Question

Owls(猫头鹰) are some of the world’s greatest hunters. From head to feet, owls’ bodies are built to hunt. Scientists are studying all the things that make owls such great hunters.

Most owls hunt at night. The birds have excellent hearing, which helps them find their next meal in the dark.

Owls have one ear that is larger and set higher than the other. When an owl hears a sound, it listens closely. Is the sound lounder in its right ear or left ear? Does the upper or lower ear detect the sound first? The information helps the owl find the location of its prey without ever seeing it.

Owls don’t depend just on their hearing to hunt. After a sound draws an owl’s attention, it zeroes in with sight.

Many birds have eyes on either side of their heads. But an owl’s eyes face forward, like a person’s. Images from each eye combine to form a 3-D picture, similar to how we see. That helps owls better judge a prey’s size, distance, and speed.

An owl’s eyes are so large that they can gather lots of light. That helps the owl see better when hunting at night. An owl’s eyes are also fixed in their sockets(眼窝). It can’t roll them like we can. Instead, an owl keeps prey in its sight by turning its head.

Owls can move their beads nearly upside down and turn them 270 degrees around. Their necks have 14 vertebrae(椎骨). That’s twice as many neck bones as a person has.

The blood vessels(血管) thread through holes in an owl’s vertebrae. The researchers found that these holes are very large so that the extra space provides an air cushion that protects the vessels.

Detecting prey is only the first step for owls. Next they must catch their meals. An owl can fly inches over your head and you can’t hear anything. The secret to owls’ silent flight is their feathers. Fine “hairs” cover the surface of an owl’s wing feathers. And the feathers’ edges have soft barbs(羽支). Together, they make the sound of air rushing over the owl’s wings quieter and less clear.

1. While hunting at night, owls first get a prey’s information by .

A. seeing the shape B. hearing the sound

C. detecting the smell D. feeling the air move

2.According to text, an owl’s eyes .

A. are small but sharp

B. can function like a person’s

C. are on either side of its head

D. can tell how fast a prey is moving

3.The shortcoming of an owl’s fixed eyes can be made up by its .

A. large head B. strong legs

C. body size D. flexible neck

4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A. How owls find their prey.

B. Why owls can fly noiselessly.

C. The advantages of owls’ hearing

D. The secret of owls’ high-speed flight.

Answer 1

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍的是猫头鹰的生活习性。

1.

信息帮助猫头鹰找到猎物的位置甚至没有看见它。故选B。

2.D细节理解题。根据第四段中an owl’s eyes face forward, like a person’s. 猫头鹰的眼睛朝前，像一个人的；That helps owls better judge a prey’s size, distance, and speed. 帮助猫头鹰更好判断猎物的大小、距离和速度。故选D。

3.D细节理解题。根据第五、六段中的an owl keeps prey in its sight by turning its head.猫头鹰保持在其眼前的猎物,通过转动它的头 ；Their necks have 14 vertebrae(椎骨).它们的颈部有14个椎骨。故选D。

4.

考点：考查说明文阅读