A
Indonesia has said the country would be removing its capital city, in part because it's sinking into the Java Sea. Jakarta is one of the fastest sinking cities in the world, according to the World Economic Forum, due to rising sea levels and the over-extraction of groundwater. But it isn't the only city in trouble. Here's a look at some others that are also at risk.
Houston
Houston has been sinking for decades and, like Jakarta, the over-extraction of groundwater is partly to blame.
The Houston Chronicle reported that parts of Harris County, which contains Houston, have sunk between 10 and 12 feet (about 3 meters), since the 1920s, according to data from the US Geological Survey. Areas have continued to fall as much as 2 inches per year, an amount that can quickly add up.
Lawmakers have tried to address the issue, creating a special purpose district meant to regulate the withdrawal of groundwater in 1975. But the problem has persisted, with privately owned wells and water suppliers continuing to pull from aquifers (蓄水层).
Lagos
The city of Lagos sits on the coast of Nigeria, constructed partly on the mainland, partly on some nearby islands. It's also Africa's most populous city. Its geography makes Lagos especially easily flooded, and the coastline has already been eroding. As sea levels rise due to global warming, the city is increasingly at risk.
One study from 2012 revealed that, because Nigeria's coastline is so low, a sea level rise of just 3 to 9 feet (about 1 to 3 meters) "will have a catastrophic effect on the human activities in these regions."
Washington
Washington is one of the most important cities in the US — and it's also sinking. Research from 2015 showed that America's capital will drop more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) in the next 100 years.
But unlike Jakarta, Washington's sinking has nothing to do with aquifers or rising sea levels — it's actually because of an ice sheet from the last ice age. A mile-high ice sheet pushed land beneath the Chesapeake Bay upward. When the ice sheet melted, thousands of years ago, the land settled back down. The researchers now believe that the area is gradually sinking, a process that could last thousands of years.
1. What is the common reason for the sinking between Houston and Jakarta?
A. the soft land B. rising sea level
C. the eroding coastline D. over-extraction of groundwater
2. What does the writer’s attitude towards the result of Huston lawmakers addressing the sinking problems?
A. positive B. indifferent
C. unknown D. negative
3. Which of the following sinking cities has a striking different reason with others?
A. Houston B. Lagos
C. Washington D. Jakarta
【答案】1. D 2. D 3. C
【解析】
这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了根据世界经济论坛的数据，由于海平面上升和地下水过度开采，雅加达是全球下沉速度最快的城市之一。但它并不是唯一陷入困境的城市，文章还说明了Houston、Lagos以及Washington三个城市下沉的原因。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据Houston部分中Houston has been sinking for decades and, like Jakarta, the over-extraction of groundwater is partly to blame.可知，数十年来，休斯顿一直在下沉，与雅加达一样，地下水的过度开采也是部分原因。由此可知，休斯顿和雅加达之间下沉的共同原因是地下水过度开采。故选D。
【2题详解】
推理判断题。根据Houston部分中 But the problem has persisted, with privately owned wells and water suppliers continuing to pull from aquifers (蓄水层).可知，但问题依然存在，私人拥有的水井和供水商继续从含水层抽水。由此可推知，作者对休斯顿立法者解决下沉问题的结果持反对态度。故选D。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。根据Washington部分中But unlike Jakarta, Washington's sinking has nothing to do with aquifers or rising sea levels — it's actually because of an ice sheet from the last ice age.可知，但与雅加达不同的是，华盛顿的下沉与含水层或海平面上升没有任何关系——事实上，这是由于上个冰河时代形成的冰原。由此可知，华盛顿的下沉原因与其他城市明显不同。故选C。
