“It is awe-inspiring to know that so much of what we see has not yet been described,” says Patricia Hendricks, who took part in the expedition. That is a trip with a specific goal. “The reef is truly a beautiful place with so many mysteries.”

　　Scientists wanted to get a closer look at some of the underwater cities’ lesser-known residents — soft coral. Using netted bags and their hands, the scientists searched the reefs. They found about 130 types of soft coral that may be new species. A lot is known about hard coral, but soft coral is more of a mystery. The creatures are very diverse, or varied. Some are shaped like bushes or fans. Others are whips that twist with the currents. They grow in a rainbow of colors. Despite the variety, some types of soft coral look very similar to one another. “This makes them a challenge to study, and so very little is known about them,” Hendricks told WR News. She and other researchers took samples of the soft coral. The scientists also zeroed in on what was living in and around the coral. They hope to identify the new species.

　　The reef research isn’t done yet. The scientists plan to return to the same three spots annually for the next six years. They left 36 plastic “houses” stuck to the ocean floor. The scientists hope some of the coral reefs’ residents will move into the houses over time. That will make it easier for scientists to study the creatures on future trips.

【浙江省2016高考英语二轮复习 专题训练 阅读理解（23）】相关文章：

★ 湖南省长沙县实验中学2016届高三英语二轮复习书面表达复习重点话题指导专题22 自然灾害话题指导（学生版）

★ 【人教版】2014届高考英语一轮复习指导考点针对练：必修3 unit2《Healthy eating》

★ 湖南省汝城二中2014届高考英语一轮复习阅读训练 (41)

★ 【优化方案】2017届高考英语二轮复习全国卷Ⅱ规范练：1（含解析）

★ 【人教版】2014届高考英语一轮复习指导考点针对练：必修3 unit4《Astronomy》

★ 2017届高考英语二轮复习大题冲关秘籍语法填空：考纲解读（含解析）

★ 2017届高考英语二轮复习课时训练：4（含解析）

★ 2014高考英语（新人教版）一轮基础训练（7）A、B卷（附答案或解析）

★ 贵州省贵阳市2014高考英语（新人教版）一轮阅读训练（36）附答案

★ 重庆市2014高考英语阅读理解一轮（精品）训练题（4）附答案