A
A full moon is appearing—and it will have a big impact on animals, especially those in the ocean.
Recent studies show that many types of animals have biological clocks finely tuned to the cycles of the moon, which drives interesting and sometimes strange patterns of behavior.
Besides discovering hidden aspects of animal life, the research also has intention of better understanding the circadian clocks(生物钟) present in all animals, including humans.
The first circadian clocks evolved in the oceans, so studying them in ocean animals can tell us a lot about how they evolved and how they work and interact with each other, explains Kim Last, a researcher at the Scottish Association for Marine Science.
Oysters(牡蛎), which open their shells to eat and spawn, also have a lunar rhythm, a new study shows.
In a recent experiment, French researchers carefully monitored how widely a dozen oysters opened their shells during a 3. 5-month period. The team used a high-tech device that quantified the valve opening every two seconds, as described in a paper published in the journal Biology Letters.
They found that two types of oysters in Arcachon Bay in southwestern France were significantly more open during new moons and more closed when the moon was full. In addition, the oysters could tell the difference between the first quarter moon and the third quarter moon, and were significantly more open (by nearly 20 percent) at the latter.
It’s unknown why the oysters do this, though it could be due to more algae(海藻) or other food being available during the new moon and as the year progresses, says study leader Damien Tran, a researcher at the University of Bordeaux.
The lunar cycle could influence food availability by its impact on the tides and thus the ocean’s currents. When the moon is full or new, it is directly in line with Earth and the sun, forcing a strong pull on the ocean and thus causing more noticeable tides, explains David Wilcockson, a ocean biologist at Aberystwyth University in Wales who wasn’t part of the study.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲了月亮会对动物, 尤其是海洋动物产生巨大的影响。
1. Where did the earliest life forms probably evolve?
A. In the tides. B. In the oysters.
C. In the moon. D. In the ocean.
【解析】选D。细节理解题。根据第四段可知, 苏格兰海洋科学协会的研究员金·拉斯特解释说, 最早的生物钟是在海洋中进化而来的, 所以在海洋动物身上研究生物钟可以告诉我们很多关于它们是如何进化的, 以及它们是如何工作和相互作用的。由此可知, 最早的生命形式可能是在海洋里进化而来的, 故选D。
2. Based on the observations, what is the likely order of when the oysters are most open and most closed?
①The new moon ②The full moon
③The first quarter ④The third quarter
A. ①-②-③-④ B. ①-②-④-③
C. ①-④-③-② D. ①-③-④-②
【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据倒数第三段可知, 在法国西南部的阿卡雄湾, 两种牡蛎在新月期间明显更开放, 而在满月时则更封闭。此外, 牡蛎可以分辨出四分之一月和四分之三月, 而在四分之三月时, 牡蛎明显更开放(近20%)。由此可知, 根据观察, 牡蛎最开放和最封闭的可能顺序是: 新月——四分之三月——四分之一月——满月, 故选C。
3. What is it that leads to the huge tides?
A. A strong pull. B. A straight line.
C. The lunar cycle. D. The ocean’s current.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据最后一段When the moon is full or new, it is directly in line with Earth and the sun, forcing a strong pull on the ocean and thus causing more noticeable tides(当月亮是满月或新月时, 它直接与地球和太阳在一条直线上, 迫使海洋产生强大的拉力, 从而引起更明显的潮汐。)由此可知, 强大的拉力导致了巨大的潮汐, 故选A。
4. Why are oysters mentioned as an example?
A. To explain why they open their shells.
B. To further stress the moon’s impact on animals.
C. To show the difficulty of science experiments.
D. To introduce how the high-tech device is used in experiments.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据第一段A full moon is appearing—and it will have a big impact on animals, especially those in the ocean. (满月正在出现, 它将对动物, 尤其是海洋动物产生巨大的影响。)由此推断出, 作者以牡蛎为例, 是为了进一步强调月亮对动物的影响, 故选B。
【知识拓展】佳词积累
1. impact n. 效果, 影响
2. pattern n. 模式, 图样, 样品
3. intention n. 目的, 意图
4. monitor n. 班长, 监视器 v. 监控, 监听
5. device n. 装置
6. available adj. 可获得的; 可找到的; 有空的
7. current n. 洋流, 电流 adj. 目前的
8. noticeable adj. 显著的, 明显的
