANINCREASEINDENSITYANDDIVERSITYOFOTHERANIMALGROUPS4THEYGENUINELYPLAYAKEYROLEINTHELOCALENVIRONMENT,HAVINGABIGINFLUENCEONTHEGRASSLANDFOODWEB,“SANDERSSAIDTHESTUDY,CARRIEDOUTINGERMANY,STUDIEDTHEIMPACTOFTHEPRESENCEOFDIFFERENTCOMBINATIONSANDDENSITIESOFBLACKGARDENANTSANDCOMMONREDANTS,BOTHSPECIESWHICHCANBEFOUNDACROSSEUROPE,INCLUDINGINTHEUKITFOUNDTHATALOWDENSITYOFANTSINANAREAINCREASEDTHEDIVERSITYANDDENSITYOFOTHERANIMALSINTHELOCALAREA,PARTICULARLYTHEDENSITYOFHERBIVORESANDDECOMPOSERSATHIGHERDENSITIESANTSHADNOORTHEOPPOSITEEFFECT,SHOWINGTHATPREDATIONISCOUNTERACTINGTHEPOSITIVEINFLUENCEDRFRANKVANVEEN,ANOTHERAUTHORONTHESTUDY,SAID“WHATWEFINDISTHATTHEIMPACTOFANTSONSOILNUTRIENTLEVELSHASAPOSITIVEEFFECTONANIMALGROUPSATLOWLEVELS,BUTASTHENUMBEROFANTSINCREASES,THEIRPREDATORYIMPACTSHAVETHEBIGGEREFFECTTHEREBYCOUNTERACTINGTHEPOSITIVEINFLUENCEVIAECOSYSTEMENGINEERING“ANTSAREIMPORTANTCOMPONENTSOFECOSYSTEMSNOTONLYBECAUSETHEYCONSTITUTEAGREATPARTOFTHEANIMALBIOMASS5BUTALSOBECAUSETHEYACTASECOSYSTEMENGINEERSANTBIODIVERSITY6ISINCREDIBLYHIGHANDTHESEORGANISMSAREHIGHLYRESPONSIVETOHUMANIMPACT,WHICHOBVIOUSLYREDUCESITSRICHNESSHOWEVER,ITISNOTCLEARHOWSUCHDISTURBANCEDAMAGESTHEMAINTENANCEOFANTSERVICESTOTHEECOSYSTEMANTSAREIMPORTANTINBELOWGROUNDPROCESSES8THROUGHTHEALTERATIONOFTHEPHYSICALANDCHEMICALENVIRONMENTANDTHROUGHTHEIREFFECTSONPLANTS,MICROORGANISMS,ANDOTHERSOILORGANISMS词汇PREDATOR/PREDT/N食肉动物NUTRIENT/NJUTRINT/N营养物；ADJ营养的DECOMPOSER/,DIKMPUZ/N腐生物；分解体PREY/PREI/V捕食；N被捕食的动物SUBTLETY/STLTI/N，微妙，精妙HERBIVORE/HBIV/N食草动物注释1THEUNIVERSITYOFEXETER埃克斯特大学。1851年建校，位于英国西南部重要商业中心埃克斯特市，是英国著名的传统大学之一。2NESTBUILDING筑巢3TERRITORIAL领地的。在此用来形容蚂蚁的本性，即具有很强的领地意识，并且会竭尽全力保卫自己的领地。4ANINCREASEINDENSITYANDDIVERSITYOFOTHERANIMALGROUPS其他动物群体在数量和品种上的增长。5BIOMASS物质名词，由BIO和MASS两部分组成，意为“生物量”“生物质”。6BIODIVERSITY物质名词，由BIO和DIVERSITY两部分组成，意为“生物多样性”。7THEMAINTENANCEOFANTSERVICESTOTHEECOSYSTEM蚂蚁对生态系统的维护作用。8BELOWGROUNDPROCESSES土壤下面的（工作）过程，即影响生态环境的过程。