Question

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.

Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.

Do you know what a territory is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.

If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting(筑巢) season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.

Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.

You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.

1.Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually ________.

A.an expression of happiness B.a way of warning

C.an expression of anger D.a way of greeting

2.What does the underlined word “territory’’ mean?

A.A place where families of other species are not accepted.

B.A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.

C.An area for which birds fight against each other.

D.An area which a bird considers to be its own.

3.Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

A.Because they want to invite more friends.

B.Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.

C.Because they want to find outsiders around.

D.Because their singing helps get rid of their fears.

4.How does the writer explain bird’s singing?

A.By comparing birds with human beings.

B.By reporting experiment results.

C.By describing birds’ daily life.

D.By telling a bird’s story.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了鸟为什么会唱歌，大部分鸟的歌声是一种警告，为了保护自己的领地不被外来者侵犯。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.(它们的叫声实际上是警告其他鸟类不要进入它们的领地)可知，一些科学家认为鸟的唱歌实际上是一种警告。故选B。

2.词义猜测题。根据划线词所在句后的A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims (声称) as its own.(领地是一种动物，通常是雄性宣称拥有自己领土的区域)，由此推知，划线词territory意为“鸟认为属于自己的地方”。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段中This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.(这种尖叫就是我们所说的鸟的歌唱，通常足以让外来者远离)可知，在筑巢的时候鸟的歌唱是为了赶走外来者。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据第一段中After all, you probably sing when you are happy. Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However, they sing most of the time for a very different reason.(毕竟，你可能在高兴的时候唱歌。一些科学家认为，鸟类有时唱歌只是因为它们高兴。然而，它们大多数时候唱歌的原因却大不相同)可知，作者用鸟和人的比较来解释鸟的歌唱的。故选A。