1 . Most birds, in particular, exhibit some degree of patterns and colours. Australia’s zebra finch (斑胸草雀), for example, was so named because of the zebra-like black and white bars on its tail. But it also has many other colours and patterns, from a bright orange bill to fine white spots along its reddish-brown sides. It’s not uncommon to spot the bird in the drier parts of Australia.
We tend to suppose all individuals of that species have their spots and bars in the same places. Look closer yet we’ll see that the quantity and design of these patterns vary between individuals. And somehow a bird exhibits a more obvious feather variation. Occasionally, we see one that has larger than usual pale areas of feathers or, more rarely, has lost its normal patterning altogether.
Colouration and patterning in all animals are caused by a range of pigments (色素). Melanin (黑色素) is responsible for blacks and browns, and a lack of this pigment can cause a partial or total loss of an individual’s dark patterning. The two main terms that describe these abnormalities are albinism and leucism. Both conditions are genetic and both can lead to a very similar physical appearance. Leucism, however, causes a lack of the pigment cells that produce melanin. But albinism causes the production of melanin to be reduced or absent.
Can we distinguish between the two conditions without the help of a cellular biologist? Yes. Albino animals have fully unpigmented red eyes. Leucistic animals, on the other hand, never completely lose pigment from the eye, although they can have blue eyes due to a partial loss of pigment.
Why don’t we see more albino or leucistic birds? Because the lack of melanin reduces the strength and lastingness of the affected birds’ feathers, making them more easily broken. Additionally, the birds’ vision and hearing are negatively affected, making them less able to hunt. The brighter feathers and lack of patterning also make them easier for attackers to see.
1. What can we learn about Australia’s zebra finch?| A．It is one of the rarest birds in Australia. |
| B．It is mostly covered with bright orange feathers. |
| C．It acquires its name from its tail colours and patterns. |
| D．It has the same spots and bars in the same places. |
| A．By giving explanations. | B．By presenting opinions. |
| C．By setting assumptions. | D．By drawing conclusions. |
| A．Total loss of patterns. | B．Genetically-born abnormalities. |
| C．Darkened feathers. | D．Abnormal formation of wings. |
| A．They have quite good hearing. | B．They have completely red eyes. |
| C．They have excellent hunting skills. | D．They have easily broken feathers. |
| A．In a park. | B．In a zoo. | C．In a pet store. |
1. Why did the zoo build a new monkey park?
| A．It was too small for the additional monkeys. |
| B．It needed a treehouse to be more interesting. |
| C．The zoo needed to change its park to get more visitors. |
| A．Watching the turtles. | B．Watching the monkeys. | C．Feeding the turtles. |
| A．In the park. | B．In a car. | C．In the zoo. |
| A．Keep his body clean. | B．Take him for a walk. | C．Provide food and water. |
5 . A new museum in Mexico aims to educate the public about the critically endangered salamander (蝾螈). The museum recently opened at Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City.
The salamander is native only to Mexico. The animal is extremely endangered in the wild because its natural environment is increasingly threatened. The salamander has captured wide attention for its ability to heal itself when its body gets harmed. For example, the animal can regrow legs and damaged tissue. It can even repair problems affecting the heart and brain. Scientists have also documented how the salamander can breathe with lungs and gills. It can also take in oxygen through its skin. This can cause problems if the animal comes in contact with polluted water.
“They are one of the few animals that can regenerate their skin, muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves, heart and brain,” said Gual, a conservation official at the zoo. Speaking about the museum, Gual said he sees it as a valuable tool to inform citizens about the unusual creature. “A hugely important part of this space is environmental education,” he said.
In the past, salamanders did very well in Xochimilco’s muddy canals. The canals are the only remaining part of a once large waterway system dating back to Aztec times. But studies have shown the spread of cities, polluted water and non-native fish that eat the salamanders have led to their near-total collapse.
As the museum opened to its first visitors, the salamander’s popularity with the public was very clear. “The truth is I’m very, very, very, very excited to be able to see how they eat, how they live, just how they are,” said one visitor named Fernando. The man, who did not want to give his last name, showed off a small salamander tattoo he had on his arm. “I’m marked for life,” he said.
1. What makes salamanders gain considerable attention?| A．Their ability to cure themselves. | B．Their being in extreme danger in the wild. |
| C．Their ability to breathe with all organs. | D．Their serious habitat loss. |
| A．Their previous condition. | B．Their favorite habitats. |
| C．Reasons for their being endangered. | D．Their advantages over other animals. |
| A．Confused. | B．Delighted. |
| C．Worried. | D．Curious. |
| A．A New Museum in Mexico Is Open to Animal Lovers |
| B．More and More Wildlife Is Endangered in Mexico |
| C．Endangered Animals Should Be Protected in the Museum |
| D．A Museum Aims to Help Save Endangered Salamanders |
| A．A cat. | B．A pig. | C．A rabbit. |
7 . “Unfortunately, 85 percent of what makes us attractive or less to mosquitoes(蚊子) is hardwired in our genetic circuit board,” says Winegard, author of The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator. Still, there are ways to outsmart summer’s most annoying party crashers, especially if all you want is to enjoy an evening on your patio (露台).
