Question

【題目】

The British summer is beautiful. Trees, flowers, birds and butterflies make the whole country look like a big garden. However, many British people have noticed that butterflies have been gradually disappearing from this nice scenery during the past several years. What has happened to them?

Butterfly Conservation, a charity in the UK, is running a survey to help answer this question. The result is more serious than people expected. According to the survey, among 59 butterfly species (物種) found in the British Isles, more than three-quarters of them are suffering a declining (衰弱) population, including the most popular Meadow Brown. Moreover, half of all butterfly species are dying out.

Some common species such as the small Tortoiseshell butterfly and the Wall butterfly are dropping sharply. The Wall butterfly cannot even be seen in many parts of central and southern England. And the Blue butterfly, which was commonly seen in the south, has started settling in Edinburgh in the past few years.

The numbers of butterflies have dropped to a record low in the past three years because the summer in the UK is getting cooler and their living conditions are also degrading.

Luckily, Britain is experiencing a long hot summer this year compared to the last few summers. Scientists believe the warm weather will be good news to the butterflies.

Sir David Attenborough, president of Butterfly Conservation, said, “A great number of butterflies around us is a signal that all is well with nature. But when they decline, it’s a warning that other wildlife will be soon heading the same way.”

The survey is still going on. The public is also encouraged to focus on the UK’s butterfly population. The organizers hope the survey will help more and more people realize the value of butterflies in the UK. Butterflies give a symbol of the well-being of nature and the environment.

【1】What has the survey taken by Butterfly Conservation found?

A. The UK butterflies enjoy a cool climate.

B. The UK butterflies prefer settling in the north.

C. The number of the UK butterflies is getting smaller.

D. Butterflies make the British summer more attractive.

【2】How does the writer support the findings of the survey in Paragraph 3?

A. By listing examples (舉例子). B. By providing data (列數(shù)據(jù)).

C. By giving explanations (作解釋). D. By making comments (作評價).

【3】What does the underlined word “degrading” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A. Turning better. B. Getting worse.

C. Keeping the same. D. Becoming different.

【4】Butterfly Conservation expects their survey to ______.

A. warn people to care more about the change of weather

B. keep the charity running more smoothly than ever before

C. help the British government protect nature and the environment

D. help the British better understand how important the butterflies are

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】A

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】試題文章講述的是英國蝴蝶數(shù)量的下降，并對其原因進行了分析。

【1】根據(jù)第二段的描述可知，英國蝴蝶保護委員會調(diào)查結(jié)果是“蝴蝶的數(shù)量越來越少”。故選：C。

【2】根據(jù)第三段 Some common species such as the small Tortoiseshell butterfly and the Wall butterfly are dropping sharply.等具體事例可知，作者通過舉例支持調(diào)查結(jié)果。故選：A。

【3】根據(jù)前文“在過去的三年里，蝴蝶的數(shù)量已經(jīng)降到了歷史最低點，因為英國的夏天越來越冷，而且它們的生存條件也變得越來越…”可推知，“Getting worse變得更差”。故選：B。

【4】根據(jù)短文最后一段可知，蝴蝶保護組織希望他們的調(diào)查能幫助英國人更好地了解蝴蝶的重要性。故選：D。