1 .

Wolves have a certain undeserved reputation: fierce, dangerous, good for hunting down deer and farmers’ livestock. However, wolves have a softer, more social side, one that has been embraced by a heart-warming new initiative.

In a bid to save some of Europe’s last wolves, scientists have explored the willingness of these supposedly fierce creatures to help others of their kind. Female wolves, the scientists have discovered, make excellent foster parents to wolf cubs that are not their own. The study, published in Zoo Biology, suggests that captive-bred wolf cubs(幼兽) could be placed with wild wolf families, boosting the wild population.

The gray wolf was once the world’s most widely distributed mammal, but it became extinct as a result of widespread habitat destruction and the deliberate killing of wolves suspected of preying on livestock. Fear and hatred of the wolf have since become culturally rooted, fuelled by myths, fables and stories.

       In Scandinavia, the gray wolf is endangered, the remaining population found by just five animals. As a result, European wolves are severely inbred and have little genetic variability（变异性）, making them vulnerable to threats, such as outbreaks of disease that they can’t adapt to quickly. So Inger Scharis and Mats Amundin of Linkoping University, in Sweden, started Europe’s first gray wolf-fostering program. They worked with wolves kept at seven zoos across Scandinavia. Eight wolf cubs between four and six days old were removed from their natural parents and placed with other wolf packs in other zoos. The foster mothers accepted the new cubs placed in their midst.

The welfare of the foster cubs and the wolves’ natural behavior were monitored using a system of surveillance cameras. The foster cubs had a similar growth rate as their step siblings in the recipient litter, as well as their biological siblings in the source litter. The foster cubs had a better overall survival rate, with 73% surviving until 33 weeks, than their biological siblings left behind, of which 63% survived. That rate of survival is similar to that seen in wild wolf cubs. Scientists believe that wolves can recognize their young, but this study suggests they can only do so once cubs are somewhere between three to seven weeks of age.

If captive-bred cubs can be placed with wild-living families, which already have cubs of a similar age, not only will they have a good chance of survival, but they could help dramatically increase the diversity of the wild population, say the researchers. Just like the wild wolves they would join, these foster cubs would need protection from hunting. Their arrival could help preserve the future of one of nature’s most iconic and polarizing animals.

1. What’s the theme of the passage?

A．Giving wolf cubs a new life	B．Foster wolf parents and foster cubs
C．The fate of wild wolves	D．Changing diversity of wild wolves

2. Which of the following flow chart best demonstrates the relationship between the wolves?

A．	B．
C．	D．

3. Which of the following statements is true?

A．Female wolves are willing to raise wolf cubs of 3 to 7 weeks old.

B．Foster cubs are accepted by foster parents and are well bred.

C．Man’s hostile attitude towards wolves roots in myths, fables and stories.

D．Foster cubs and their biological siblings have similar growth rate and survival rate.

4. What’s the purpose of the research?

A．To help wolves survive various threats

B．To improve wolves’ habitat and stop deliberate killing

C．To save endangered wolves by increasing their population

D．To raise man’s awareness of protecting wolves

2 .

Lucky Dog is committed to finding loving forever homes for each of our dogs and cats. Our customized adoption process is designed to find the best fit for adopters, whatever they may be looking for. You may have a specific pet in mind or just beginning your search for a new family member; wherever you are in the process our Adoption Coordinators are here to guide you through the process.

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming interest in our animals. You may notice that our dogs, cats, puppies and kittens are being adopted incredibly quickly and may not stay on the website very long. Please, don’t let that deter you! We have more new arrivals coming in all the time, and Lucky Dog is committed to finding you a great fit for your family. We will be happy to help you find a match once we receive your adoption application.

THE ADOPTION PROCESS

Step 1

Complete a Dog or Cat Adoption Questionnaire at the link below. If you are interested in applying for a specific animal on the website, please be sure to list their names on your questionnaire. If you cannot select an animal please still submit your questionnaire and write in the notes who you might be interested in! You only need to apply once and we will ensure it is directed to the right person. Please note that submitting an application is the first step in our process and does not guarantee adoption of a particular dog or cat. 

Step 2

You will be contacted via email by a Volunteer Lucky Dog Animal Rescue Adoption Coordinator or Screener. They will then schedule an initial phone screening to further discuss your needs, preferences and lifestyle as you look for a new family member.

