Question

    The Galapagos Islands are in the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of South America. They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth.

Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises go slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Strangely, each of these islands has its own particular kinds of tortoises. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, and each kind is slightly different from the other.

Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises were around these islands. However, all that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived in 1535, crews would seize as many tortoises as they could. They would roll the tortoises onto their backs when they were brought onto the ships. The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews. Almost 100,000 tortoises were carried off in this way.

The tortoises faced other problems, too. Soon after the first ships, settlers arrived, bringing pigs, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats. All of these animals ruined life for the tortoises. Donkeys and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs, dogs and cats ate thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs or even any baby tortoises.

Finally, in the 1950s, scientists decided that something must be done. The first part of their plan was to remove as many cats, dogs and other animals as they could from the islands. Next, they tried to make sure that more baby tortoises would be born; This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year. Perhaps these wonderful animals will not disappear after all.

1.What makes the Galapagos Islands unusual?

A.The biggest islands in the Pacific Ocean.

B.Rocky, lonely spot.

C.The giant tortoises.

D.Many homes for tourists.

2.What can be learned from Paragraph 2?

A.Tortoises weigh a hundred pounds.

B.Tortoises move around very fast.

C.There are different kinds of tortoises.

D.Tortoises are larger than the ones in other places.

3.What did first comers to the island do with tortoises hundreds of years ago?

A.People cooked them as food.

B.Scientists took measures to protect them.

C.Pigs, dogs and cats ate many baby tortoises.

D.Settlers brought other tortoises to the islands.

4.What happened soon after people brought animals to the islands?

A.Tortoise eggs were kept in safe containers.

B.The animals ate the tortoises’ food and eggs.

C.The tortoises continued to wander freely.

D.The tortoises fought against the other animals.

5.What happened to the tortoises because of the scientists’ effort?

A.The tortoises began to disappear gradually.

B.The number of tortoises began to decrease.

C.Scientists took away other animals off the islands.

D.There are more and more giant tortoises on the islands.

Answer

1.C

2.C

3.A

4.B

5.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。太平洋上的一个岛屿曾经有种类多样的海龟，但是因为人们和家畜的到来，它们的数量骤减，因为家畜会吃掉海龟赖以生存的食物和它们的卵。最终，在20世纪50年，由于科学家持续不断的努力，现在海龟的数量在逐年增加。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段的They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth.(他们是一个多岩石的、孤独的地方，但也是世界上最不寻常的地方之一。一个原因是它们是地球上最后一批巨龟的家园)可知，让Galapagos Islands不寻常的是生活在岛上的巨龟。故选C项。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第二段的There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, and each kind is slightly different from the other.(在8个岛屿上有7种不同的巨龟，每一种都与其它种类略有不同)可知Galapagos岛上有不同种类的巨龟。故选C项。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第三段的The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews.(巨龟一旦翻了个，就无法动弹，所以它们只能躺在那里，直到用来做汤和炖菜)可知，第一批到岛上的人把巨龟抓起来并吃掉了。故选A项。

4.细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段的Donkeys and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs, dogs and cats ate thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs or even any baby tortoises.(驴和山羊吃掉了乌龟通常吃的食物，而猪、狗和猫则每年吃掉成千上万的小乌龟。几年之内，很难找到乌龟蛋或者小乌龟了)可知，人们带到岛上的动物吃了乌龟的食物和小乌龟以及乌龟蛋。故选B项。

5.细节理解题。根据文章最后一段的This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year.(这个艰苦、缓慢工作持续至今，由于它，海龟的数量正在逐年增加)可知，由于科学家的努力，岛上海龟的数量越来越多。故选D项。