Question

    Bees and butterflies are active during the daytime. They get a lot of attention for their roles as pollinators(传粉者).But moths(蛾)aren't given the prominence they deserve.

Actually, moths are seen much less often, because they're active at night. Moth bodies often seem furry. Pollen—a yellow powder in the center of most flowers, from one flower sticks to their bodies and falls off when they move to other flowers. Scientists studied insects around nine ponds on farmlands in the United Kingdom. They visited these ponds once a month from March to October.

They studied three groups of insects: moths, bees that normally work together, like honey bees, and flying insects which work alone, such as butterflies. At the ponds, the scientists caught these flying insects and died to collect pollen from their bodies. In all, the scientists checked 838 moths, 632 other insects which work alone, and 1,548 honey bees.

By studying the pollen they collected, the scientists were able to see which plants the insects had visited. The moths had pollen from 47 different kinds of plants, including seven plants that bees don't normally visit. The honey bees had pollen from 46 different kinds of plants. The other insects that work alone had visited 45 different kinds of plants. Richard Walton, who led the study, says that bees usually choose the plants with the most nectar(花蜜)and most pollen. However, moths pollinate many different plants, filling in the gaps left by the daytime pollinators.

Not only do moths pollinate plants, they also provide important food for birds and bats.

But, like many other insects, moth numbers have dropped greatly in the last 50 years, mainly because of pesticides and the loss of natural lands. Just like bees and butterflies, moths are worth protecting. "Moths are by no means less important," says Dr. Walton.

1.What does the underlined word probably mean in paragraphl?

A.Praise. B.Chances.

C.Concerns. D.Future.

2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A.Moths and other insects' living habits.

B.Research on insects' spreading pollen.

C.Classification of insects by scientists.

D.The ways in which moths carry pollen.

3.Compared with bees, which best describes moths?

A.They are less choosy. B.They eat less in the daytime.

C.They are more diverse. D.They carry more pollen.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.Moths Pollinate Plants Strangely

B.Moths Are More Vital Than We Think

C.Moths Help Bees to Pollinate Plants

D.Moths Visit Some Flowers Bees Skip

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.A

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。本文主要讲述了和蜜蜂和蝴蝶相比，飞蛾作为授粉者的身份没有受到足够的关注。事实上它们也能为多种植物进行授粉，而且对植物种类不挑剔。它们主要在夜间行动，因此填补了白天授粉者留下的空白。

1.

词义猜测题。根据第一段的They get a lot of attention for their roles as pollinators(传粉者).But moths(蛾)aren't given the prominence they deserve.可知，蜜蜂和蝴蝶因为它们传粉者的身份受到很多关注，但是蛾却没有被给与它们应得的prominence。根据句意，尤其是上文的a lot of attention可猜测划线部分的意思是“关注”。C. Concerns.(关注)符合以上说法，故选C项。

2.

主旨大意题。根据Pollen—a yellow powder in the center of most flowers, from one flower sticks to their bodies and falls off when they move to other flowers. (花粉——大多数花中间的黄色粉末，从一朵花粘在它们的身体上，当它们移动到其它花上时就会掉下来)可知，本段主要了对昆虫授粉方式的研究。B. Research on insects' spreading pollen.(对昆虫授粉的研究)

3.

细节理解题。根据倒数第三段的Richard Walton, who led the study, says that bees usually choose the plants with the most nectar(花蜜)and most pollen. However, moths pollinate many different plants, filling in the gaps left by the daytime pollinators.(研究负责人Richard Walton说蜜蜂通常选择有最多花蜜和花粉的植物。然而，飞蛾为许多不同的植物授粉，填补了白天传粉者留下的空白)可知，和蜜蜂相比飞蛾对植物没有那么挑剔。A. They are less choosy.(它们没有那么挑剔)符合以上说法，故选A项。

4.

主旨大意题。根据文章的主要内容，可知，本文主要讲述了和蜜蜂和蝴蝶相比，飞蛾作为授粉者的身份没有受到足够的关注。事实上它们也能为多种植物进行授粉，而且对植物种类不挑剔。它们主要在夜间行动，因此填补了白天授粉者留下的空白。再结合最后一段的Just like bees and butterflies, moths are worth protecting. "Moths are by no means less important," says Dr. Walton.( 就像蜜蜂和蝴蝶，飞蛾同样值得保护。“飞蛾也是非常重要的”Walton博士说) 可知，B. Moths Are More Vital Than We Think(飞蛾比我们想象中更重要)可以作为本文标题，故选B项。