Buzz
You are advised to allocate about 20 minutes to Questions 14-26. which are based on Reading Passage 159 below.Eternal Harvest
Over two centuries ago, Russian explorers and fur hunters arrived on the Aleutian Islands, a volcanic chain in the North Pacific Ocean, and discovered a land mass further north. The islands’ indigenous inhabitants referred to this land mass as Aleyska, the 'Great Land'; today, it is known as Alaska.
Alaska, the forty-ninth state to join the United States of America in 1959, encompasses an area equivalent to one-fifth of the contiguous 48 states combined. It shares North America's second-longest river system with Canada and boasts over half of the United States' coastline. These rivers flow into the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, cold waters rich in nutrients that support tens of millions of seabirds and more than 400 species of fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Alaska's commercial fisheries have capitalized on this abundance, becoming some of the largest globally.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Alaska's commercial fisheries landed hundreds of thousands of tonnes of shellfish and herring, and well over a million tonnes of groundfish (such as cod, sole, perch, and pollock) in 2000. The cornerstone of Alaska's fisheries, however, remains salmon. As Susan Ewing notes in The Great Alaska Nature Factbook, salmon flow through Alaska like lifeblood, sustaining the ecosystem and native cultures. The predictable salmon abundance allowed indigenous peoples to thrive, and dying salmon enrich the land, feeding bears, eagles, and replenishing the soil. All five species of Pacific salmon—chinook (king), chum (dog), coho (silver), sockeye (red), and pink (humpback)—spawn in Alaskan waters, with Alaska producing 90% of all commercially caught Pacific salmon in North America. In fact, if Alaska were a country, it would be the world's largest producer of wild salmon. In 2000, commercial catches of Pacific salmon in Alaska exceeded 320,000 tonnes, with a value exceeding $US260 million.
Historically, catches were not always so robust. Between 1940 and 1959, overfishing caused severe declines in salmon populations, leading to Alaska being declared a federal disaster area in 1953. With statehood, Alaska assumed control of its fisheries management, guided by a constitution mandating sustainable management of natural resources. At that time, statewide salmon harvests were around 25 million. Over subsequent decades, average catches steadily increased due to sustainable management policies, with annual harvests during the 1990s frequently exceeding 100 million, and sometimes surpassing 200 million fish.
The key to these increases lies in 'In-Season Abundance-Based Management'. Biologists across Alaska continuously monitor adult fish arriving to spawn. From streamside counting towers, sonar studies, aerial observations, to conversations with fishermen, biologists gather data. The salmon fishing season in Alaska is not predetermined; fishermen have a rough idea when fishing might commence, but any day, field biologists in a specific area can halt fishing activities. This management strategy has allowed Alaskan salmon stocks and fisheries to flourish, in stark contrast to declining salmon populations elsewhere in the United States, which are increasingly endangered.
In 1999, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) commissioned a review of the Alaska salmon fishery. Founded in 1997, MSC certifies fisheries meeting high environmental standards, granting them a label recognizing their environmental responsibility. MSC has set criteria by which commercial fisheries are evaluated. Recognizing the advantages of being identified as environmentally responsible, fisheries approach MSC seeking certification. MSC then assembles a certification committee comprising fisheries experts who gather input from fishermen, biologists, government officials, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations, and others.
During the months leading up to MSC's final decision, some observers doubted whether Alaska's salmon fisheries could ever achieve certification. Across western Alaska, salmon runs unexpectedly collapsed. In the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, chinook and chum runs were likely the weakest since statehood, devastating subsistence communities in the region, which typically have priority over commercial fishing.
The crisis was entirely unforeseen, attributed not to fishing impacts but rather to climatic shifts exacerbated by the El Niño/La Niña phenomena affecting Pacific Ocean temperatures. This culminated in a severe winter where countless salmon eggs froze, jeopardizing the certification process. However, the state responded swiftly by closing all fisheries, including those essential for subsistence.
In September 2000, MSC announced the qualification of Alaska's salmon fisheries for certification. Immediately, seven companies producing Alaska salmon were granted permission to display the MSC logo on their products. The certification is initially valid for five years, subject to annual reviews ensuring continued adherence to required standards.
* spawners: fish thai have released eggs* spawn : release eggs
Questions 14-20Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 159?In boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the informationFALSE if the statement contradicts the informationNOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
14. The inhabitants of the Aleutian islands renamed their islands 4Aleyska\15. Alaska’s fisheries are owned by some of the world’s largest companies.16. Life in Alaska is dependent on salmon.17. Ninety per cent of all Pacific salmon caught are sockeye or pink salmon.18. More than 320,000 tonnes of salmon were caught in Alaska in 2000.19. Between 1940 and 1959, there was a sharp decrease in Alaska’s salmon population.20. During the 1990s, the average number of salmon caught each year was 100 million.
Questions 21-26Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-K. below.Write the correct letter, A-K. in boxes 21-26 on your answer sheet.
21. In Alaska, biologists keep a check on adult fish22. Biologists have the authority23. In-Season Abundance-Based Management has allowed the Alaska salmon fisheries24. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was established25. As a result of the collapse of the salmon runs in 1999, the state decided26. In September 2000, the MSC allowed seven Alaska salmon companies
_________________________________________________A to recognise fisheries that care for the environment.B to be successful.C to slop fish from spawningD to set up environmental protection laws.E to stop people fishing for sport.F to label their products using the MSC logo.G to ensure that fish numbers are sufficient to permit fishing.H to assist the subsistence communities in the region.I to freeze a huge number of salmon eggs.J to deny certification to the Alaska fisheries.K to close down all-fisheries._________________________________________________
Answer:14. FALSE15. NOT GIVEN16. TRUE17. NOT GIVEN18. TRUE19. TRUE20. FALSE21. G22. E23. B24. A25. K26. F
(Sưu tầm)Mytour
