英语听力精选进阶版 13236

Ocean acid may make fish deaf

Report

Spectacular tropical clownfish who live around ocean coral reefs rely heavily on their hearing, say scientists. It helps them find a mate, forage¹ for food, and crucially avoid predators² lurking³ in the depths.

Scientists from the University of Bristol in England bred baby clownfish then exposed different groups of them to different levels of carbon dioxide in the water around them: one at today's levels, and the others at the levels the world's oceans are predicted to reach by 2050 and the year 2100.

They tested their hearing by piping in to each tank the sounds of the coral reef. Those in today's conditions swam away from the noise of predators. Those in the mocked-up waters of the future showed no response, suggesting they couldn't hear.

Scientists say the more carbon dioxide we emit, the more oceans absorb and the more acidic the water becomes, and that has potentially devastating⁴ consequences for fish.

What they don't know though is whether fish will be able to adapt and tolerate the changing waters.

Janet Barrie, BBC

1 forage   

n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻

参考例句：

• They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。
• Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。

2 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 lurking   

潜在

参考例句：

• Why are you lurking around outside my house? 你在我房子外面鬼鬼祟祟的，想干什么？
• There is a suspicious man lurking in the shadows. 有一可疑的人躲在阴暗中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。