Question

On the island of New Zealand, there is a grasshopper-like species of insect that is found nowhere else on earth. New Zealanders have given it the nickname weta, which is a native Maori word meaning “god of bad looks”. It’s easy to see why anyone would call this insect a bad-looking bug. Most people feel disgusted at the sight of these bulky(笨重的)，slow-moving creatures.

Wetas are natural creatures; they come out of their caves and holes only after dark. A gaint weta can grow to over three inches long and weigh as much as 1.5 ounces. Giant wetas can hop up to two feet at a time. Some of them live in trees, and others live in caves. They are very long-lived for insects, and some adult wetas can live as long as two years. Just like their cousins grasshoppers and crickets, wetas are able to “sing” by rubbing their leg parts together, or against their lower bodies.

Most people probably don’t feel sympathy for these endangered creatures, but they do need protecting. The slow and clumsy wetas have been around on the island since the times of the dinosaurs, and have evolved and survived in an environment where they had no enemies until rats came to the island with European immigrants. Since rats love to hunt and eat wetas, the rat population on the island has grown into a real problem for many of the native species that are unaccustomed to its presence, and poses a serious threat to the native weta population.

1..According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

The weta is a newly discovered insect species.

The Maoris nicknamed themselves “Wetas”.

The Europeans brought wetas to New Zealand.

Wetas are unpleasant to the eye.

2..The strange thing about wetas is that they can produce pleasant sounds by ________.

A. rubbing their body parts

B. moving slowly on the ground

C. hopping up to two feel at a time

D. coming out only at night

3.Which of the following descriptions of wetas is accurate?

A. They are quick in movement.

B. They are decreasing in number.

C. They are very active in the daytime.

D. They have a short lifespan for insects.

4.The underlined word “its” in the last paragraph is the closest in meaning to “_________”.

A. The dinosaur’s B. The weta’s C. The island’s D. The rat’s

5.From which of the following is the passage LEAST likely to be taken?

A. A science magazine. B. A travel guide.

C. A business journal. D. biology textbook.

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.D

5.C

【解析】

試題分析:本文是一篇說明文，介紹了新西蘭島上的一種特殊昆蟲物種。這是一種自恐龍時代就存在的昆蟲，它長相難看，體型龐大笨重，但是它們的天敵是老鼠，由于島上老鼠的猖獗這種物種數量已經逐漸減少，人們應該采取措施去保護這種古老的昆蟲物種。

1. 細節理解題。根據文章首段末句It’s easy to see why anyone would call this insect a bad-looking bug. Most people feel disgusted at the sight of these bulky，slow-moving creatures.可知這種昆蟲很難看，選D。

2. 細節理解題。根據文章第二段中wetas are able to “sing” by rubbing their leg parts together, or against their lower bodies.可知選A。

3. 細節理解題。從文章末段Since rats love to hunt and eat wetas, …… and poses a serious threat to the native weta population.可知這種昆蟲數量在減少，選B。

4. 詞義推斷題。從前句內容the rat population on the island has grown into a real problem可知老鼠的存在威脅到了島上其他的物種，its指老鼠，選D。

5.推理判斷題。文章介紹的是新西蘭島上的一種昆蟲物種，由此判斷這篇文章最不可能出現在商業雜志上，答案選C。

考點：考查生態環境類短文閱讀