Southern California’s Catalina Island is a popular destination for nature lovers. It is reachable by boat from Los Angeles and San Diego. Most of the small island is a government-protected wild area. But, a report last October in the Los Angeles Times newspaper raised public concern about the water surrounding Catalina. The newspaper discovered that industrial companies for years had been dumping (倾倒) the insect poison DDT into the ocean near Catalina. The practice began in the 1940s and ended in the 1970s.
The newspaper report led to a search and study of the area by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego (UCSD). The research team discovered about 25,000 large containers, below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. The scientists suspected the containers held DDT, and other chemicals used to make the poison.
Eric Terrill, who led the Scripps program that worked on the project, said the finding was a surprise as the containers were spread over a very large area. The Scripps examination also showed the companies responsible for the chemical dump disobeyed rules about where to place the containers.
The researchers mapped about 15,000 hectares of ocean floor where past studies had shown evidence of poisonous chemicals. The area lies between coastal Los Angeles and Catalina. “The long-term effect on ocean life and humans is still unknown, and needs extensive study,” said Lihini Aluwihare, a member of the Scripps program. But, in 2015,she co-wrote another study that found high amounts of DDT and other chemicals in the fat of bottle nose dolphins. Aluwihare said some studies among small groups showed that DDT-linked health problems have been passed from parents to children.
【小题1】What can we know about Catalina Island?| A．It’s the smallest island off Los Angeles. | B．Various chemical plants are still there. |
| C．No man has ever set foot on the island. | D．It’s a good option to explore nature. |
| A．It’s an illegal activity. | B．It lasted half a century. |
| C．It’s caused by an accident. | D．It poses no effect on wildlife. |
| A．Many dolphins were poisoned to death. | B．Further research should be conducted. |
| C．Her previous study was a great success. | D．Parents tended to get recovered soon. |
| A．How to Respond to Water Pollution | B．What to Be Done to Save Ocean Life |
| C．Shocking DDT Dump Around Catalina | D．Breathtaking Views in Southern California |