练习1WHYAREANTSCOMPAREDTOECOSYSTEMENGINEERSABECAUSETHEYBUILDTHEIROWNNESTSBBECAUSETHEYCOLLECTFOODCBECAUSETHEIRACTIVITYAFFECTSTHEENVIRONMENTDBECAUSETHEYAREPREDATORS2ASPREDATORS,ANTSAPREYONSMALLASWELLASLARGEANIMALSBCOLLECTNUTRITIOUSFOODFROMTHESOILCCOLLECTFOODASDECOMPOSERSDPREYONSPECIESMUCHHIGHERUPTHEFOODCHAIN3DIRKSANDERSSTUDYCENTEREDONHOWANTSACANMANAGETOTHRIVEINHUGENUMBERSBDEFENDTHEIRRESOURCESANDTERRITORYAGAINSTOTHERPREDATORSCATTACKTHOSEINVADINGANIMALSFORSURVIVALDPRODUCESUCHABIGIMPACTONTHEENVIRONMENT4WHATDOESPARAGRAPH6TELLUSAANTSBRINGABOUTANEGATIVEINFLUENCETOANAREAWHENTHEIRPOPULATIONISSMALLBANTSBRINGABOUTAPOSITIVEINFLUENCETOANAREAWHENTHEIRPOPULATIONISSMALLCANTSPREDATIONCOUNTERACTSTHEPOSITIVEINFLUENCETHEYMAYHAVEONANAREADATHIGHERDENSITY,ANTSPRODUCEAPOSITIVEINFLUENCEONANAREA5WHATSTILLREMAINSUNCLEARABOUTANTS,ACCORDINGTOTHELASTPARAGRAPHAWHATROLESDOANTSPLAYINTHEECOSYSTEMINWHICHTHEYLIVEBHOWDOANTSAFFECTTHEANIMALDIVERSITYINAGIVENECOSYSTEMCHOWDOHUMANACTIVITIESAFFECTANTSINFLUENCEONAGIVENECOSYSTEMDHOWDOANTSALTERTHEPHYSICALANDCHEMICALENVIRONMENT答案与题解1C短文的第一段提供了答案。A不是正确答案，因为并不是因为蚂蚁会筑巢才被誉为生态系统工程师，而是因为它们筑巢和获取食物的方式改变了土壤的营养水平，为整个食物链提供了很好的生态环境（见第二段）。2A答案能够从短文的第三段直接找到。该段告诉我们，蚂蚁的掠食范围很广，甚至包括比它们体积更大的动物（LARGERANIMALS。PREY在这里的意思是“捕猎，捕食”，作为动词，后面跟介词ON或UPON。3DDIRKSANDERS说“INTHISRESEARCH,WESTUDIEDFORTHEFIRSTTIMEHOWBIGTHISIMPACTISANDTHESUBTLETIESOFIT”（第五段）所以，D是正确选择。句中THESUBTLETIESOFIT的意思是蚂蚁对环境影响的精妙之处。4B短文第六段第二句的大概意思是，蚂蚁数量小（ALOWDENSITYOFANTS）的话，能使其他动物的品种和数量增加（INCREASEDTHEDIVERSITYANDDENSITYOFOTHERANIMALS），从而给环境带来积极影响；第三句说，如果蚂蚁的数量大（ATHIGHERDENSITIES），就不可能产生同样的影响，或者是相反的影响，这表明，蚂蚁的掠食活动会抵销蚂蚁给环境带来的积极影响。第七段DRFRANKVANVEEN表达了大体相同的内容。5C最后一段的第二和第三句提供了答案。第二句告诉我们，蚂蚁极易受人类的影响（THESEORGANISMSAREHIGHLYRESPONSIVETOHUMANIMPACT），第三句告诉我们，科学家还不清楚人类对蚂蚁这种干扰如何破坏蚂蚁对生态系统的维护作用（”ITISNOTCLEARHOWSUCHDISTURBANCEDAMAGESTHEMAINTENANCEOFANTSERVICESTOTHEECOSYSTEM”）。第四十六篇蚂蚁作为“生态系统工程师”对环境影响巨大埃克斯特大学所做的研究表明，蚂蚁作为“生态系统工程师”和食肉动物的行为对当地的环境影响巨大。该研究发表在动物生态杂志上，它表明蚂蚁对当地的环境有两大显著的影响。第一，通过筑巢而挪动土壤或采集食物，蚂蚁影响土壤的营养水平。这可间接影响当地从腐生物到食物链高层的许多动物种群的数量。第二，它们捕食的动物种类很多，包括那些被大量工蚁攻击的大猎物。DIRKSANDERS是该大学生态和保护中心所做的此项研究的作者，他说“蚂蚁是高效的食肉动物，而且能大量繁殖。它们具有很强的领地意识，并且会竭尽全力对抗其他的食肉动物来保卫自己的领地。所有这些都意味着蚂蚁对周围环境影响巨大。”“在该研究中，我们第一次对蚂蚁带来的影响程度及微妙程度进行研究。所得到的发现是尽管是食肉动物，蚂蚁的出现能促使其他动物族群在数量和品种上的增长。并对当地的环境起到切实重要的作用，对大草原的食物链影响巨大。”SANDERS说。该研究在德国进行，它对花园黑蚂蚁和一般的红蚂蚁在不同混合程度和不同密度下的影响力进行研究。黑蚂蚁和红蚂蚁在整个欧洲包括英国都能找到。研究发现，一个地区的蚂蚁密度小，而其他动物尤其是食草动物和腐生物的数量和种类会增多。