Know your blood type
Only female mosquitoes feed on humans, and for good reason: The proteins in your blood help them grow and mature their eggs. “She’s just being a good mom,” Wineguard says. “People with blood type O are her top of choice. They get bitten twice as much as people with blood type A, with blood type B falling in between.”
Stay cool
“Mosquitoes hunt by both smell and sight,” Wineguard says. “They can smell the carbon dioxide and see the heat signature of their target.” Avoiding alcohol can keep your body temperature lower— making you harder to find — so consider choosing a cocktail instead.
Wear light colors
Avoiding dark clothing can also keep you cooler, but that’s not the only reason it may offer relief. Mosquitoes, like many biting flies, are attracted to darker colors. The thinking behind this is that the animals they typically feed upon are larger, dark-bodied mammals(哺乳动物).
Get rid of standing water
Even a glass of drinking water left on the deck can become a breeding ground for mosquito eggs — and mother mosquitoes lay about 100 eggs at a time. “They don’t need very much at all to breed. It can be a backyard toy , like a truck that has a bit of water in it, or a crushed pop can,” says Winegard. If you get rid of it, they’ll go somewhere else to lay their eggs.
1. What’s the intention of this text?| A．To introduce a new book. | B．To offer professional tips. |
| C．To analyze a study of insects. | D．To suggest throwing a party. |
| A．To hatch more eggs. | B．To raise a large family. |
| C．To identify blood types. | D．To fully develop her body. |
| A．They can trace the smell of alcohol. | B．They have energy-locating abilities. |
| C．They feed off dark-bodied animals. | D．They need abundant water to breed. |
8 . Pets should not be left alone for too long during the day. But our busy lifestyles will sometimes tear us away.
Cats don’t simply curl up and sleep when you leave.
It’s not just cats that suffer from separation anxiety. Dogs also dislike being left alone and unfortunately they can’t tell whether it’s been ten minutes or ten hours: the displeasure felt is very similar.
You can also gradually lengthen the distance and time of your separation until your dogs can be left alone for 20 minutes without showing their usual symptoms of sadness and stress.
| A．A number of cat toys are also helpful. |
| B．Schedule daily play sessions with your cats. |
| C．But you can help ease the negative feeling at least. |
| D．That creates a lot of guilt and worry for their well-being. |
| E．In this way, they can disassociate your absence with negativity. |
| F．They need stimulation for the period when they will be left alone. |
| G．Over time, they will look forward to their separation to get a reward. |
| A．Dogs. | B．Houses. | C．Views. |
10 . My brother had, for years, a delightfully tame and lively blue-fronted Amazon parrot named Papagallo, which had an extraordinary talent for speech. Living with us in Altenberg, Papagallo flew just as freely around as most of my other birds. A talking parrot that flies from tree to tree and at the same time says human words, gives a much more comical effect than one that sits in a cage and does the same thing. When Papagallo, with loud cries of “Where’s the Doc?” flew about the district, sometimes in a real search for his master, it was funny.
Still funnier, but also remarkable from a scientific point of view, was the following performance of the bird. Papagallo feared nothing and nobody, with the exception of the chimney sweep. Birds are likely to fear things which are up above. And this tendency is associated with the natural fear of the bird of prey diving down from the heights. So everything that appears against the sky, has for them something of the meaning of “bird of prey”. As the chimney sweep in black stood up on the chimney and became outlined against the sky, Papagallo fell into a panic of fear and flew, loudly screaming, so far away that we feared he might not come back. Months later, when the chimney sweep came again, Papagallo was sitting on the weathercock, quarrelling with other birds who wanted to sit there too. All at once, I saw him stretch his neck and peer down anxiously into the village street; then he flew up and away, crying out in tough tones, “ The chimney sweep is- coming!” “The chimney sweep is coming! The next moment, the man in black walked through the doorway of the yard !
Unfortunately, I was unable to find out how often Papagallo had seen the chimney sweep before and how often he had heard the excited cry of our cook, which meant his approach. It was, without a doubt, the voice and intonation of this lady that the bird copied. But he had certainly not heard it more than three times at the most and, each time, only once and at an interval of months.
1. It can be inferred that the author_______.| A．might be a bird expert |
| B．must set a lot of parrots free |
| C．could talk with Papagallo |
| D．did have Papagallo look for his brother |
| A．Bird flying up high. |
| B．Bird hunting animals. |
| C．Bird having black feathers. |
| D．Bird diving down from the sky. |
| A．Why Papagallo feared the chimney sweep. |
| B．What the chimney sweep did to Papagallo. |
| C．How Papagallo had learnt to say the exact sentence. |
| D．How often Papagallo was seen by the chimney sweep. |
| A．Gifted | B．Caring. |
| C．Shy. | D．Talkative. |