Step 3

Your Adoption Coordinator or Screener will also conduct any required checks, including a vet check to ensure your pets are up to date on medical needs, a landlord check if you rent, and a virtual home visit -- during which a knowledgeable volunteer will meet with all residents of your home to identify any risks or items to monitor when your new pet arrives and ensure that everyone is ready to welcome them home!

Step 4

At the time of adoption, the following adoption fees will be required, as well as a leash, ID tag, martingale collar and carrier for cats/kittens.

●Puppy (1 to 6 months): $425

●Young/Adult Dog (7 months to 8 years): $400

●Senior Dog (9 years and older): $300

●Dogs Receiving Heartworm Treatment: $475

●One Cat/Kitten: $175

●Two Cats/Kittens: $300

Spay/Neuter policy update:

A nonrefundable spay/neuter deposit will be added to a puppy or kitten’s adoption fee should you want Lucky Dog to pay for the cost of spay/neuter surgery at one of our low-cost vet partners. Adopters must be able to provide transportation to and from the partner visits.

1. How much do you need to pay if you adopt two baby cats and a middle-aged dog?

A．$ 600

B．$ 700

C．$ 750

D．$ 775

2. Your Adoption Coordinator or Screener may do any required checks except ________.

A．your current income level.	B．a landlord check if necessary.
C．a personal visit to your home.	D．your pet’s health condition

3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The adoption process can take quite a long time because of the routine paperwork.

B．Once you submit your application, you are assured of adopting your desired dog or cat.

C．You will have to pay some money in advance if you order a neuter surgery service.

D．Your Adoption Coordinator or Screener will only contact you through email.

3 . They are the planet’s closest living evolutionary link to Tyrannosaurus rex (霸王龙) and contribute hugely to our notional diet, but Dow the humble chicken is coming into its own in Britain as the productive pet of choice.

What began several years ago as a trend among town residents with large gardens has now exploded into an entire industry, say experts. Pet shops and garden centres stock chicken feed, while poultry (家禽) producers are scrambling to keep up with demand for birds. Dozens of manufactures are producing hen house in every shape and size-and for every budget

This weekend the South of England show at Ardingly, West Sussex, the biggest annual agricultural event in the south-east, took poultry as its theme in response to what organizers called “an incredible increase in population of keeping poultry”.

And it’s not only hens, but ducks, too. “A lot of it is the horsemeat scandal; people just want to be more connected to their food,” said the show’s Paula Seager.

Next week sees the publication of the latest book in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage series. Titled Chicken & Eggs, it is a step-by-step guide for beginners written by Mark Dincono.

Poultry expert Andy Marshall writes the Poultryman’s Diary in Practical Poultry, the bestselling of several British magazines devoted to the subject. “The chicken house has become a bit of a must-have add-on for every garden now,” he said. “More and more people are trying to keep hens and more and more people would like to do it. We’re seeing lots of schools starting to get involved and there is a huge increase of interest in pure breeds. All this enthusiasm is wonderful, but we do have a lot of people buying birds who don’t have a clue, and I am concerned for the welfare of all the birds being sold out there. Today’s society loves a quick fix, and while chickens are very easy to care for and to enjoy getting eggs from, they do need to be fed and looked after, so do a bit of basic research before you rush off and buy your hen house and your four chickens.”

With the agriculture sector hit by dreadful weather and high feed costs, this feathered trend of DIY poultry-keeping is helping British chicken breeds to thrive.

“In terms of the industry, it’s massive: You can buy fertilized eggs to hatch out chickens on eBay, and hen houses at your local garden centre,” said Marshall. “Poultry has become very big business.”

1. Why did the South of England Show take poultry as the theme?

A．Because they are the planet’s closest living evolutionary link to Tyrannosaurus rex.

B．Because their flesh is British people’s major source of food.

C．Because they are the objects of experts’ scientific researches.

D．Because keeping poultry has become an increasingly popular trend.

2. Where can beginners of poultry get access to a step-by-step guide?

A．In the book titled Chicken & Eggs.

B．At the South of England show at Ardingly, West Sussex.

C．From agricultural experts.

D．In a British magazine titled the Poultryman’ Diary in Practical Poultry.

3. What are poultry experts such as Andy Marshall worried about?

A．The horse meat scandal.

B．People’s enthusiasm for keeping poultry will fade.

C．The poultry won’t be taken good care of.

D．The welfare of the people who have bought birds.

