12．Dinosaurs ruled the planet for millions of years，and they are generally believed to have gone extinct．But the reality is that modern versions of dinosaurs are all around us．Scientists have been exploring similarities between birds and dinosaurs； and new research shows that these two types of animals are directly linked．
The connections between birds and dinosaurs are explored in a new museum exhibit called Dinosaurs Among Us at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City．
According to Mark Norell，the director of the exhibit and an expert at the museum，it is based on new scientific evidence collected over the last two decades．"I think this is really going to shake up the way people think of dinosaurs"Norell told reporters．"One could argue that we still live in the age of dinosaurs．"
The exhibit includes ancient fossils and lifelike models of dinosaurs of all sizes to show the evolution of dinosaurs into birds．It examines several properties that are shared between the two species，including feathers，complex brains，the shapes．And sizes of eggs，and the ability to fly．Birds today make nests，lay eggs and tend to babies．Fossil research shows that some dinosaurs also made nests and laid eggs．Also，birds have hollow（中空的）bones，which don't weigh much and allow birds to take more air into their lungs．These adaptations help with flight．Some dinosaurs had these properties as well．In addition，the exhibit shows that there are many similarities between the legs，claws； and feet of dinosaurs and birds．
Norell noted that the research behind this exhibit is the result of advanced scientific，techniques； and new technologies．For example researchers used a scanning （掃描） process called computed tomography （CT） to look inside the brains of extinct dinosaurs．It combines with many X-rays to produce a 3D image．"Modern technology tells us more than we thought we could ever know about the connections between dinosaurs and birds，"Norell said．
32．What's the main idea of this text？D
A．Experts．have discovered many dinosaurs'fossils．
B．A new museum has opened for visitors to New York City．
C．Research has been done on the lifestyles of birds and dinosaurs．
D．An exhibit shows the connections between birds and dinosaurs．
33．What does the underlined word"properties"in Paragraph 4 mean？B
A．Advantages．
B．Characters．
C．Changes．
D．Activities．
34．One of the similarities that dinosaurs and birds share lies inB
A．their lungs
B．their light bones
C．the shapes of their nests
D．the number of their eggs
35．What did Mark Norell try to show by mentioning CT？C
A．The importance of the research．
B．What connects dinosaurs and birds．
C．The application of modern technology．
D．How dinosaurs lived millions of years ago．
分析 科學家們一直在探索鳥類和恐龍之間的相似之處，新的研究表明恐龍和鳥類之間存在著很多的相似之處．
解答 32．D 主旨大意題．根據第一段最后一句Scientists have been exploring similarities between birds and dinosaurs； and new research shows that these two types of animals are directly linked．科學家們一直在探索鳥類和恐龍之間的相似之處；而新的研究表明，這兩種動物是直接聯系在一起的．可知本文主要講恐龍與鳥類之間的聯系，所以答案選D．
33．B 猜測詞義題．根據后邊的定語從句對這個詞的解釋that are shared between the two species，including feathers，complex brains，the shapes這兩個物種共有的，包括羽毛，復雜的大腦，形狀．這些都是動物的一些特征，character是名詞"特征"，所以答案選B．
34．B 細節(jié)理解題．根據These adaptations help with flight．Some dinosaurs had these properties as well．In addition，the exhibit shows that there are many similarities between the legs，claws； and feet of dinosaurs and birds．可見恐龍與鳥類不僅在腿、爪子和腳之間有許多相似之處，恐龍也有飛行的特征．birds have hollow（中空的）bones，鳥類的骨頭是中空的，恐龍的骨頭也有這種特征．所以答案選B．
35．C 細節(jié)理解題．根據前一句Norell noted that the research behind this exhibit is the result of advanced scientific，techniques； and new technologies諾雷爾指出，這背后表現出的研究是先進的科學、技術和新技術的結果；所以后文提到CT只是為了證明這項研究運用了先進的科技，所以答案選C．
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