Question

    Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.

Traditional migration paths take birds through countries that are not protecting the places for birds to stop, rest and feed. The scientists studied the migration or flight paths of almost 1,500 species. They decided that 91 percent of them passed through dangerous areas.

The major danger for migratory birds is development. Buildings and pavements have covered the places where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another. One of the scientists who worked on the study says “Many of these important places have been lost to land reclamation (开垦) because of urban, industrial and agricultural land expansion”.

The problem, according to scientists, is that many of these small birds die along their migration paths because they don’t have a safe place to feed and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey. Countries in North Africa, Central Asia and those along the coasts of East Asia are having the most difficult time in protecting land. The scientists say these countries do not have enough areas that are safe for birds. One species that doesn’t exist now is the Eskimo curlew. “Our world gets poorer every time we lose a species,” one of the scientists says.

The researchers say countries need to work together and come up with safe stopping areas for birds that pass through their boundaries. For example, one country might have preserved safe zones for migrating birds. But a neighbor country might not. A bird might die.

One scientist who is not connected with the report tells Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds.

He says small changes, like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of the areas birds would be likely to use, could make a big difference.

1.What mainly caused the disappearing of birds’ habitats ?

A.The decrease of awareness to protect birds. B.Natural disasters.

C.Overuse of land by human beings. D.The rising sea level.

2.What may be the main reason for many birds’ death on the way of migration?

A.Exhaustion and hunger. B.Beast attack on the ground.

C.Hunting of humans. D.The long journey.

3.According to the last two paragraphs, how should we protect the migrating birds?

A.By keeping fewer cats or dogs.

B.By restoring their destroyed habitats.

C.By helping change the birds’ migration paths.

D.By preserving the ecological environments on their migration paths.

4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A.To tell us a huge percentage of bird species are in danger.

B.To analyze the reasons for disappearing of birds’ habitats.

C.To offer some solutions to the problem of birds’ habitats.

D.To call on people to protect the birds’ habitats.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.D

4.D

【解析】

本文为说明文。研究表明，候鸟迁徙的过程中，由于人类过度开发，城市化建设和工农业的发展，使得候鸟的沿途栖息地遭到了严重的破坏，候鸟因为没有栖息的地方而累死、饿死等，这直接导致大量鸟类物种的消失。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.”可知，科学家说，一大部分鸟类正处于危险之中，因为它们的栖息地或家园正在消失。以及第三段“Buildings and pavements have covered the places where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another. One of the scientists who worked on the study says “Many of these important places have been lost to land reclamation (开垦) because of urban, industrial and agricultural land expansion”可知，建筑物和人行道覆盖了鸟类从一个地方迁徙到另一个地方时停下来觅食的地方。从事这项研究的一位科学家说，“由于城市、工业和农业用地的扩张，这些重要的地方中的许多已经被土地复垦所取代”。由此可知，鸟类的鸟类栖息地的消失是因为人类过度使用土地导致而成的。分析选项可知C项（Overuse of land by human beings）符合题意，故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段中的“The problem, according to scientists, is that many of these small birds die along their migration paths because they don’t have a safe place to feed and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey.” 根据科学家的说法，问题是这些小鸟中的许多都是在迁徙途中死去的，因为它们没有一个安全的地方来进食和休息。可知，许多鸟类在迁徙途中死亡的主要原因是迁徙中因为筋疲力尽和饥饿。由此可知A项Exhaustion and hunger（筋疲力尽和饥饿）符合题意，故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“One scientist ...tells Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds.” 以及最后一段“like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of the areas birds would be likely to use, could make a big difference.”文章最后两段说，虽然鸟儿的一些栖息地正在改变，但可以做更多的事让迁徙途经城市地区的鸟类安全。结合最后一段列举的两项举措，比如种植更多的本地植物或者把猫关在鸟类可能使用的区域之外，这可能会产生很大的影响。可推断出，最后两段我们要保护好迁徙的动物，就要保护好迁徙途中的生态环境。故选D。

4.推理判断题。作者写本文的目的就是号召大家一起保护鸟儿的栖息地。文章第一段“Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.”可知，鸟类正处于危险之中，因为它们的栖息地或家园正在消失。从第二段至第四段叙述了鸟儿的栖息地消失的原因及存在的安全隐患。最后三段就如何让鸟儿的栖息地安全提出了建议，各国需要共同努力，为通过其边界的鸟类提供安全的栖息区域。要从小事做起，并号召大家共同努力一起保护鸟儿的栖息地。可知D项（呼吁人们保护鸟类的栖息地）符合题意，故选D。