题干

   Dragging a sleigh loaded with enough presents for the world’s children can be no easy skill. But, since ancient times, the Christmas Eve duty has been performed by a team of beloved reindeer.

Soon, however, Santa Claus may have to start looking around for a stronger type of animal, as newresearch shows the species is becoming increasingly puny. A 16-year survey on the arctic Norwegian islands, Svalbard, found the reindeer there have declined in weight by an alarming 12 percent.

The reduction in average body weight is being blamed on global warming. In the research presented lately at a meeting of the British Ecological Society in Liverpool, scientists have explained how upward temperatures are robbing female reindeer of nutrients during important periods of pregnancy.

Snow in Svalbard typically covers the ground for eight months of a year, which, combined with low temperatures, limits grass growth to June and July. But as summer temperatures increase by around 1. 5℃, grass has become more productive, allowing female reindeer to gain more weight by autumn and therefore to have more babies. However, winters have brought with them greater rainfall which freezes when it settles on the snow. Reindeer can often access the poor food sources beneath the snow by clearing it away with their antlers (鹿角) , but they cannot break through the hard ice. As a result, female reindeer are becoming starved, causing them to lose their babies or give birth to the much lighter young.

Despite the findings, reindeer appear to be suffering less from the effect of climate change than some other arctic species. Last week the scientists warned that a third of the world’s polar bears could disappear in the next 40 years.

【小题1】Which of the following can replace the underlined word “puny” in Paragraph 2?
A.strongB.mature
C.heavyD.weak
【小题2】Why do female reindeer become fat in autumn?
A.Because the temperature is getting low.
B.Because they give birth to more babies.
C.Because grass grows well during the period.
D.Because they often break through the hard ice.
【小题3】What can we infer from the text?
A.Climate change has little effect on reindeer.
B.Polar bears suffer more from climate change.
C.Reindeer have no trouble finding food in winter.
D.Polar bears will disappear totally in the near future.
【小题4】What does the text mainly talk about?
A.The Christmas Eve duty will still be carried out by reindeer.
B.Reindeer have decreased in weight owing to global warming.
C.Global warming contributes to more young reindeer.
D.Many arctic species are at the risk of dying out.
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同类题1

How did the sea horse get its name? It's not hard to guess. The top half of this fish looks like a small horse. But looking at the sea horse's tail, you might think "sea monkey" is a better name. Then there's the sea horse's pouch(口袋). "Sea kangaroo" might also be a good name for this fish.
Sea horse live in warm ocean waters all over the world. They keep safe from other fish by hiding in plants and grasses that grow under the sea. They can also change colors to match their surroundings(环境). A sea horse in one place for hours at a time by winding its tail around a plant. It feeds on live food, such as small shrimp(虾). For a fish that doesn't move around much, the sea horse eats a lot-- in just one day, a sea horse can eat 3,000 shrimp!
A sea horse keeps the same mate for its whole life, and it's the male(雄性的) sea horse that gives birth to baby sea horses. How does this happen? Baby sea horse start out as eggs, which come from the female's(雌性的) body. The male carries the eggs in its pouch for about three weeks until they hatch(孵化). Soon after the babies are born, the female gives her mate a new set of eggs.
Sadly, the number of sea horses is becoming smaller. Why is this happening? Some places where sea horses once lived have been filled in to make new land. Also, many sea horses are caught and sold as aquarium(水族馆) fish. This really is not a good idea because most sea horses don't live long in aquarium. The best place for a sea horse is the ocean.
【小题1】The sea horse got its name because of its_______.
A.pouchB.head
C.skinD.tail
【小题2】How does a sea horse keep safe from other fish?
A.It rolls up.B.It runs away quickly.
C.It remains still.D.It hides in plants and grasses.
【小题3】We can learn from the text that sea horses_______.
A.like to move aroundB.feed on small sea animals
C.live in cold ocean watersD.change color with the temperature
【小题4】What does a female sea horse do with her eggs?
A.She carries them around.B.She hides them in sea grasses.
C.She puts them in the male's pouch.D.She hatches them.
【小题5】Why is the number of the sea horses becoming smaller?
A.They grow at a very low speed.
B.Their food is becoming less and less.
C.They are killed by people for food.
D.Their homes are being destroyed.

