Question

The next time you take medicine when you’re ill, you may eat a cone snail(芋螺). At least that’s what some scientists are hoping. Scientists have found that cone snails can help with backache, as well as toothache and other body problems.

There are over 600 different kinds of cone snails. This family is especially found in warm and hot waters in the oceans. They catch and eat small fish and even other cone snails. The snails have venom that they’ll give out and use to kill small animals they have caught because cone snails are slow-moving. Sometimes the venom can even kill people. But some scientists have discovered that the venom can also be used as medicine.

The shells of cone snils are often brightly colored, and have interesting shapes, many people think the shells are so beautiful that people kill them, collect lots of shells, and sell them around the world. The environment is also very dangerous for them because of fishing and boating.

Scientists want to help save the cone snails. They hope to make new rules to stop them from dying. If they die out, scientists may never discover what kinds of medicines they can give us.

1.We can find a cone snail in ________ .

A. a warm river      B. in a hot ocean

C. a cold ocean      D. a lake

2.What does the underline(下划线) word “venom” mean in the second paragraph ? ________.

A. 盔甲         B. 毒液           C. 螺纹        D.鳞片

3.People kill the cone snails in order to ________ .

A. sell their shells             B. study their venom

C. save the environment           D. kill animals

4. The best title of the passage may be ________ .

A. A Special Medicine             B. Great Venom

C. Cone Snails                    D. Saving the Cone Snails

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文介绍的是芋螺的生存环境和用途，芋螺可以当药材，科学家们希望帮着拯救锥蜗牛。

1.B细节理解题。根据There are over 600 different kinds of cone snails. This family is especially found in warm and hot waters in the oceans.可知我们可以在温暖的海水中找到那些锥蜗牛。故选B。

2.B翻译题。根据The snails have venom that they’ll give out and use to kill small animals they have caught because cone snails are slow-moving. Sometimes the venom can even kill people.句意：蜗牛的毒液，他可以用来杀死被捕捉来的小动物因为锥形蜗牛速度缓慢。有时毒液甚至可以杀死人。故应该选B。

3.A 细节理解题。根据The shells of cone snils are often brightly colored, and have interesting shapes, many people think the shells are so beautiful that people kill them, collect lots of shells, and sell them around the world.可知锥壳常有鲜艳的颜色，和有趣的形状，许多人认为贝壳是如此美丽，因此他们杀死他们，收集了很多贝壳，行销全世界。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。因为短文介绍的是芋螺的生存环境和用途，故选C。

考点：考查社会现象类阅读。