首页
登录
职称英语
The human species came into being at the time of the greatest biological div
The human species came into being at the time of the greatest biological div
游客
2023-11-04
10
管理
问题
The human species came into being at the time of the greatest biological diversity in the history of the Earth. Today, as human populations expand and alter the natural environment, they are reducing biological diversity to its lowest level. The ultimate consequences of this biological reduction are beyond calculation, but they are certain to be harmful. That, in essence, is the biodiversity crisis.
The history of global diversity can be summarized as follows: after the initial flowering of multicellular animals, there was a swift rise in the number of species in early Paleozoic times (between 600 and 430 million years ago), then plate-alike stagnation for the remaining 200 million years of the Paleozoic era, and finally a slow but steady climb through the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras to diversity’s all-time high. This history suggests that biological diversity was hard won and a long time in coming. Furthermore, this pattern of increase was set back by five massive extinction episodes. The most recent of these, during the Cretaceous period, is by far the most famous, because it ended the age of the dinosaurs, giving hegemony to the mammals, thus ultimately making possible the dominance of the human species over the Earth. But the Cretaceous crisis was minor compared with the Permian extinctions 240 million years ago, during which between 77 and 96 percent of marine animal species perished. It took five million years, well into Mesozoic times, for species diversity to begin a significant recovery.
Within the past 10,000 years biological diversity has entered a wholly new era. Human activity has had a devastating effect on species diversity, and the rate of human-induced extinctions is accelerating. Half of the bird species of Polynesia have been eliminated through hunting and the destruction of native forests. The list of such biogeographic disasters is extensive.
Because every species is unique and irreplaceable, the loss of biodiversity is the most profound process of environmental change. Its consequences are also the least predictable because the value of the Earth’s species remains largely unstudied and unappreciated; unlike material and cultural wealth, which we understand because they are the substance of our everyday lives, biological wealth is usually taken for granted. This is a serious strategic error, one that will be increasingly regretted as time passes. [br] What is said about material and cultural wealth in the passage?
选项
A、Because we can readily assess their value, we tend to take them for granted.
B、Some of them may have to be sacrificed if we are to protect our biological heritage.
C、They are of less value than biological wealth because they have evolved over a shorter period of time.
D、Their value is more visible and easier to access and appreciate than biological wealth.
答案
D
解析
最后一段第二句的后半部分提到,我们明白物质和文化财富的价值,是因为它们是我们日常生活中的必需品,生物物种的财富却不同,我们常把生物资源当成是理所当然的东西。这句话的隐含义是,生物物种的财富不像物质财富和文化财富那样显而易见,它也不容易接触到,再根据上题的题解可知答案为[D]。
转载请注明原文地址:https://www.tihaiku.com/zcyy/3157016.html
相关试题推荐
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
Nospecieshasdevelopedacloserrelationshipwithhumanitythanthedog,t
随机试题
RainforestCityA)Apatchoftropicalrainforesthas
[originaltext]M:Ohhi,Ann.Howhaveyoubeen?Andhow’syournewapartmentwo
Thespectacularcollapseofsomanybigfinancialfirmsduringthecrisisof
Therelationshipbetweenthehomeandmarketeconomieshasgonethroughtwo
Janeishappyandexcited.Sheisgoingtobemarriedtomorrowanditisone
设计质量有两层意思,首先设计应(),其次设计必须遵守有关的技术标准、规范和规程
需要设置消防排水的是( )。A.仓库 B.生活水泵房 C.扶梯底部 D.
.喉的主要运动神经是:()A.迷走神经 B.喉上神经内支 C.喉返神经
下列关于母乳喂养的叙述,正确的是A.母乳中的酪蛋白多,易于消化吸收 B.目前主
复制或移动工作表使用同一个对话框。()
最新回复
(
0
)