Question

【題目】Beavers(河貍) are a very unique species in the world of nature and wildlife——they are architects. Their dams are fine examples of engineering.

A pair of beavers will build a dam, using branches, mud and stones, across a river. The water held back by the dam flows over the bank on either side of the river, flooding the nearby ground and forming a pond. At some point in the pond the beavers then build their home, which is called a lodge. This consists of a cone-shaped(錐狀的) pipe of branches and sticks of two to six feet in length held together with mud and stones, the top of which projects above the waterline. It serves as a shelter from the bad weather, a safety from enemies and a base for food supplies to be drawn upon in winter.

From an engineering point of view the lodge could hardly be improved. Not only does it contain a central room just above water level, which is accessible only through underwater tunnels, but it also has “walls”, one or more escape tunnels and an air hole at the top, which controls the temperature inside and gives air-conditioning. It is altogether a clever piece of construction, with all modern conveniences. It is, in fact, better protected against the effects of flooding than many human houses.

Trees are essential to beavers. They eat the bark on the upper branches. But they must first fell the trees, using their four front teeth. With these sharp tools, it takes only a few minutes to cut down a tree.

The engineering skill of beavers is to a large extent a result of their ability to use their front paws as hands. A female will carry her young held under her chin(下巴) with her front paws, walking on her hind legs. A similar method is used by all beavers when transporting stones or mud, although they also carry such materials on their broad flat trails. The fore-paws are also used for digging and for dragging heavier pieces of wood.

【1】Which of the following pictures best illustrates the beaver’s lodge?

A. B.

C. D.

【2】Which of the following sentences is Not the reason why trees are important to beavers?

A. They live on the barks on the upper branches of trees.

B. They use trees’ branches to build dams.

C. They build their lodge with the branches.

D. They us branches to transport mud and stones.

【3】The underlined word “fell” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A. move awayB. cut downC. cut upD. move about

【4】This text is mainly about ________.

A. the beaver’s lodge

B. the beaver’s engineering skills

C. the beaver’s dam

D. the beaver’s intelligence

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】B

【4】B

【解析】

試題分析：文章介紹了大自然的建筑師河貍和給人類的啟示。

【1】C 推理判斷題。根據第二段which is called a lodge. This consists of a cone-shaped(錐狀的)pipe of branches and sticks of two to six feet in length held together with mud and stones, the top of which projects above the waterline.可知，這小壩是錐形的，且高出水平線，故選C圖。

【2】D 細節理解題。根據Trees are essential to beavers. They eat the bark on the upper branches. But they must first fell the trees, using their four front teeth. With these sharp tools, it takes only a few minutes to cut down a tree.

可知，河貍吃樹皮，用樹枝搭他們的小屋，而不是用它來運送泥土和石塊，故選D。

【3】B 詞義推測題。根據But they must first fell the trees, using their four front teeth. With these sharp tools, it takes only a few minutes to cut down a tree.可知，河貍通過牙齒把樹砍倒，此處fell意為“cut down”，故選B。

【4】B 主旨大意題。根據The engineering skill of beavers is to a large extent a result of their ability to use their front paws as hands.和整篇文章可知，全文主要講述了河貍的建筑技巧，故答案為B。