Question

【題目】How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?

In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.

Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces. They are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks (象牙), and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.

Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3-4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders---they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung (糞便) of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage. During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine (尿液) to make them muddy!

As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.

【1】The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “_____”.

A. remains in the African countries

B. drinks 120 liters of water a day

C. manages to live in desert areas

D. eats 150 kilograms of food daily

【2】Desert elephants are called careful feeders because they _____.

A. rarely ruin trees

B. drink only every 3-4 days

C. search for food in large groups

D. protect food sources for their young

【3】The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with _____.

A. stories and explanation

B. facts and descriptions

C. examples and conclusion

D. evidence and argument

【4】What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage?

A. Overheating the earth can be stopped.

B. Not all animal species are so adaptable.

C. The planet will become hotter and hotter.

D. Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】A

【3】B

【4】B

【解析】

試題分析：一個生物怎么能重達(dá)5噸，通常每天服用150公斤的食物和120公升的水在沙漠環(huán)境中生存？在納米比亞的西南非洲國家，和馬里的撒哈拉沙漠進(jìn)一步北部，沙漠象這樣做的。

【1】C考察推斷理解。聯(lián)系上下文，does just that中的that代指第一段中survive in a desert environment“在沙漠環(huán)境中生存”；分析選項(xiàng)，A. remains in the African countries“仍然留存于非洲國家”；B. drinks 120 liters of water a day“每天飲用120升的水”；C. manages to live in desert areas“試圖在沙漠地區(qū)生存”；D. eats 150 kilograms of food daily“每天吃150千克的食物”；答案為C選項(xiàng)。

【2】A考查細(xì)節(jié)理解。根據(jù)第四段中Desert elephants are careful feeders---they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available.沙漠象是細(xì)心的捕食者---它們很少把樹連根拔起，折斷樹枝，從而保持了那些稀有的食物來源。故答案為A選項(xiàng)。

【3】B考查推理判斷。通讀全文，本文第一段提出問題，二、三、四段舉出例子回答問題。分析選項(xiàng)，A. stories and explanation故事和解釋；B. facts and descriptions事實(shí)和描述；C. examples and conclusion例子和結(jié)論；D. evidence and argument證據(jù)和說理；故答案為B選項(xiàng)。

【4】B考查細(xì)節(jié)理解。As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.當(dāng)我們繼續(xù)為我們的脆弱的星球進(jìn)行過熱時，它只能希望其他動物物種能像沙漠中的大象一樣適應(yīng)異常的變化。故B選項(xiàng)Not all animal species are so adaptable.不是所有的物種都能適應(yīng)的。