如果蚂蚁的密度大，就不可能产生同样的影响，或者产生相反的影响，这表明，蚂蚁的掠食活动会抵消蚂蚁给环境带来的积极影响。DRFRANKVANVEEN是本研究的另一作者，他说“我们的发现是如果蚂蚁的数量少，其对土壤的营养水平的影响会对动物族群产生积极的效果。如果蚂蚁的数量增加，其捕食的影响会达到最大化，因此会抵消蚂蚁通过生态工程给环境带来的积极影响。”蚂蚁是生态系统的重要组成部分，不仅因为它占有很大部分的生物量，而且因为其作为生态系统工程师的角色。蚂蚁具有难以想象的多样性，但极易受人类的影响，这就使它的多样性有显著的减少。然而，科学家还不消楚人类对蚂蚁这种干扰如何破坏蚂蚁对生态系统的维护作用。蚂蚁通过变动物理的和化学的环境，通过对植物、微生物和其他土壤生物的影响而对生态环境起至关重要的作用。第四十八篇RESEARCHERS研究人员DISCOVER发现WHYHUMANSBEGANWALKING走路UPRIGHT直立的MOSTOFUSWALKANDCARRYITEMSINOURHANDSEVERYDAYTHESEARESEEMINGLYSIMPLEACTIVITIESTHATTHEMAJORITYOFUSDONTQUESTIONBUTANINTERNATIONALTEAMOFRESEARCHERS,INCLUDINGDRRICHMONDFROMGWSCOLUMBIANCOLLEGEOFARTSANDSCIENCES，HAVEDISCOVEREDTHATHUMANWALKINGUPRIGHT,MAYHAVEORIGINATEDMILLIONSOFYEARSAGOASANADAPTATIONTOCARRYINGSCARCE,HIGHQUALITYRESOURCESTHETEAMOFRESEARCHERSFROMTHEUS,ENGLAND,JAPANANDPORTUGALINVESTIGATEDTHEBEHAVIOROFMODERNDAYCHIMPANZEESASTHEYCOMPETEDFORFOODRESOURCES，INANEFFORTTOUNDERSTANDWHATECOLOGICALSETTINGSWOULDLEADALARGEAPEONETHATRESEMBLESTHE6MILLIONYEAROLDANCESTORWESHAREDINCOMMONWITHLIVINGCHIMPANZEESTOWALKONTWOLEGS“THESECHIMPANZEESPROVIDEAMODELOFTHEECOLOGICALCONDITIONSUNDERWHICHOUREARLIESTANCESTORSMIGHTHAVEBEGUNWALKINGONTWOLEGS,“，SAIDDRRICHMONDTHERESEARCHFINDINGSSUGGESTTHATCHIMPANZEESSWITCHTOMOVINGONTWOLIMBSINSTEADOFFOURINSITUATIONSWHERETHEYNEEDTOMONOPOLIZEARESOURCESTANDINGONTWOLEGSALLOWSTHEMTOCARRYMUCHMOREATONETIMEBECAUSEITFREESUPTHEIRHANDSOVERTIME，INTENSEBURSTSOFBIPEDALACTIVITYMAYHAVELEDTOANATOMICALCHANGESTHATINTURNBECAMETHESUBJECTOFNATURALSELECTIONWHERECOMPETITIONFORFOODOROTHERRESOURCESWASSTRONGTWOSTUDIESWERECONDUCTEDBYTHETEAMINGUINEATHEFIRSTSTUDYWASCONDUCTEDBYTHETEAMINKYOTOUNIVERSITYS“OUTDOORLABORATORY”INANATURALCLEARINGINBOSSOUFORESTRESEARCHERSALLOWEDTHEWILDCHIMPANZEESACCESSTODIFFERENTCOMBINATIONSOFTWODIFFERENTTYPESOFNUTTHEOILPALMNUT，WHICHISNATURALLYWIDELYAVAILABLE,ANDTHECOULANUT,WHICHISNOTTHECHIMPANZEESBEHAVIORWASMONITOREDINTHREESITUATIONSAWHENONLYOILPALMNUTSWEREAVAILABLE,BWHENASMALLNUMBEROFCOULANUTSWEREAVAILABLE，ANDCWHENCOULANUTSWERETHEMAJORITYAVAILABLERESOURCEWHENTHERARECOULANUTSWEREAVAILABLEONLYINSMALLNUMBERS,THECHIMPANZEESTRANSPORTEDMOREATONETIMESIMILARLY,WHENCOULANUTSWERETHEMAJORITYRESOURCE,THECHIMPANZEESIGNOREDTHEOILPALMNUTSALTOGETHERTHECHIMPANZEESREGARDEDTHECOULANUTSASAMOREHIGHLYPRIZEDRESOURCEANDCOMPETEDFORTHEMMOREINTENSELYINSUCHHIGHCOMPETITIONSETTINGS，THEFREQUENCYOFCASESINWHICHTHECHIMPANZEESSTARTEDMOVINGONTWOLEGSINCREASEDBYAFACTOROFFOURNOTONLYWASITOBVIOUSTHATBIPEDALMOVEMENTALLOWEDTHEMTOCARRYMOREOFTHISPRECIOUSRESOURCE,BUTALSOTHATTHEYWEREACTIVELYTRYINGTOMOVEASMUCHASTHEYCOULDINONEGOBYUSINGEVERYTHINGAVAILABLE一EVENTHEIRMOUTHSTHESECONDSTUDY,BYKIMBERLEYHOCKINGSOFOXFORDBROOKESUNIVERSITY,WASA14MONTHSTUDYOFBOSSOUCHIMPANZEESCROPRAIDING,ASITUATIONINWHICHTHEYHAVETOCOMPETEFORRAREANDUNPREDICTABLERESOURCESHERE,35PERCENTOFTHECHIMPANZEESACTIVITYINVOLVEDSOMESORTOFBIPEDALMOVEMENT,ANDONCEAGAIN,THISBEHAVIORAPPEAREDTOBELINKEDTOACLEARATTEMPTTOCARRYASMUCHASPOSSIBLEATONETIME练习1WHICHOFTHEFOLLOWINGSTATEMENTSISNOTTRUEACCORDINGTOTHEFIRSTTWOPARAGRAPHS对错类AMANYPEOPLEQUESTIONTHESIMPLEHUMANACTIVITIESOFWALKINGANDCARRYINGITEMSBCHIMPANZEESBEHAVIORSMAYSUGGESTWHYHUMANSWALKONTWOLEGSCHUMANWALKINGUPRIGHTISVIEWEDASANADAPTATIONTOCARRYINGPRECIOUSRESOURCESDOURANCESTORSECOLOGICALCONDITIONSRESEMBLEDTHOSEOFMODERNDAYCHIMPANZEES2DRRICHMONDCONDUCTEDTHEEXPERIMENTWITHTHEPURPOSEOFFINDING主题类AWHENHUMANSBEGANWALKINGONTWOLEGSBWHATMADEOURANCESTORSWALKUPRIGHTCWHATBENEFITSWALKINGUPRIGHTBROUGHTTOOURANCESTORSDHOWWALKINGUPRIGHTHELPEDCHIMPANZEESMONOPOLIZERESOURCES3KYOTO,UNIVERSITYSSTUDYDISCOVEREDTHATCHIMPANZEESAREGARDEDBOTHTYPESOFNUTASPRICEDRESOURCESBPREFERREDOILPALMNUTSTOCOULANUTSCLIKEDCOULANUTSBETTERTHANOILPALMNUTSDIGNOREDBOTHTYPESOFNUTALTOGETHER4WHYDIDTHECHIMPANZEESWALKONTWOLIMBSDURINGKYOTOUNIVERSITYSEXPERIMENTABECAUSETHEYIMITATEDTHEHUMANWAYOFWALKINGJUSTFORFUNBBECAUSETHEYWANTEDTOPLEASETHERESEARCHERSTOGETMORECOULANUTSFROMTHEMCBECAUSETHEYWANTEDTOGETTODIENUTRICHFORESTFASTERBYWALKINGTHATWAYDBECAUSETHEYWANTEDTOCARRYMORENUTSWITHTWOFREELIMBS5WHATCANWEINFERFROMTHEREADINGPASSAGEACHIMPANZEESAREINTHESAMEPROCESSOFEVOLUTIONASOURANCESTORSWEREBCHIMPANZEESARESIMILARTOHUMANSINMANYBEHAVIORSCWALKINGONTWOLIMBSANDWALKINGONFOURLIMBSEACHHAVETHEIRADVANTAGESDHUMANWALKINGONTWOLEGSDEVELOPEDASAMEANSOFSURVIVAL第四十八篇RESEARCHERSDISCOVERWHYHUMANSBEGANWALKINGUPRIGHT研究人员发现人类开始直立行走的原因MOSTOFUSWALKANDCARRYITEMSINOURHANDSEVERYDAY我们大多数人每天都走路而且手里搬着东西。