Of course, like every other environmental issue today, this is playing out against the background of global warming and human interference with natural ecosystems. The narrow strips of beach on which the turtles lay their eggs are being squeezed on one side by development and on the other by the threat of rising sea levels as the oceans warm. Ultimately we must get a handle on those issues as well, or a creature that outlived the dinosaurs (恐龙) will meet its end at the hands of humans, leaving our descendants to wonder how creature so ugly could have won so much affection.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

　　52. We can learn from the first paragraph that ________.

　　A．human activities have changed the way turtles survive

　　B．efforts have been made to protect turtles from dying out

　　C．government bureaucracy has contributed to turtles’ extinction

　　D．marine biologists are looking for the secret of turtles’ reproduction

　　53. What does the author mean by “Nature is indifferent to human notions of fairness” (Line 1, Para. 2)?

　　A．Nature is quite fair regarding the survival of turtles.

　　B．Turtles are by nature indifferent to human activities.

　　C．The course of nature will not be changed by human interference.

　　D．The turtle population has decreased in spite of human protection.

　　54. What constitutes a major threat to the survival of turtles according to Elizabeth Griffin?

　　A．Their inadequate food supply.

　　B．Unregulated commercial fishing.

　　C．Their lower reproductively ability.

　　D．Contamination of sea water

　　55. How does global warming affect the survival of turtles?

　　A．It threatens the sandy beaches on which they lay eggs.

　　B．The changing climate makes it difficult for their eggs to hatch.

　　C．The rising sea levels make it harder for their hatchlings to grow.

　　D．It takes them longer to adapt to the high beach temperature.

　　56. The last sentence of the passage is meant to ________.