4. What does the underlined phrase “fertilized eggs” probably mean?

A．Eggs produced by the massive industry.	B．Eggs nurtured with fertilizers.
C．Eggs in which young animals develop.	D．Eggs of high quality.

4 . A lone humpback whale travelled more than 9,800 kilometers from breeding areas in Brazil to those in Madagascar, setting a record for the longest mammal migration even documented.

Humpback whales are known to have some of the longest migration distances of all mammals, and this huge journey is about 400 kilometers father than the previous humpback record. The finding was made by Peter Stevick, a biologist at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The whale's journey was unusual not only for its length, but also because it travelled across about 90 degrees of longitude from west to east. Typically, humpbacks move in a north-south direction between cold feeding areas and warm breeding grounds.

The whale, a female, was first spotted off the coast of Brazil, where researches photographed its tail fluke and took skin samples to determine the animal's sex. Two years later, a tourist on a whale-watching boat snapped a photo of the humpback near Madagascar.

To match the two sightings, Stevick's team used an extensive international catalogue of photographs of the undersides of tail flukes, which have distinctive markings. Researchers routinely compare the markings in each new photograph to those in the archive.

The scientists then estimated the animal's shortest possible route: an are skirting the southern tip of South Africa and heading north-east towards Madagascar. The minimum distance is 9,800 kilometers, says Stevick, but this is likely to be an underestimate, because the whale probably took a roundabout way to feed on frill in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica before reaching its destination.

Most humpback-whale researches focus on their efforts on the Northern Hemisphere because the Southern Ocean near the Antarctica is a tough environment and it is hard to get to, explaining Rochelle Constantine, who studies the ecology of humpback whales at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. But, for whales, oceans in the Southern Hemisphere are wider and easier to travel across, says Constantine. Scientists will probably observe more long-distance migrations in the Southern Hemisphere as satellite tracking becomes increasingly common, she adds.

Daniel Palacios, an oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Monoa, says that record-breaking journey could indicate that migration patterns are shifting as populations begin to recover from near-extinction and the population increases. But the reasons why whale did not follow the usual migration routes remain a mystery. She could have been exploring new habitats, or simply have lost her way. “We generally think of humpback whales as very well studied, but then they surprise us with things like this,” Palacios says. “Undoubtedly there are a lot of things we still don't know about whale migration.”

1. In what way was the whale's journey considered unusual?

A．It covered a long distance from west to east.

B．A female whale rather than a male one completed it.

C．The whale moved from its breeding ground to its feeding area.

D．No one had ever spotted the whale other than at its destination.

2. Why did the researchers compare the markings on tail flukes?

A．There is a vast collection of such markings.	B．The markings there last by far the longest.
C．No two whales share the same markings.	D．The markings are easiest to photograph.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．More evidence should have been provided that the whale had even arrived at Madagascar.

B．South Hemisphere can provide more information about humpback whales' migration.

C．The whale's actual route might well have been shorter than the scientists had estimated.

D．North Hemisphere's environment is becoming tougher for whales to survive.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A female whale was spotted twice in the Southern Ocean.

B．Research on whales is a breakthrough.

C．Whales' migration routes vary with the climate change.

D．A whale surprises researchers with her journey.

5 . • What are geysers?

Geysers are types of hot springs which periodically shoot a column of steaming water high into the air. They occur in areas of volcanic activity where hot lava is found close to the Earth’s surface. The name comes from the Icelandic verb geysa, to gush.

• How do geysers work?

Geysers only form under very specific conditions. There must be ample groundwater; an underground heat source; and a ‘plumbing system’ made up of reservoirs and vertical passages or ‘pipes’ through which heated water travels on its way to the Earth’s surface.

Cool water on the Earth’s surface trickles down through porous (多孔渗水的) rock. As it approaches the heat source (hot rocks or a magma chamber) it is heated to extremely high temperatures and starts to rise through a ‘pipe’. The water would usually turn to steam but its depth, plus the weight of cooler water above it, creates what is called a confining pressure that prevents the superheated water from boiling and turning to steam. As the water rises this pressure lessens and steam finally forms and is trapped in' the reservoir. Over time the pressure in the reservoir continues to build until the steam forces the water upwards through the passage to the surface of the Earth, where it erupts through a vent in a spectacular column of steaming water.

• Where are geysers found?

