Question

    There are more species of beetles than any other form of life. About 380 000 species of beetles are known to exist, and more are discovered all the time. There are several theories about why there are so many beetles, but fossils evidence shows that beetle species die out less than other animals, Beetle species exist in such huge number because beetles are true survivors. They refuse to die out.

One of the reasons beetles survive so well is their body design. Most beetle species have two pairs of wings. The front pair of a beetle’s wings are hard and thick. They are not used for flying. These protect the back set of wings and the beetle’s stomach. Instead, some species of beetles have lost the ability to fly, but they are still equipped with front wings. The wings protect the beetle’s soft parts from harm. These features help protect beetles, which makes them less likely to die out if they are faced with new predators (捕食性动物).

Beetles can also eat a wide range of foods. Beetle species live all over the world, and they have many different types of food available to them. Most beetles are omnivores. That means they eat both plants and animals. Their mixed diets help beetles adapt to many different habitats. Over the course of time, food sources, like certain plants and animals, do not exist anymore. Others spring up. The beetle survives because it can find something to eat, no matter what.

Finally, beetles are good at moving quickly over long distance. Any change in an animal’s environment can be dangerous to it. For example, many species died out during the Ice Age, when Earth’s temperature dropped for a long time. However, some species can avoid dangerous environment changes by moving to a new place. Research shows that beetles respond quickly to shifts in temperature. They can move to safer environments.

Beetles’ bodies and habits help give them an edge over other creatures. They are unlikely to die out. As a result, beetles make up nearly one quarter of all animal species. There are more types of beetles on Earth than there are types of plants. Some types of beetles that exist today were around during the Permian period of history, 284 million years ago. Beetles, clearly, are here to stay.

1.What is important about a beetle’s front wings?

A.They are used to catch the prey.

B.They enable the beetle to fly.

C.They help the beetle move quickly.

D.They protect the soft body parts.

2.How do beetles respond to changes of habitats?

A.They are adaptable to the food change.

B.They can change their body temperature.

C.They are adaptable to the freezing cold weather.

D.They can use their wings to fight against the cold.

3.What is the most probable title of the passage?

A.The Ice Age affected the beetles

B.Different habitats affected the beetles

C.Beetles: the six-legged survivors

D.Beetles: the unique predators

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

【解析】

这是一篇科普类阅读。文章主要讲了在物种的优胜劣汰中，六条腿的甲虫得以幸存的原因。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段The wings protect the beetle’s soft parts from harm.（翅膀保护甲虫的柔软部分不受伤害。）可知，甲虫前翅的重要之处在于它们保护身体柔软的部分。故选D。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段Over the course of time, food sources, like certain plants and animals, do not exist anymore. Others spring up. The beetle survives because it can find something to eat, no matter what.（随着时间的推移，食物来源，如某些植物和动物，不再存在。其它的动植物不断的涌现。甲虫能生存下来是因为它能找到吃的东西，无论什么。）由此推断出，对于栖息地的变化，甲虫能适应食物的变化。故选A。

3.主旨大意题。第一段There are several theories about why there are so many beetles, but fossils evidence shows that beetle species die out less than other animals, Beetle species exist in such huge number because beetles are true survivors.（关于甲虫数量如此之多的原因有多种理论，但化石证据表明，甲虫物种的灭绝比其他动物要少，甲虫物种的大量存在是因为甲虫是真正的幸存者。）是全文的主题句，结合全文内容，可知这篇文章主要讲了在物种的优胜劣汰中，六条腿的甲虫得以幸存的原因。所以这篇文章最好的题目是“甲虫：六条腿的幸存者”，故选C。