THESEARESEEMINGLYSIMPLEACTIVITIESTHATTHEMAJORITYOFUSDONTQUESTION这样的活动看似太简单，大多数人没有疑问。BUTANINTERNATIONALTEAMOFRESEARCHERS,INCLUDINGDRRICHMONDFROMGWSCOLUMBIANCOLLEGEOFARTSANDSCIENCES，HAVEDISCOVEREDTHATHUMANWALKINGUPRIGHT,MAYHAVEORIGINATEDMILLIONSOFYEARSAGOASANADAPTATIONTOCARRYINGSCARCE,HIGHQUALITYRESOURCES但是一个国际研究者（包括乔治华盛顿大学哥伦比亚艺术与科学学院的RICHMOND博士）团队已经发现了人类直立行走可能源于数百万年以前适应搬运稀有的、高质量的资源。THETEAMOFRESEARCHERSFROMTHEUS,ENGLAND,JAPANANDPORTUGALINVESTIGATEDTHEBEHAVIOROFMODERNDAYCHIMPANZEESASTHEYCOMPETEDFORFOODRESOURCES，INANEFFORTTOUNDERSTANDWHATECOLOGICALSETTINGSWOULDLEADALARGEAPEONETHATRESEMBLESTHE6MILLIONYEAROLDANCESTORWESHAREDINCOMMONWITHLIVINGCHIMPANZEESTOWALKONTWOLEGS这些来自美国、英国、日本和葡萄牙的研究者研究了当代黑猩猩争抢食物时的行为特征，试图对什么样的生态环境竟然导致大猿（一种我们与现存的黑猩猩一样的600万年前的祖先）直立行走作出解释。“THESECHIMPANZEESPROVIDEAMODELOFTHEECOLOGICALCONDITIONSUNDERWHICHOUREARLIESTANCESTORSMIGHTHAVEBEGUNWALKINGONTWOLEGS,“，SAIDDRRICHMOND“这些黑猩猩居住的生态环境和我们最早的祖先开始直立行走时是相同的，”RICHMOND博士说。THERESEARCHFINDINGSSUGGESTTHATCHIMPANZEESSWITCHTOMOVINGONTWOLIMBSINSTEADOFFOURINSITUATIONSWHERETHEYNEEDTOMONOPOLIZEARESOURCE研究结果显示，当黑猩猩需要独占一种资源时，它们就从四肢行走转换为直立行走。STANDINGONTWOLEGSALLOWSTHEMTOCARRYMUCHMOREATONETIMEBECAUSEITFREESUPTHEIRHANDS由于直立行走可以解放它们的双手，这使得它们能搬更多的东西。OVERTIME，INTENSEBURSTSOFBIPEDALACTIVITYMAYHAVELEDTOANATOMICALCHANGESTHATINTURNBECAMETHESUBJECTOFNATURALSELECTIONWHERECOMPETITIONFORFOODOROTHERRESOURCESWASSTRONG久而久之，双足活动的强烈爆发可能导致了解剖学上的变化，因此这种变化也就成为自然选择的主题，在那种情况下，对食物或其他资源的争夺是十分激烈的。TWOSTUDIESWERECONDUCTEDBYTHETEAMINGUINEA有两项研究是在几内亚完成的。THEFIRSTSTUDYWASCONDUCTEDBYTHETEAMINKYOTOUNIVERSITYS“OUTDOORLABORATORY”INANATURALCLEARINGINBOSSOUFOREST第一项研究是在京都大学博苏森林的一块天然空地“室外实验室”进行的。RESEARCHERSALLOWEDTHEWILDCHIMPANZEESACCESSTODIFFERENTCOMBINATIONSOFTWODIFFERENTTYPESOFNUTTHEOILPALMNUT，WHICHISNATURALLYWIDELYAVAILABLE,ANDTHECOULANUT,WHICHISNOT研究者们允许森林里的黑猩猩能得到两种不同的坚果，一种叫油棕榈坚果，自然界随处可见，一种叫可乐果，自然环境中不常见。THECHIMPANZEESBEHAVIORWASMONITOREDINTHREESITUATIONSAWHENONLYOILPALMNUTSWEREAVAILABLE,BWHENASMALLNUMBEROFCOULANUTSWEREAVAILABLE，ANDCWHENCOULANUTSWERETHEMAJORITYAVAILAB