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  3. At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns bright red, surrounded by the remains of animals that we

At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns bright red, surrounded by the remains of animals that we

admin2021-01-08  51
问题    At the base of a mountain in Tanzania’s Gregory Rift, Lake Natron burns bright red, surrounded by the remains of animals that were unfortunate enough to fall into the salty water. Bats, swallows and more are chemically preserved in the pose in which they perished, sealed in the deposits of sodium carbonate in the water. The lake’s landscape is bizarre and deadly—and made even more so by the fact that it’s the place where nearly 75 percent of the world’s flamingos(火烈鸟)are born.
   The water is so corrosive that it can burn the skin and eyes of unadapted animals. Flamingos, however, are the only species that actually makes life in the midst of all that death. Once every three or four years, when conditions are right, the lake is covered with the pink birds as they stop flight to breed. Three-quarters of the world’s flamingos fly over from other salt lakes in the Rift Valley and nest on salt-crystal islands that appear when the water is at a specific level—too high and the birds can’t build their nests, too low and predators can move briskly across the lake bed and attack. When the water hits the right level, the baby birds are kept safe from predators by a corrosive ditch.
   "Flamingos have evolved very leathery skin on their legs so they can tolerate the salt water," says David Harper, a professor at the University of Leicester. "Humans cannot, and would die if their legs were exposed for any length of time. " So far this year, water levels have been too high for the flamingos to nest.
   Some fish, too, have had limited success vacationing at the lake as less salty lagoons(泻湖)form on the outer edges from hot springs flowing into Lake Natron. Three species of tilapia(罗非鱼)thrive there part-time. " Fish have a refuge in the streams and can expand into the lagoons when the lake is low and the lagoons are separate," Harper said. "All the lagoons join when the lake is high and fish must retreat to their stream refuges or die. " Otherwise, no fish are able to survive in the naturally toxic lake.
   This unique ecosystem may soon be under pressure. The Tanzanian government has once again started mining the lake for soda ash, used for making chemicals, glass and detergents. Although the planned operation will be located more than 40 miles away,drawing the soda ash in through pipelines, conservationists worry it could still upset the natural water cycle and breeding grounds. For now, though, life prevails—even in a lake that kills almost everything it touches.
What can we learn about Lake Natron?
选项 A、It is simply uninhabitable for most animals.
B、It remains little known to the outside world.
C、It is a breeding ground for a variety of birds.
D、It makes an ideal habitat for lots of predators.
答案A
解析 推理判断题。首段第一句指出，在坦桑尼亚格雷戈瑞裂谷的一座山脚下，纳特龙湖呈现出火焰燃烧般的亮红色，周围都是不幸落人咸水中的动物遗体。由此可知，许多动物在纳特龙湖无法生存。第二段前两句提到，湖水的腐蚀性非常强，以至于它能灼伤无法适应的动物的皮肤和眼睛，而火烈鸟实际上是唯一生活在这整片死亡之地中的物种，这进一步表明纳特龙湖不适合火烈鸟以外的动物栖息，故答案为A)。
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