To many, oysters (牡蛎) are simply a tasty dish or the source of beautiful pearls. But for 15-year-old Demi Johnson from Gulfport, Mississippi, these shellfish are true environmental heroes. “They’re really important,” Demi said. A single oyster can clean up to 190 L of seawater daily by removing algae (海藻) and harmful organisms. Even more impressive, oyster reefs create thriving habitats for fish, crabs, and other marine life while acting as natural barriers against coastal erosion.

Demi discovered oysters’ superpowers through “oyster gardening” — a conservation method where oysters are raised in underwater cages to restore declining populations. Starting in 2022 as a Girl Scouts project, she knew nothing about the process at first. “I was just curious,” she admits. Now, she’s something of an expert. This school year, Demi earned a master oyster gardener certificate after completing a free course run by the Mississippi Oyster Gardening Program (MOGP).

Mississippi’s coastal waters were once full of oysters, but decades of oil spills, hurricanes, and overharvesting caused a dramatic decline. To reverse this, MOGP recruits volunteers to grow oysters. Demi, along with her mom, manages nine cages at Biloxi Bay’s Schooner Pier. Every week, she pulls the cages from the water, one by one. She shakes each cage to remove algae and caked-on mud, then checks for predators (捕食者). Sometimes, she takes her oysters out for inspection. By spring, these oysters will be large enough to transplant to reefs in the Mississippi Sound, where they’ll strengthen ecosystems.

Demi’s efforts have raised over 1,500 oysters. Her passion even caught National Geographic’s attention — last year, she won a $1,000 award for her conservation work and selflessly donated all of it to MOGP. “Her generosity helped us buy tools and baby oysters,” says MOGP leader P.J. Waters.

Through her work, she’s not just rebuilding reefs but proving that teenagers can drive real change. “It’s great to be able to do something that benefits the environment,” she says. “It’s a really good feeling.” 

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1.1. What makes Demi think oysters are very important?

A Their ability to make pearls.

B Their role in feeding sea life.

C Their capacity to clean seawater.

D Their resistance to disasters.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第一段的“A single oyster can clean up to 190 L of seawater daily... while acting as natural barriers against coastal erosion.”可知，牡蛎能净化海水，其礁石能为海洋生物创造栖息地并抵御海岸侵蚀，这使得它们成为环境英雄。故选C。

2.2. What can be inferred about Demi from Paragraph 2?

A She had oyster gardening experience before 2022.

B She first interested in oysters because of family.

C She joined just for Girl Scouts project.

D Her efforts got professional recognition.

解析：选D。推理判断题。根据第二段的“Now, she’s something of an expert... a free course run by the Mississippi Oyster Gardening Program (MOGP).”可推断出，Demi通过努力学习获得了牡蛎养殖大师证书，这表明她的付出得到了专业认可。故选D。

3.3. What’s the main purpose of MOGP?

A To restore oyster populations.

B To sell oysters for money.

C To train marine biologists.

D To study oil spill effects.

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据第三段的“Mississippi’s coastal waters were once full of oysters... To reverse this, MOGP recruits volunteers to grow oysters.”可知，密西西比牡蛎养殖计划的主要目的是扭转牡蛎数量下降的局面，即恢复牡蛎数量。故选A。

4.4. What does Demi’s story suggest?

A Only programs can protect the environment.

B Teenagers can help protect the environment.

C Money is the main motivation for protection.

D Rebuilding reefs fights coastal erosion best.

解析：选B。推理判断题。从最后一段的“Through her work, she’s not just rebuilding reefs but proving that teenagers can drive real change.”以及她养殖1500多只牡蛎、获得奖项并捐赠奖金等行为可推知，Demi的故事表明青少年的贡献能对环境保护产生重大影响。故选B。