高考英语《流行话题 语境识词4500》Unit 66　Exxon Valdez Oil Spill素材.doc

《高考英语《流行话题 语境识词4500》Unit 66　Exxon Valdez Oil Spill素材.doc》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。

1、高考英语《流行话题语境识词4500》Unit66　ExxonValdezOilSpill素材Unit66　　ExxonValdezOilSpill　　TheExxonValdezdepartedfromtheTransAlaskaPipelineterminalat9:12pmMarch23,1989.AfterpassingthroughValdezNarrows,pilotMurphyleftthevesselandCaptainHazelwoodradioedtheCoastGuardtoreporttheExxonValdezhad"fetcheduphardaground"and

2、was"evidentlyleakingsomeoil."Thatscratchy,understatedmessagesetthesceneforoneoftheworsthuman-causedenvironmentaldisastersinhistory.Overthenextspringandsummer,thenewsinAlaskaandaroundtheworldwasdominatedbyimagesandstoriesfromPrinceWilliamSoundandtheGulfofAlaska--thousandsofdeadanddyingbirdsandseama

3、mmals,angryfishermen,armiesofrockwipersimprobablycleaningbeacheswithrags.　　BirdsandottershaveproventhemselveshighlyvulnerabletotheoildriftingaroundtheSound.Ottersaretheonlymarinemammallackingaprotectivelayerofblubberbeneaththeirhide.Theydependtotallyontheirdensefurforwarmthandfloatation.Whenthatfu

4、rgetsdirty,theotterdies.TheseanimalsaresosensitivetocontaminationthatearlyeffortstotransplantthemfromAlaskatootherpartsoftheWestCoastfailed.Theotters,theirfurdirtiedbyhandling,diedincaptivity.Giventhisproblem,scientistssawlittlehopeofsavingtheotters.Therewere4,000to6,000oftheseanimalsintheSound.No

5、oneknowshowmanyhadcomeincontactwiththeoil.　　Seabirdswerenotinmuchbettershapethanotters.Oilmattedthefeathersofbirds,andthatledtodeathinanumberofways.Mattedfeathersceasetoinsulateandbirdsdieofhypothermia.Oilcoatedfeathersmakeitimpossibleforthebirdstoflytosafeareas.Birdsexhaustthemselvestryingtostaya

6、floatafteroildestroysthewaterrepellencyoftheirfeathers.Rescuerswerehavingadifficulttimegettingtothebirdstocatchthemonrockybeaches.Inordertorehabilitateonebirdsuccessfully,rescuersneeded150gallonsofwaterat104degrees.Theobstaclesstandinginthewayofthejobwereintimidating.　　Animalslivinginthenearbyfore

7、stsandroamontothetidelandsinsearchoffood.Mink,landottersandbearscouldbeharmed.Therearesimilarfearsforbaldeagles,anotherscavenger.Theeagleshavealreadybegunpreyingupontheseabirdskilledorinjuredbyoil.　　Scientistskne