Reading
Questions
12345678
Reading 2/2:
Cities beneath the sea
A.
For uncounted generations, trillions upon trillions of coral polyps have lived and died, leaving behind a material called limestone. Prized throughout history, limestone was used to construct
the Great Pyramids of Egypt, as well as many churches and castles. Yet the greatest limestone structures in the world are built underwater, by the coral polyps themselves. We call them
reefs. They can be even larger in scale than the most impressive buildings and structures made by humans.A variety of life
B.Indeed, a living coral reef is remarkable, a "city beneath the sea filled with a rich variety of life. Most coral reefs can be found in warm, shallow oceans. They occupy less than 1 percent of the surface area of the world's oceans, but they provide a home for 25 percent of all marine fish species.
C.Coral reefs display nature's most brilliant colors. Each reef is full of colorful fish as well as coral forming wonderful patterns. In addition to their beauty, the reefs are an important food source for fish, and for humans. In fact, reef fish make up a significant percentage of the global fish catch.
Threats to coral reefs D. Various human activities can cause great harm to the world's coral reefs. For example, reefs can be damaged when the coral is taken for use in building materials, jewelry-making, or to fill
aquariums.E.Illegal fishing methods like blast and cyanide fishing also harm the reefs . These methods can help fishermen get a good catch, but their negative effects on the reefs are significant. Blast fishing involves setting off bombs in the water to kill as many fish as possible. This kills most living things nearby and causes damage to the reef's structure.
Next Question
F. In cyanide fishing, fishermen release liquid cyanide-a very dangerous and deadly chemical-into the reef. As a result, the fish become "stunned", which makes them easy to collect.Meanwhile, the reef is damaged by the cyanide, which kills large numbers of coral polyps. The reef is also damaged by the fishermen who break it apart looking for the stunned fish.G.Another threat is water pollution. When floods in Australia covered the Great Barrier Reef with dirty fresh water, the quality of the water changed and chemicals killed the reef life. This is
Next Reading
happening to many reefs around the world.H. In addition, global warming has caused many reefs to become sick. Warmer temperatures have turned them white, in a process known as coral bleaching. A 2018 UN Report predicted that
up to 99 percent of the world's coral reefs may decline if global warming continues.
Reasons for hope 1. These threats to coral reefs are very serious, but there is reason to hope that they will survive. If we take steps toward coral reef conservation, it is likely that these tiny creatures- which survived natural threats for millions of years- will be able to rebuild. As conservationist Robert Richmond says. "Given a chance, they can come back."
1) How many categories of threats to coral reefs are mentioned in the passage?
A. One
B. Two
C. Four D. Three
2) What was the result of the 2018 UN Report discussed in paragraph H?
A. The potential decline of nearly all of the world's coral reefs if global temperatures continue to rise.
B. The possibility of increased coral bleaching due to ongoing global temperature rise.The probability that global warming has no significant impact on the health of coral reefs.
C.D. The likelihood that coral reef bleaching could contribute to the acceleration of global warming.
3) The paragraph following this passage most likely discusses
A. conservation efforts aimed at protecting coral reefs.
B. historical data about coral reef populations.C. the anatomy and behavior of coral reef organisms.
D natural threats faced by marine ecosystems
