Question

Birds don’t need lessons in building nests. Fish don’t need coaching to learn how to swim. All animals have instincts. They’re born with natural abilities to do certain things. Wild animals also learn by copying their parents and practicing. And pets learn through training.

But instincts and training aren’t the only keys to animals’ behavior. Scientists say animals’ thoughts and feelings also influence their actions. Animals often make choices, plans, and sensible changes. They can help others and solve problems. Some even make and use tools!

If animals could talk, what would they say about their thoughts and feelings? A gorilla (大猩猩) born in captivity (关在笼子里) has helped answer that question. Koko, a gorilla, was taught to use sign language. She has learned hundreds of words!

Koko once had a pet cat she named All Ball. “Koko love Ball,” she signed. “Soft good cat.” One time, she blamed the cat for biting her by signing “You bad dirty toilet!” When her pet died, Koko cried. “Sad for sleeping cat,” she signed.

Koko calls herself “fine animal gorilla”. She uses sign language to argue, joke, and ask and answer questions.

“Most animals can’t use words to tell us their thoughts,” says Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. “But Koko shows us that animals have their own ideas and feelings.” Dr. Balcombe is a scientist at the Humane Society of the United States. He says there’s even more to discover about animals through field studies. In field studies, people watch animals in their natural environment.

“Scientists who study animals’ natural behaviors learn how animals live and think,” Balcombe says. “That knowledge can help others respect every animal who shares the planet with us.”

1.The underlined word “instincts” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to the ability that ________.

A.animals copy their parents B.animals learn by practicing

C.animals are born with D.animals learn through training

2.The example of Koko shows that ________.

A.an animal likes to have its own pet B.an animal can learn to speak through training

C.an animal has the natural ability to speak D.an animal can speak its mind

3.According to Balcombe, learning how animals live and think can ________.

A.help people care for animals B.teach animals to use words

C.train animals to use tools D.train animals to be cleverer

4.What might be the best title for the passage?

A.Raising animals as pets B.Understanding animals

C.Training animals to speak D.Protecting animals from danger

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

本文是说明文。经过科学家的研究表明，动物们也有思想，但是大多数动物不能用话语来表达，所以通过研究动物们的自然行为可以帮助人们爱好和理解动物。

1.词义猜测题。根据划线词后一句They’re born with natural abilities to do certain things.可知，动物们天生具有做某种事情的能力。因此instinct意为“天生的”。故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据第四段中Koko once had a pet cat she named All Ball. “Koko love Ball,” she signed. “Soft good cat.” One time, she blamed the cat for biting her by signing “You bad dirty toilet!” When her pet died, Koko cried. “Sad for sleeping cat,” she signed.以及“But Koko shows us that animals have their own ideas and feelings.”可知，(大猩猩) Koko的例子说明动物可以表达出内心想法。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段“Scientists who study animals’ natural behaviors learn how animals live and think,” Balcombe says. “That knowledge can help others respect every animal who shares the planet with us.”可知，了解动物们如何生活和思考可以帮助人们尊重动物，爱护动物。故选A。

4.主旨大意题。文章前六段主要讲述对动物行为的一些研究成果，最后一段讲述通过研究动物们的自然行为可以帮助人们照顾动物。“理解动物”概括全文。故选B。