主题语境7：自然生态

本刊试题研究中心

I. 阅读理解

When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife.Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl (水禽)were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat (栖息地).

In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (Act), an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory (迁徙的) waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, Iowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.

About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System—a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.

1. What was a cause of the waterfowl population decline in North America?

A. Loss of wetlands.

B. Popularity of water sports.

C. Pollution of rivers.

D. Arrival of other wild animals.

2. What does the underlined word “decimate”mean in the first paragraph?

A. Acquire. B. Export.

C. Destroy. D. Distribute.

3. What is a direct result of the Act passed in 1934?

A. The stamp price has gone down.

B. The migratory birds have flown away.C. The hunters have stopped hunting.

D. The government has collected money.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A. The Federal Duck Stamp Story

B. The National Wildlife Refuge System

C. The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl

D. The History of Migratory Bird Hunting

Ⅱ. 完形填空

There was a time when I was certain I could never deeply love an animal. I know this is__1__to admit. In Britain, an indifference to pets is considered a fault in one's character.

My wife was also__2__sure that she could never deeply love me if I could not love animals. And at the beginning of this year, the___3__increased. We were to__4__a cat from a friend who had fallen for a woman who is allergic to it.

I__5__—but coldly enough, I felt, to make clear that I would not be__6__for the creature's upkeep. I would __7__the cost of cat food, of course, but like a strict Victorian father I would avoid__8__entanglement (瓜葛).

However, Hopper, well, I hardly need to tell you that Hopper __9__from other cats—eight years old but slim as a kitten; green-eyed and white-socked; entirely independent but in need of human __10___, too, when the mood takes her. Like I said—she is unique.

These last four months have__11__me to spend an unexpected amount of time with Hopper. In my makeshift office, she sleeps beside me, meows at my feet, or leaps onto my back.Through the window, I watch Hopper stalk (偷偷接近) through the long grass,__12__me of a wilder world outside. Every morning I ___1_3__her; every evening we play with a feather stuck to a stick. It is our__14__—the only part of my timetable that has not been__15__by the coronavirus. Without the lockdown, would I have realized the everyday happiness a cat can bring?1. A. worthwhile B. shameful

C. considerate D. practical

2. A. fairly B. rarely

C. luckily D. normally

3. A. pleasure B. risk

C. doubt D. regret

4. A. look into B. search for

C. complain of D. take on

5. A. agreed B. denied

C. explained D. hesitated

6. A. late B. thankful

C. famous D. responsible

7. A. share B. save

C. reduce D. divide

8. A. spiritual B. emotional

C. economic D. physical

9. A. learns B. suffers

C. differs D. comes

10. A. company B. nature

C. power D. trust

11. A. promised B. forbidden

C. prepared D. allowed

12. A. reminding B. warning

C. breaking D. informing

13. A. leave B. shake

C. feed D. miss

14. A. burden B. routine

C. mistake D. fortune

15. A. spoiled B. inspired

C. shocked D. managed

Ⅲ. 语法填空

Going to Mount Huangshan reminds me of the popular Beatles' song The Long and Winding Road. 1.______

__is so breathtaking about the experience is the out-of-this-world scenes. The rolling sea of clouds you see once you are at the top will remind you how tiny we 2.________(human) are.

The hot spring at the foot of the mountain is something you must try after the climb. It will 3.________(undoubted) help you get refreshed!The amazing thing about the spring is that the colder the temperature gets, the 4.________(hot)the spring! Strange, isn't it? But that's how nature is—always leaving us 5.________(astonish).

What comes next is the endless series of steps. You can't help wondering how hard it 6._________(be) for the people then to put all those rocks into place. Though it is the only unnatural thing on your way up the mountain, still it highlights the whole adventure 7.________offers a place where you can sit down to rest your 8.________(ache) legs.

As the song goes, this long and winding road “will never disappear”, and it will always stick in the visitor's memory. It sure does in 9._________(I). While you're in China, Mount Huangshan is 10.________must to visit!

Ⅳ. 读后续写

阅读下面材料, 根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段, 使之构成一篇完整的短文。 续写短文的词数应为150左右。

I sat at the breakfast table with my fouryear-old son, Matthew, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. “Mama, do you want to play?”“Not today, baby,” I shook my head. These days I could barely get out of bed. I was still recovering from a surgery. I hoped for strength and happiness. But the future seemed so hopeless.

Suddenly, Matthew jumped up from his spot on the kitchen floor. “Bird! ” he shouted,rushing to our courtyard. Sure enough, there was a white dove seated in a rubber tree. It sat there for a few moments, and then flew away. Strange,I'd never seen one in our neighborhood before.

When I dragged myself to the kitchen the next morning, the dove was back. This time with a mate carrying twigs. “Look, Matthew,” I said,pointing to the tree. “They're going to make a nest.” The doves flew in and out of the courtyard all week, building on top of the rubber tree.

Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. Every morning, he'd run into the kitchen and take his spot by the sliding glass door, talking to the birds while they worked. His enthusiasm was influential. Although I was grieving, I couldn't help looking forward to the doves' visits too.

Then it all went wrong. The courtyard was a safe enough spot for a nest, but the rubber tree's broad, thin leaves were far from stable.One night, a strong wind blew, throwing the doves' nest to the ground. I heard the twigs break apart.

I surveyed the damage. Nothing good ever lasts. I wouldn't blame the doves if they never came back. But they returned. And they paid no attention to the pile of sticks that had once been their nest. They started again from scratch.Again, though, the wind destroyed all their hard work. The next day, and the next, they renewed their efforts, as if nothing had happened.

Paragraph 1:

I knew I had to do something.__________

__________________________________________

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Paragraph 2:

“It works! The birds are back! ” Matthew announced.______________________________

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