Geysers are rare, with only around 1,000 active worldwide. They occur in the United States (US), Russia, Chile, New Zealand and Iceland. Some erupt almost predictably in cycles of minutes, hours or days, and some have years between eruptions. The tallest active geyser in the world is Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park (US) which can shoot water more than 90 metres into the air. Unfortunately, it has only done so five times from 2003 to 2013.

1. The diagram helps to ________.

A．give more detailed explanations of the terms in the text

B．provide additional information through a graphic

C．illustrate why geysers are unpredictable

D．show the information in the text in a graphic form

2. What is the correct order of events as they occur in the formation of a geyser eruption?
①magma heats water
②steam pressure lifts water
③water collects in a reservoir
④groundwater penetrates rock
⑤water rises in a pipe

A．④①③⑤②

B．⑤④③①②

C．①⑤③④②

D．④①⑤③②

3. Where does the passage probably come from?

A．A science fiction.	B．A research plan.
C．An encyclopedia.	D．A travel journal.

6 . Last week, a team of Harvard researchers announced they were on the brink of creating a hybrid woolly mammoth-elephant embryo, the next step on the long road to resurrecting (使复活) the pre-hsitoric creatures. As we move steadily closer to being able to bring extinct species or something, closely resembling them-to life through genetic engineering, some scientists say the technology could prove a valuable, much-needed conservation tool.

But a new economic analysis suggests that bringing back extinct species may detract from, rather than add to, conservation efforts. “Given this atmosphere of a biodiversity crisis and limited resources, we really need to do the best job we possibly can, ” says Joseph Bennett, a biologist at Carleton University in Ottawa and lead author of the study. “If de-extinction represents a gain in biodiversity, that's great. If it represents a Pvrrhic victory in that we could have better spend those resources to save species on their way to extinction, that's essentially a one step forward, two steps back scenario."

The study, published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, used data from New South Wales, Australia, and New Zealand to consider the cost of sustaining de-extincted populations under two scenarios. In the first scenario, a private agency funds the resurrection of an extinct species, then hands the responsibility of caring for the revived population over to the government. In the second, a private agency pays for the entire project, covering the costs of both resurrection and maintenance.

The results, researchers found, showed no good sign for endangered, living species. Under the first scenario, the cost of maintaining the de-extincted species was taken directly from the governments' already limited conservation budget, resulting in an overall loss for biodiversity: Roughly two species would go extinct for every one resurrected, the team concluded. The second scenario produced a small increase in biodiversity, particularly for species that would require the same conservation tools and techniques already being used to protect endangered animals.

But the greatest hypothetical gains for biodiversity, the study said, came when the money required for de-extinction was instead put toward existing conservation programs for living species. In this scenario, roughly two to eight times more species were saved.

Bennett and his team aren't the first to question whether de-extinction would help or hurt conservation efforts. Other scientists have argued that harnessing the technology to bring back extinct species, or something closely resembling them, could take away momentum from the push to protect endangered animals and give property developers an excuse to build over their natural habitats.

1. As indicated in Paragraph I, it seems that some scientists ________.

A．take a vain pride in their conservation tool.

B．think highly of the conservation technology.

C．show greater interest in the prehistoric creatures.

D．are pessimistic about bringing back extinct species.

2. The phrase “a Pyrrhic victory” (Para.2) implies

A．rewarding	B．thankless
C．fruitless	D．harmful

3. The researchers have eventually found in their study that ________.

A．de-extinction may not help conservation efforts.

B．the government assumes part of responsibility

C．the cost of maintenance outweighs that of revival.

D．extinction poses a greater threat to biodiversity.

4. The author seems to be mainly concerned with the protection of ________.

A．sustained biodiversity.	B．endangered animals
C．private properties	D．extinct species.

7 . Mice are at their best at night. But a new analysis suggests researchers often test the nightly creatures during the day, which could alter results and create ________ across various studies, if they record time-of-day information ________. Scientists assume that waking up lab mice in the daytime may twist research.

Of the 200 papers examined in the new study, more than half cither failed to report the timing of behavioral testing or did so ________. On the contrary, they found only 20 percent reported ________ testing. The analysis was published in Neuroscience & Bio-behavioral Reviews.

West Virginia University neuro-scientist Randy Nelson, the study's lead author, says this is likely a matter of human ________. “It is easier to get students and schools to work during the day than at night,” Nelson says. But that advantage ________.