同类题2

   You probably have a first-aid kit at home for your family—but what about your family pets?You need to be ready if your furry friend faces an emergency at home. What's more,as the weather gets warmer,more pet owners take their pets with them when they leave the house—on vacation,to the park,jogging,hiking and even swimming. That can be fun for you and your pet,but there's a chance that your pet will get hurt there,as well. So,it's important to know some of the basics of first aid for your pet if necessary.

If your pet is exposed to long periods of heat and sunlight,she will be easy to get heat exhaustion(衰竭)or heatstroke. Signs of heat exhaustion are breathless,anxiousness,dry gums and red skin most easily seen on the ears.

If either of these occurs,cool the pet right away and,as always,get her to the vet(兽医).Put the animal in a shaded or air-conditioned area,and wet the body with cool water. Rubbing isopropyl alcohol(异丙醇)on the belly and fanning the area will help drive away the heat. If a pet is suffering from heatstroke,don't try to give her water. Get her to the vet immediately.

If you see an animal that's been hit by a car,or you hit one accidentally,first be cautious of all oncoming traffic before trying to reach the animal. Approach carefully. Even a severely injured animal can bite you.

As someone helps with directing traffic, cover the animal with a blanket or towel. If the animal cannot stand on her own, there's a good chance that there are neck, back or head injuries, so try to gently transfer the animal to a flat surface. Then transport that flat surface to the nearest vet. Picking up or hand-carrying the animal may worsen the injuries.

【小题1】What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.It is dangerous to keep pets outside.
B.It is necessary to prepare for pets' first aid.
C.It is fun to bring pets while you go out.
D.It is possible for pets to run away from home.
【小题2】If a pet suffers from heatstroke, what should you do?
A.Wet her body with cold water.
B.Make her drink some alcohol.
C.Bring her to the vet at once.
D.Freeze her in an air-conditioned area.
【小题3】How can you help an animal injured in an accident?
A.By running to help her immediately.
B.By carrying her in your hands to the vet.
C.By picking her up in a gentle way.
D.By sending her to the vet on a flat surface.
【小题4】The underlined word "transfer" in the last paragraph may mean" ________ ".
A.moveB.trap
C.feedD.drive

同类题3

   Winter begins in the north on December 22nd. People and animals have been doing what they always do to prepare for the colder months. Squirrels (松鼠), for example, have been busy gathering nuts from trees. Well, scientists have been busy gathering information about what the squirrels do with the food they collect.

They examined differences between red squirrels and gray squirrels in the American state of Indiana. The scientists wanted to know how these differences could affect the growth of black walnut (黑胡桃) trees. The black walnut is the nut of choice for both kinds of squirrels. The black walnut tree is also a central part of some hardwood forests.

Rob Swihart of Purdue University did the study with Jake Goheen, a former Purdue student now at the University of New Mexico. The two researchers estimate that several times as many walnuts grow when gathered by gray squirrels as compared to red squirrels. Gray squirrels and red squirrels do not store nuts and seeds in the same way. Gray squirrels bury nuts one at a time in a number of places. But they seldom remember where they buried every nut. So some nuts remain in the ground. Conditions are right for them to develop and grow the following spring. Red squirrels, however, store large groups of nuts above ground. Professor Swihart calls “death traps for seeds”.

Gray squirrels are native to Indiana. But Professor Swihart says their numbers began to decrease as more forests were cut for agriculture. Red squirrels began to spread through the state during the past century.

