Sylvia Earle is one of the world's most famous ocean scientists.She loves to go diving（潜水） in the ocean.She has spent a lot of her life both in and under the waves.Earle has led more than a hundred explorations and she set a record for diving in 1，000-metre-deep water on her own.In total，she has spent more than 7，000 hours underwater.
    Earle describes the first time she went to the ocean， "I was three years old and I got knocked over by a wave.The ocean certainly got my attention!It was exciting.And since then，I have been attracted by life in the ocean."
    Now，Earle's job is to focus on developing a worldwide network of areas on the land and in the ocean.This network will protect and support the living systems that are important to the planet.She explains why this is important， "When I first went to the Gulf of Mexico in the 1950s，the sea looked huge and blue.It seemed to be too large and too wild to be destroyed by the action of people.Then，in only several tens of years，the blue wilderness of my childhood disappeared.By the end of the 20th century，about 90 percent of the sharks，whales，and many other large creatures had disappeared from the Gulf.They had been there for millions of years."
    Some people don't understand why the ocean is so important to life on Earth.Earle explains， "The ocean is the foundation of our life support system.The ocean is alive.The living things in the ocean produce O₂ and take up CO₂.If we don't have the ocean，we don't have a planet that works."
    The Gulf of Mexico has had many problems，especially after the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster（灾难） of 2010，but Earle says， "In 2003 I found good signs in clear，deep water far from the mouth of the Mississippi River.It was full of life.Large areas of the Gulf are not destroyed.Protecting the most important places will be good for the future of the Gulf and for all of us."
（1）Who is Sylvia Earle？

She is one of the world's most famous ocean scientists.

She is one of the world's most famous ocean scientists.

（2）How long has Earle spent underwater in total？

More than 7，000 hours.

More than 7，000 hours.

（3）When did Earle get knocked over by a wave？

When she was three years old.

When she was three years old.

（4）What will Earle's worldwide network do？

It will protect and support the living systems that are important to the planet.

It will protect and support the living systems that are important to the planet.

（5）What do you think of Earle？Why？

She is hardworking and brave.Because she set a record for diving in 1，000-metre-deep water on her own and has spent more than 7，000 hours underwater.

She is hardworking and brave.Because she set a record for diving in 1，000-metre-deep water on her own and has spent more than 7，000 hours underwater.