“Time of day not only impacts the intensity of many ________, including mice activity, aggressiveness of their behavior, and hormone levels,” but changes in those factors can only be ________ during certain parts of the daytime cycle, says University of Wyoming behavioral neuro-scientist William D. Todd. This means that “failing to report time of day of data collection and tests makes ________ of results extremely difficult,” adds Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center staff scientist Natalia Machado. Neither Todd nor Machado was involved in the new study.

________, the study researchers say it is critical that scientists report the timing of their work and consider the fact that animals' behavioral and physiological responses can ________ with the hour. As a first step, Nelson says, “obviously, taking time-of-day into consideration seems like ________ fruit in terms of line assing behavioral neuroscience research reliability, reproducibility and rigor (严谨性)

University of Calgary psychologist Michael Antle, who was also not involved in the analysis, says such differences in how studies are run ________ a “reproducibility crisis” in science, with other laboratories unable to ________ study results. “Running a study at the wrong time,” he says, “could lead to us completely ________ a finding altogether.”

1.

A．immobility

B．originality

C．inconsistency

D．credibility

2.

A．exclusively

B．precisely

C．generally

D．honestly

3.

A．directly

B．personally

C．reliably

D．unclearly

4.

A．everyday

B．quality

C．physical

D．nighttime

5.

A．security

B．convenience

C．intelligence

D．privacy

6.

A．comes at a cost

B．comes to the point

C．comes into being

D．comes to an end

7.

A．operations

B．effects

C．subjects

D．variables

8.

A．indicated

B．required

C．recorded

D．proposed

9.

A．interpretation

B．expectation

C．suspicion

D．distribution

10.

A．Vice versa

B．In comparison

C．For example

D．Therefore

11.

A．occur

B．diversify

C．improve

D．vary

12.

A．low-hanging

B．high-demanding

C．bitter-tasting

D．long-standing

13.

A．belong to

B．contribute to

C．result from

D．go through

14.

A．recreate

B．modify

C．stimulate

D．predict

15.

A．presenting

B．examining

C．missing

D．confirming

8 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. association B. contribution C. effectively D. evolutionarily E. grasp F. immature G. joyous H. logged I. selected J. skilled K. treat

Puppies Understand You Even at a Young Age

We like to think our puppies can follow what we're telling them. Well, to some degree they can, even when they're     1    . We have known for a long time that adult dogs are especially     2     in understanding cooperative communication from humans. They can spontaneously follow a human pointing gesture. They're even better at it than apes, which are much more closely related to us,    3     speaking.

But is it a skill dogs pick up simply by spending time with people? Or is it a trait that was     4     for when dogs first became domesticated?

To find out, Bray and her colleagues     5     time with 375 puppies that were going to be trained to be service dogs. By working with pups that had spent most of their young lives with their owners, Bray could figure out whether dogs had to learn to     6     human communications -or if it's something they were born with.

The pups participated in tests designed to assess dogs1 social smarts. In one experiment, a researcher would hide food under one of two cups - and then call to the puppy and point toward the cup that held the     7    . They found puppies were able to use this social signal     8     to choose the correct location.

In another experiment, a researcher would talk to a puppy. “Hi pup. Are you a good puppy? Yes, you are! What a good puppy! ”This goes on for about 30 seconds. During this interaction, the researcher would record how much time the pup spent gazing at her with     9     sight.

They found that puppies would respond to human social gaze and could successfully use information given by a human in social context from a very young age. “It seems likely that puppies really are starting the (ask with the communicative ability necessary to be successful rather than just quickly learning a(n)    10     over the course of the task.” Bray added. All these findings suggest that dogs are biologically prepared for communication with humans.

9 . Are zoos bad for animals?

Zoos have existed since ancient times and were features of the great courts of Egypt and China. The display of unusual animals from foreign countries was, for a long time, a show of wealth and power. Today, zoos focus on the preservation of animal species and education of the public.     1    

Some animals are distinctly unsuited for life in a zoo, however noble the aims of the organization. Keeping elephants in captivity (囚禁) has long caused argument among animal rights activists. Elephants in the wild wander constantly, covering a wide territory on a daily basis. In captivity, they have no choice but to stand still for long periods of time.     2     Yet elephants are a threatened species in their native environments and are heavily caught for ivory (象牙), leather and meat illegally. To protect the species from extinction, some experts feel that captive breeding programs may be the best strategy for future survival. Many elephants in captivity were rescued from circuses (马戏团), saved from natural disasters or removed from the wild due to injury or abandonment.

