Question

    Throwing handfuls of bread to birds has long been seen as harmless enough. But in recent years, some scientists have suggested that bread might not do birds’ digestive systems any good, saying that as uneaten food rots down, the water quality worsens and algal blooms can occur. Plus, by encouraging birds to gather in one place, the build-up of droppings may result in outbreaks of disease too. Meanwhile, many cities have signs telling us not to feed pigeons and gulls, which are considered an “annoyance” due to the mess they make, and scattering bread inevitably attracts rats and mice.

It seems that the public has accepted these warnings, and that fewer of us now feed birds this way. In October, a sign went up in a Derbyshire park claiming that the local birds were dying of starvation, and urging visitors to feed them as before. When online posts about the notice went viral, feathers flew as people debated the benefits of handing out bread to birds.

Paul Stancliffe of the British Trust for Ornithology(BTO) points out that there’s insufficient scientific evidence for bread harming birds, adding that, as little research has been done, it could even turn out to be beneficial. ① “We just don’t know,” he says. Although bread is a heavily processed “unnatural” food intended for humans, that alone may be insufficient grounds for not feeding it to birds.

In the 1980s, the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT) carried out a comparative study of different flocks of mute swans, and the birds that consumed the most bread had weaker muscles, implying that a bread-heavy diet might be the cause. “Our official line is that bread is okay for ducks, geese and swans, but only in moderation,” says WWT’s Peter Morris. “However, this advice comes with several other warnings.” ② The first is that it’s best offered in winter, when there is less plant and insect food around. In spring and summer, too much artificial food may not be a good idea, since young birds have to learn how to look after themselves and natural food will contain a wider range of nutrients to help them grow.

“Just like us, birds need a varied diet to stay healthy,” says a spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB). “Although ducks, geese and swans can digest all types of bread, too much can leave them feeling full without giving them all of the important vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need.” ③

When bird feeding first became popular in the UK in the 19^th century, some Victorians encouraged tough love, arguing that such handouts would only make our feathered friends lazy and dependent on welfare. ④ Morris says that there is a theory that wild birds can get “hooked” on easy meals, losing interest in other types of food. Another danger, he says, is that birds fed regularly end up accustomed to humans, placing themselves at greater risk of predation(捕食).

1.How can feeding birds with bread affect our urban life?

A.Birds’ mess can attract many rats and mice.

B.Birds’ gathering in one place disturbs our peace.

C.Bread goes bad and the water quality will suffer.

D.Human beings are likely to be infected with bird flu.

2.If birds rely on a bread-heavy diet, there is a strong possibility that ________.

A.they will become bigger in size with stronger muscles

B.lack of certain nutrients negatively influences their health

C.their digestive system will be damaged by artificial food

D.they would soon choose bread rather than natural food

3.Where does the sentence “Such moralizing sounds old-fashioned nowadays, but may have a grain of truth.” best suit?

A.① B.② C.③ D.④

4.What is the best title for this passage?

A.Is feeding birds a wise choice? B.Why not feed our bird neighbours?

C.Can we treat birds as friends? D.When do birds need our food aid?

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.D

4.A

【解析】

本文为一篇说明文。短文介绍了对于人类喂食鸟类的不同观点。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“But in recent years, some scientists have suggested that bread might not do birds’ digestive systems any good, saying that as uneaten food rots down, the water quality worsens and algal blooms can occur.”可知，当那些没有被吃的面包腐烂了，水质会被污染，藻类水华会发生。故选C项。

2.推理判断题。根据第五段“Although ducks, geese and swans can digest all types of bread, too much can leave them feeling full without giving them all of the important vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need.”(尽管鸭子、鹅和天鹅能消化所有类型的食粮，但过多的食物会让它们感觉饱了，却没有给它们所需的所有重要维生素、矿物质和营养。)由此判断出，如果鸟类依赖大量食粮，很有可能缺乏某些营养会对它们的健康产生负面影响。故选B项。

3.推理判断题。结合前文“When bird feeding first became popular in the UK in the 19th century, some Victorians encouraged tough love, arguing that such handouts would only make our feathered friends lazy and dependent on welfare.”(当喂鸟在19世纪首次在英国流行时，一些维多利亚人鼓励严厉的爱，认为这种施舍只会让我们的羽翼未丰的朋友变得懒惰和依赖。)后文“Morris says that there is a theory that wild birds can get “hooked” on easy meals, losing interest in other types of food. Another danger, he says, is that birds fed regularly end up accustomed to humans, placing themselves at greater risk of predation(捕食).”莫里斯说，有一种理论认为，野生鸟类会对简单的食物“上瘾”，对其他类型的食物失去兴趣。他说，另一个危险是，经常被喂食的鸟类最终会习惯于人类，从而使自己面临更大的被捕食风险。插入的句子意思是“这种说教现在听起来很过时，但可能有一定的道理”，前文的说教看起来老套，后文具体阐释了道理，承上启下，在④处符合。故选D项。

4.主旨大意题。由第一段“But in recent years, some scientists have suggested that bread might not do birds’ digestive systems any good, saying that as uneaten food rots down, the water quality worsens and algal blooms can occur”但近年来，一些科学家认为面包可能对鸟类的消化系统没有任何好处，他们说，随着未食用的食物的腐烂，水质会恶化，藻类会大量繁殖。由第二段“When online posts about the notice went viral, feathers flew as people debated the benefits of handing out bread to birds” 当关于这一通知类的帖子在网上传播时，人们争论着给鸟分发食粮的好处。所以短文的最佳标题是“喂鸟是明智的选择吗？”。故选A项。