Question

If you are afraid of the dark，it’s not a big deal．It’s perfectly normal to feel afraid After all，animals do too. “Fear matters，”says Karen Warkentin，an ecologist．“It’s a good thing，” she adds, “because fear makes you do things that keep you alive.”

Like kids，many animals experience fear and they respond to the feeling in variety of ways．A frightened turtle pulls its head and legs inside its shell．A  small fish will swim away when a big，hungry fish approaches．

Some animals respond to fear in ways you might not expect．The first example is that the fear of being eaten can scare some frogs right out of their eggs. Warkentin made the surprising discovery while studying red—eyed tree frogs in Costa Rica.

In this species，female frogs attach jellylike clumps（果冻一样的块状物）of their eggs to the undersides of leaves．The leaves hang on branches that dangle（悬挂）over ponds．After they hatch from the eggs，the tadpoles（蝌蚪）then fall into the water，where they eventually grow into adult frogs.

Tree frog eggs usually grow for 6 days before hatching．If they sense that a hungry snake is about to attack，however，they can hatch up to 2 days ahead of schedule. As the snakes are unable to swim，by falling into the water early，the tadpoles can escape.

If hatching early helps protect red—eyed tree frogs from snakes，you might wonder why their eggs don’t always hatch sooner．It turns out that hatching early brings its own danger．Once tadpoles land in the water，hungry fish and other animals like to eat them too．Staying in their eggs for a full 6 days，then，allows frog embryos（胚胎）to grow big and strong．This extra growth improves their chances of surviving in the water．

1.It can be inferred from the passage that fears      .

A．help animals grow bigger and stronger

B．are less common among young animals

C．help animals move a lot to fit the environment

D．are more or less important in order for animals to survive

2.We are told in the passage that tree frogs        .

A．face danger both inside their eggs and in the water

B．will grow fast if they fall into the water later

C．are surprisingly clever when inside their eggs

D．stay in their eggs longer if they are frightened

3.Why do the tadpoles hatch up to 2 days ahead of the schedule？Because

A．They like falling into the water early

B．They want to grow into adult frog

C． They sense a hungry snake is about to attack

D．Frog embryos can grow strong

4.What is the best title of the passage ？

A．What is Fear                           B．Why do we feel afraid

C．You feel afraid，animals do too             D．Fear is a good thing

5.What do you think would be discussed in the following paragraph?

A．Further explanations as to why tree frogs hatch ahead of schedule．

B．How the unborn frogs know when a snake is about to attack them．

C．Another example of animals that responds to fear in an unexpected way．

D．How tree frogs improve their chances of survival before falling into the water.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.D

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文通过动物逃生的故事告诉我们恐惧有时候是一件好事情，能够让我们远离危险。

1.D 推断题。根据文章第一段1,2行If you are afraid of the dark，it’s not a big deal．It’s perfectly normal to feel afraid After all，animals do too.说明对于动物来说，恐惧也可能让他们原离危险而活下来。故D项正确。

2.A 推理题。根据文章最后一段If hatching early helps protect red—eyed tree frogs from snakes，you might wonder why their eggs don’t always hatch sooner．It turns out that hatching early brings its own danger．Once tadpoles land in the water，hungry fish and other animals like to eat them too．说明陆地上的蛇，水里的鱼都对tree frogs产生威胁，所以说他们面临这来自多方面的危险。故A正确。

3.C 细节题。根据第五段第2行If they sense that a hungry snake is about to attack，however，they can hatch up to 2 days ahead of schedule.说明他们感觉到蛇的危险是这样做的主要原因。故C项正确。

4.D 主旨大意题。根据文章主题段第一段“because fear makes you do things that keep you alive.”和If you are afraid of the dark，it’s not a big deal．It’s perfectly normal to feel afraid After all，animals do too. 说明恐惧有时候是一件好事情。让我们远离危险。故D正确。

5.C 推理题。本文中作者描述tree frogs独特的逃生的方法，那么下一段中应该是讲述另外一种你想象不到的方法，故C正确。

考点：考查科普类短文阅读