    3     The chances are, if a zoo has nothing but cement floors and metal enclosures, the animals will not do as well. Many famous zoos now construct enclosures allowing animals freedom of movement and native vegetation. Some zoos have even begun housing species of animals together that normally interact I the wild, such as certain types of monkeys.

Zoos are not a perfect solution for preservation.     4     They are undeniably helpful in repopulating declining animal species and encouraging a preservationist outlook, but they are unquestionably primary in their treatment of some animals. Hopefully, animal activists and zoo advocates will continue to work together, finding ways to create the best environment for captive animals in breeding and re-population efforts.

A．They can be endlessly improved as we better understand how to treat animals.

B．Experts have broken fresh ground in breeding captive animals.

C．Yet critics suggest that animals should not be kept in cages.

D．Studies have clearly shown that captive animals will live longer and be more active kept in an environment close to their native surroundings.

E．This, therefore, puts severe pressure on the legs and feet of these giants and causes long-lasting injury in some captive animals.

F．Evidences indicate that some animals depend greatly on surroundings.

10 . One of the classic science-fiction treatments of the end of civilization was The Death of Grass, by John Christopher, in which a mysterious sickness struck down all the grasses on which most of the world's agriculture is based, from rice to wheat. Tn the end, politics among the survivors of disease, war and famine were reduced to bitter fratricidal struggle over a defensible potato patch. Like most of the so-called ''comfortable disaster" novels, this could be criticized for optimism. Depressing as a future of famine and the war of all against all might seem,   the consequences were largely limited to humans.

However, the threatened extinction of insect populations around the world raises the prospect of a much less general disaster, which would involve plants, birds, fish, small mammals, and everything else depending on insects. That's just the start. Other species, and we ourselves, depend on the animals and plants that need insects. When they go, we go. This is not just a greater disaster. It's a much more reasonable one. The most recent study has concluded that insect biomass is decreasing around the world at a rate of 2.5% a year. At that rate, half the insects in the world will be gone in 50 years' time, and all of them in a century — though no one will be keeping track of centuries then.

The chief driver of this disaster is unchecked human greed. I spite our individual and even collective cleverness, we behave as a species with as little foresight as a colony of nematode worms that will consume everything that it can reach until all is gone and it dies off naturally. The challenge of behaving more intelligently than creatures that have no brain at all will not be easy. But unlike the nematodes, we know what to do. The UN convention on biodiversity was signed in 1992, alongside the convention on climate change. Giving it the strength to hold back our appetites is now urgent. Biodiversity is not an optional extra. It is the web that holds all life, including human life.

The two main expressions of greed that speed this apocalypse are global warming and industrial agriculture. It appears that most of the damage is being done in the developed world by farming practices. The use of giant fields, lack of shelter for insects of any sort at all, whether they are harmful to human interests or not, and where the plants are drenched in long-lasting pesticides, is fatal for uncounted billions of insects. The effects of this kind of forming reach beyond the fields immediately affected, too. There has been a huge loss of aquatic insect species from the rivers into which the products of industrial agriculture are flushed by rain. Even in German nature reserves, which are by definition protected from the use of pesticides, there have been sleep falls in insect populations because so many of the most widely used ones are persistent and prevent breeding.

1. Which of the following statements about The Death of Grass is true?

A．It holds an optimistic attitude towards famine in the future.

B．It understates the severity of the disaster facing the world.

C．It gives a vivid account of the most serious famine in history.

D．It demonstrates how evil human nature turns out to be.

2. In paragraph 2, the writer mentions the most recent study in order to________.

A．prove that the prediction about the great disaster makes sense

B．show how soon the insects worldwide will go extinct

C．argue for the necessity to protect insect populations

D．suggest a possible approach to increasing insect biomass

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Humans are similar to nematode in that both of them lack foresight.

B．We haven't done enough about maintaining biodiversity.

C．Modem farming is to blame for the threatened extinction of insects.

D．Germany sets a good example by minimizing the use of pesticides.

4. What will the author probably discuss after the last paragraph?

A．How industrial agriculture brings about apocalypse.

B．What influence pesticides may have on people's lives.

C．Why insect populations in Germany are on the decline.

D．Where unchecked human greed can also by spotted.