The researchers say red squirrels are native to forests that stay green all year, unlike walnut trees. They say the cleaning of forest land for agriculture has helped red squirrels invade Indiana. Jake Goheen calls them a sign of an environmental problem more than a cause.

【小题1】The study done by Rob Swihart and Jake Goheen is to ________.
A.find out the living conditions for squirrels
B.learn squirrels’ influence on black walnut trees
C.do something to get rid of squirrels
D.save the forests in the American state of Indiana
【小题2】The difference between gray squirrels and red squirrels mainly lies in ________.
A.the way they gather the walnut
B.the time they have winter sleep
C.the place they have winter sleep
D.the place they store the walnuts
【小题3】When Professor Swihart says “death traps for seeds”, he actually means that ________.
A.red squirrels eat more nuts than gray squirrels
B.gray squirrels and red squirrels will have severe fights
C.nuts above the ground will not develop into plants
D.seeds can be traps for other animals in the forest
【小题4】According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A.The black walnut is equally attractive to both gray and red squirrels.
B.Gray squirrels do more harm to the forest than red squirrels.
C.Red squirrels and gray squirrels have helped the spread of walnut trees.
D.The cleaning of forest land benefits red squirrels directly.

同类题4

   Dogs will do absolutely anything for the people they love,and for one North Carolina dog,that meant _________his own life in order to save his best friend.

This past Saturday morning,a deadly fire _________in an apartment building that left multiple families and their beloved pets _________inside waiting for help to arrive. "My wife got a phone call and it was very  very _________because she had her on the speakerphone and my daughter was very  very _________ and she was screaming that the apartment was on fire,"said Mare Martinez,whose daughter Karina was _________in the apartment when the fire started.

Karina had no _________ that her life was in danger until her dog,a 2-year-old German Shepherd named Riddick,woke her up with his panicked _________."Her dog wouldn't settle down so she called him up on her bed to cuddle(依)him,"Martinez explained." _________,he was still sitting up and __________barking at the wall."

After __________there was a fire,Riddick helped guide Karina to safety. "She went down the landing(楼梯平台)because there were already flames,but the dog got __________and went back up and would not come down,"said Martinez __________,she couldn't get Riddick to come back down and he __________before firefighters could rescue him." He was her best friend,they were __________and he did what he was supposed to do. He __________and took care of her when she was in danger.”

"The great Greenville Fire and Rescue department of the city did us very  very __________.They made this even just a little bit more tolerable,"said Martinez,who was __________when they went into the building and got back Riddick's __________ so they could give him a proper __________.

【小题1】
A.losingB.takingC.riskingD.treasuring
【小题2】
A.turned upB.came upC.broke inD.broke out
【小题3】
A.lostB.trappedC.stayedD.killed
【小题4】
A.in peaceB.in orderC.in chaosD.in surprise
【小题5】
A.delightedB.annoyedC.boredD.sentimental
【小题6】
A.awakeB.sickC.drunkD.asleep
【小题7】
A.ideaB.problemC.wonderD.doubt
【小题8】
A.clawsB.coughsC.barksD.screams
【小题9】
A.BesidesB.OtherwiseC.ThereforeD.However
【小题10】
A.practicedB.keptC.stoppedD.delayed
【小题11】
A.realizingB.predictingC.overlookingD.admitting
【小题12】
A.thrilledB.scaredC.amusedD.embarrassed
【小题13】
A.LuckilyB.EvidentlyC.PossiblyD.Unfortunately
【小题14】
A.passed awayB.worn outC.pulled throughD.turned out
【小题15】
A.childishB.independentC.inseparableD.intelligent
【小题16】
A.orderedB.comfortedC.followedD.warned
【小题17】
A.proudB.upsetC.vainD.puzzled
【小题18】
A.thoughtfulB.refreshedC.thankfulD.cheerful
【小题19】
A.strengthB.lifeC.bodyD.reputation
【小题20】
A.shelterB.appearanceC.burialD.examination