Question

    More than half of UK species have suffered declines in recent years and 15 percent are at risk of vanishing (消失), a report has warned. There is little evidence to suggest the rate of loss is slowing down.

Farming is key to what is happening,with more intensive agriculture affecting nearly half of the species studied and responsible for nearly a quarter of the total impact on wildlife. A loss of mixed farms, changes to sowing patterns,increased use of pesticides and fertilizers and a loss of habitat (栖息地）have taken their toll. The report said government farming policies had led to dramatic changes in farming practices,almost doubling wheat and milk yields since the 1970s, but often at the expense of nature by interrupting the food sources and habitats species rely on.

Climate change is also increasingly affecting UK nature although the impacts are mixed with some species spreading north or surviving better in warmer winters, but others are hit by the loss of coastal habitat, increased sea temperature and wilder weather. In the long term, global warming poses one of the greatest threats to nature around the world. Wildlife is also being hit by urban development, loss of town green areas, changes to the way land and forests are managed and over-abstraction (过度抽取)of water.

“The natural world needs our help as never before,” said naturalist and TV presenter David Attenborough. “We must work together, governments, conservationists, businesses and individuals to help it.”

The good news is that the creation of new wetland by conservation programs and the planting of new woodland, as well as wildlife-friendly farming programs, are providing habitats for struggling species. Reintroduction of species such as the pine marten (松貂)and large blue butterflies is also helping, but more needs to be done, the report said.

1.What does the underlined phrase “taken their toll” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A.Cost much money. B.Had bad effects.

C.Changed farming policies. D.Interrupted the food sources.

2.What is the main cause of UK species decrease?

A.The development of agriculture.

B.The over-use of water.

C.The change of climate.

D.The loss of habitats.

3.What does the author intend to tell us in the last sentence?

A.More large blue butterflies are needed in UK.

B.More should be done for the diversity of species.

C.The report sounds the alarm for the UK’s wildlife.

D.Enough measures have been taken to protect the natural world.

4.Where is this text most likely from?

A.A poster. B.A brochure.

C.A magazine. D.A notice.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.B

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。一项报道称，近年来由于精耕农业的发展、全球变暖等原因，英国一半以上的物种数量在下降，其中15%处于消失的危险。

1.

短语猜测题。由第二段中的“Farming is key to what is happening, with more intensive agriculture affecting nearly half of the species studied and responsible for nearly a quarter of the total impact on wildlife. A loss of mixed farms, changes to sowing patterns,increased use of pesticides and fertilizers and a loss of habitat (栖息地）have taken their toll.”（农业是所发生的一切的关键，更加集约化的农业影响了近一半的研究物种，对野生动物造成的影响占总影响的近四分之一。混合农场的消失、播种模式的改变、杀虫剂和化肥的使用量增加以及栖息地的丧失，都造成了损失。），可知画线短语的四个并列主语“A loss of mixed farms, changes to sowing patterns，in- creased use of pesticides and fertilizers and a loss of habitat”都表示的是农业发展消极的方面，再根据第一句话中的信息词 “affecting”和“impact”可判断画线短语意为产生恶果。故选B项。

2.

细节理解题。由第二段的第一句话“Farming is key to what is happening,with more intensive agriculture affecting nearly half of the species studied and responsible for nearly a quarter of the total impact on wildlife.”（农业是所发生的一切的关键，更加集约化的农业影响了近一半的研究物种，对野生动物造成的影响占总影响的近四分之一。），可知农业是物种减少的主要原因，B、C、D三项也是物种减少的原因，但不是关键因素。故选A项。

3.

推理判断题。由最后一段尾句“Reintroduction of species such as the pine marten (松貂 ） and large blue butterflies is also helping, but more needs to be done, the report said. ”（报告说，重新引入诸如松貂和大型蓝色蝴蝶等物种也有帮助，但还需要做更多的工作。）， 可推断出为了使物种多样化，我们还需要采取更多的措施；A项曲解文意，句中more指代更多的措施，不是指代更多的蓝蝴蝶；C项答非所问，不是本句所表达的意思；D项颠倒是非，与文中句意表达相反。故选B项。

4.

推理判断题。由第一段“More than half of UK species have suffered declines in recent years and 15 per cent are at risk of vanishing (消失），a report has warned.”（一份报告警告说，近几年来，超过一半的英国物种遭受了衰退，15%的物种面临灭绝的风险。）和最后一段尾句“Reintroduction of species such as the pine marten (松貂 ） and large blue butterflies is also helping, but more needs to be done, the report said. ”（报告说，重新引入诸如松貂和大型蓝色蝴蝶等物种也有帮助，但还需要做更多的工作。），可知本文的话题“物种减少”，是一篇有关自然环境的报道；从全文内容看，第一段提出了物种减少的现状，二、三段分析物种减少的原因，四、五段描述了采取的有力措施。综合判断，这篇文章最有可能出现在科普杂志上。故选C项。