Question

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 (扫描) 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.

1.What' s the main idea of this text?

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.

2.What does the underlined word “properties” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A. Advantages.    B. Characters.

C. Changes.    D. Activities.

3.One of the similarities that dinosaurs and birds share lies in________

A. their lungs    B. their light bones

C. the shapes of their nests    D. the number of their eggs

4.What did Mark Norell try to show by mentioning CT?

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.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.B

4.C

【解析】科学家们一直在探索恐龙和鸟类的相似性，新的研究表明这两种生物有可能有直接的相关性。

1.主旨大意题。第一段引出话题，第二段陈述主旨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. 鸟类和恐龙的联系在一个叫做Dinosaurs Among Us的博物馆展览上被探索。下文陈述这两种生物的相似点，可知文章主旨即是一个展示显示了恐龙和鸟类的相似。故选D。

2.词义猜测题。根据划线单词所在的句子It examines several properties that are shared between the two species, including feathers, complex brains, the shapes.它比较了这两种物种共有的几个properties，根据句中列举的properties “羽毛，复杂的大脑，形状”这些都属于这两个物种的特征，故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第四段，通过比较恐龙和鸟类这两个物种，发现它们有很多的相似性，它们都能筑巢，下蛋，此外鸟类有中空的骨头，减少重量并能允许鸟类吸入肺部更多的空气，这些都帮助鸟类飞翔，一些恐龙也有这些特征。故题干所问“恐龙和鸟的其中一个相似性”，可知答案为B（很轻的骨头）。

4.推理判断题。Norell提到的CT技术是作为最后一段第一句Norell noted that the research behind this exhibit is the result of advanced scientific, techniques; and new technologies.（这个展览背后的研究是先进科学技术的结果。）的例子陈述的，可推断Norell提到的CT技术是为了显示现代技术的应用，故选C。