题目内容
Lions are opportunists. They prefer to eat without having to do too much work. When resting in the shade, they are also watching the sky to see what is flying by, and even in the heat of the day they will suddenly start up and run a mile across the plains to find out what is going on. If another animal has made a kill, they will drive it off and take the dill for themselves. A grown lion can easily eat 60 pounds of meat at a single feeding. Often they eat until it seems painful for them to lie down.
The lionesses (母狮) , being thinner and faster, are better hunters (猎手) than the males (雄狮). But the males don’t mind. After the kill they move in and take the rest share.
Most kills are made at night or just before daybreak. We have seen many, many daylight attempts but only ten kills. Roughly, It’s about twenty daytime attempts for one kill.
When lions are hiding for an attack by a water hole, they wait patiently and can change at any second. The kill is the exciting moment in the day-to-day life of the lion, since these great animals spend most of their time, about 20 hours a day, sleeping and resting.
Lions are social cats, and when they are having a rest, they love to touch each other. After drinking at a water hole, a lioness rests her head on another’s back. When walking, young lions often touch faces with older ones, an act of close ties among members of the group.
1.By describing lions as “opportunists” in the first paragraph, the author means to say that lions .
A. are cruel animals B. are clever animals
C. like to take advantage of other animals D. like to take every chance to eat
2.According to the text, which of the following is true?
A. Lions make most kills in the daytime.
B. Males care more about eating than active killing.
C. Lions are curious about things happening around them.
D. It doesn’t take lions too much time to make a kill.
3.How can we know that lions are social animals?
A. They depend on each other. B. They look after each other well.
C. They readily share what they have. D. They enjoy each other’s company.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A. Powerful Lions B. Lions at Work and Play
C. Lions, Social Cats D. Lions, Skilled Hunters
1.C
【解析】答案为Lions are opportunists 为本段的topic sentence, 所以答案在后面的解释性语句中。If another animal has made a kill, they will drive it off and take the dill for themselves,
【考点】词义猜测题
2.B
【解析】从第二段的文字可以找到答案,The lionesses (母狮) , being thinner and faster, are better hunters (猎手) than the males (雄狮). But the males don’t mind. After the kill they move in and take the rest share.
【考点】细节题
3.D
【解析】Lions are social cats为本段的topic sentence,从后面看出,lions 喜欢彼此做伴。
【考点】归纳推测题
4.B
【解析】涵盖整篇文章
【考点】主旨大意题
At the beginning of the 20th century there were more than a million lions worldwide. Today there are less than 30,000 in the wild. The remaining lions are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, hunting and activities to protect farms and cattle.
For generations, Masai tribesmen on the large African plains in southeastern Kenya have hunted lions — to protect their farms and cattle. Today they celebrate the lions’ life.
Noah is an elder in the Masai community. “We have decided as a community of the Masai to lay down our spears, and there will be no more killing of lions in our community.” He is part of a group of Masai visiting the United States promoting (推广) the Predator Compensation Program.
Conservation International’s Frank Hawkins explains, “The Masai have been living with wildlife for many generations and it has been a conflicting ( 有冲突的) relationship in many ways. They compete with the animals for food as lions eat their cattle. We’re trying to find ways in which the wildlife will become something useful to them.” They had the Predator Compensation Fund founded in 2003. After much discussion, a group of Masai farmers agreed to protect lions. In turn, if lions or other predators kill their cattle, the Masai owner will be paid market value for the dead animals from the fund.
One man said that in the past, when a lion killed cattle, they killed it immediately. And now, after the start of the program, the Masai see the lion population growing. Since 2003, only four lions have been killed here.
【小题1】What is the aim of the Predator Compensation Program?
A.To protect people in the wild. | B.To protect Masai’s farms. |
C.To protect lions only. | D.To protect the wildlife. |
A.Because lions don’t eat their cattle any more. |
B.Because they will be fined if they kill lions there. |
C.Because the fund will pay for dead animals killed by lions |
D.Because there are less than 30,000 lions in the wild now. |
A.Wise. | B.Mean. | C.Generous. | D.Stupid. |
Kenya is losing an average of 100 of its 2,000 lions each year because of growing human settlements, increasing farming, climate change and diseases, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
“Lions have a special place in Kenyans’ life,” said Paul Udoto, a spokesman for the organization. “Other than being the symbol of national strength, they are among the Big Five, a main attraction for visitors to Kenya.”
There were 2,749 lions in Kenya in 2002 and their population dropped to 2,280 by 2004 and to about 2,000 today, according to KWS figures.
“The fall of the lion population is worrying and every effort needs to be made to make sure that Kenya either protects its population of 2,000 lions at present or increases the numbers to an ecologically (生态上地) acceptable level,” said Mr. Udoto.
“There is no doubt that the numbers are in free fall. I’d be surprised if they even last as long as 20 years,” said Laurence Frank, project director of Living With Lions, a Kenya-based animal protection organization. “When I first came here 30 years ago, I would always hear lions roaring across the land at night and see their tracks in the morning. Now that is very rare.”
“The reason is simple. As the numbers of people grow and the numbers of cows increase, they take up much of the lion’s space. Alongside that there are other ways, including poisoning, to kill lions.”
Animal lovers are making a new strategy to save the animals. Part of the measures will include tracking lions fitted with radio collars (无线电项圈) in the Amboseli area in southern Kenya, close to the border with Tanzania.
Wildlife officials in Tanzania face similar challenges in protecting their lions, but there is far less human encroachment(侵犯) on the animals’ homeland there than in Kenya.
【小题1】The lion population is falling in Kenya for the following reasons EXCEPT __________.
A.climate change | B.too many visitors | C.disease | D.human activities |
A.the importance of lions in Kenya |
B.the tourist attractions in Kenya |
C.Kenyan’s special lifestyle |
D.Kenya’s national symbol |
A.lions are losing their attraction for visitors to Kenya |
B.the lion population will be controlled from now on |
C.lions will disappear within twenty years in Kenya if not protected |
D.more cows are needed to feed lions in Kenya |
A.Kenya is losing its Big Five. |
B.Kenyan wildlife is in danger. |
C.Lions face extinction in Kenya. |
D.Lions’ place in Kenyans’ life is falling. |
A.Lions’ past living condition in Kenya. |
B.Ways of improving lions’ condition. |
C.Radio collars tracing lions. |
D.Lions’ present living condition in Tanzania |