Unit 2 Amazing Plants and Animals （任务型阅读专练）英语新教材鲁教版五四学制七年级下册

Unit 2 Amazing Plants and Animals 任务型阅读专练 话题：人与自然 — 神奇动植物 基础篇 01 Plants and animals are very important to humans. We can’t live without them. The blue whale is the largest animal in the world. It lives in the ocean, is very big and heavy, and can weigh up to 200 tons. It plays an important role in the ocean ecosystem. Bamboo is one of the most useful plants. It grows very fast—some can grow almost one meter a day. People use it to make many things like houses, tools and instruments. Bees are hard-working. They help pollinate (授粉) plants. Without them, about 80% of plants can’t grow. So bees are very important animals. We should take care of plants and animals, protect their homes and stop them from being killed. 1．What can’t we live without? (不超过5词) _______________________________________________________________________ 2．What’s the largest animal in the world? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 3．How fast can some bamboo grow? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 4．Why are bees very important? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 5．What should we do for plants and animals? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 02 Plants: more than we thought Plants are amazing! In the past, there were some ideas that plants had feelings and could act like people. But now, new studies show that plants are unusual in their own ways. Protecting (保护) themselves One way is how plants protect themselves. For example, when worms eat them, tomato plants can make their leaves taste bad with a special juice. This can even make the worms eat each other! Corn (玉米) plants can check what worms leave behind and then use that information to call a bee to hunt the worms. Plant communication Plants can also talk to each other. They mainly use special air. There are small openings on plants that look like little fish mouths under a microscope. These openings let out air with information. When a plant has problems, like being eaten or hurt by wind, it sends a “call”. Other plants close to it can get this “call” and get ready to stay safe. Plant memory Do plants have memory? One example is the “memory of winter”. Many fruit trees need to “remember” the number of cold days in winter to blossom in spring. They remember the cold and warm days to stop flowering too early during a warm time in winter. Now, when we look at plants in a park, we can think of them as little “strangers” (陌生人) with their own “stories” going on all around. We don’t know if they feel pain (疼痛), but they sense touch or respond to being eaten, even though they don’t feel pain like we do. 1. What can tomato plants do when worms eat them? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. What do plants mainly use to talk to each other? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Why do plants remember the cold and warm days in winter? _______________________________________________________________________  4. What’s the main idea of the passage? _______________________________________________________________________  5. How do you usually look after the amazing plants around us? _______________________________________________________________________ 03 Can plants eat people? Maybe not, but there are many plants that eat meat.Some of them are big, and they can eat small animals. One famous meat-eating plant is the Venus flytrap(捕蝇草). The Venus flytrap is a very strange plant. It grows in dry parts of the United States. Its leaves are like the pages of a book. They can open and close very quickly. Inside the leaves, there are three small hairs. If a fly touches one of the hairs, the leaf closes quickly. The fly cannot get out. In about half an hour, the leaf presses(压) the fly until it is dead. Then, the plant covers the fly. Slowly, the plant eats the fly. Plants are living things that have leaves and roots and grow in earth. Most plants get what they need from the sun, the air and the ground. In some places, the ground is very poor. It doesn't have all these important things, especially nitrogen(氮). Animal meat has a lot of nitrogen, so some plants eat meat to get what they need. Let's hope that some of the bigger plants don't get the same idea! 1. Is the Venus flytrap a plant or an animal? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. What's inside the leaves of the Venus flytrap? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Where do most plants get what they need? _______________________________________________________________________ 4. Why do some plants eat animal meat? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What do you think of the Venus flytrap? Why? _______________________________________________________________________  04 Although the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger seems to be a little heavier recently, Duan Lianru can still easily recognize (认出) her. She has watched the tiger grow up. Duan works at a WildAid center. She has a very special job— making “ID cards” for Siberian tigers. With the help of 5,000 cameras, she watches hundreds of pictures on the computer every day. Then she records and compares them carefully. By doing so, she has collected a lot of ▲ about the “King of the Forest”. The information includes each tiger’s patterns (花纹), areas of activities, eating habits, etc. What Duan is doing is to protect Siberian tigers. The tigers mainly live in Russia’s Far East and Northeast China. They’ re one of the world’s most endangered animals. Only about 500 Siberian tigers are living in the wild. To save them, China set up the Northeast China Tiger National Park. It has an area of over 1,400 square kilometers. Thanks to people like Duan, the number of wild Siberian tigers in the park is now more than 50. “What I am doing is meaningful (有意义的). I hope that people and wild animals can live together peacefully and that nature will become more beautiful,” Duan said. 1．What does the underlined word “her” refer to (指的是)? It refers to “ ”. 2．What word can you put in the“ ▲ ”? I can put “ ” there. 3．Where do Siberian tigers mainly live? They mainly live in . 4．How large is the area of Northeast China Tiger National Park? It is square kilometers. 5．What do you think of Duan Lianru? I think . 05 Twenty years ago in Costa Rica, three girls found a baby sloth (树懒) on a road. The little animal's mother was killed by a car. These girls took the baby sloth to Judy, the owner of a hotel. Judy wanted to help, but she didn't know how to look after the sloth, so she called the zoo. With the help of the zoo, Judy took good care of the baby sloth. She named the baby sloth Buttercup. After her first success, more people brought Judy wounded (受伤的) sloths or baby sloths they found. Judy then opened a help centre. Today, the help centre has saved more than 500 sloths. Sloths live in the forests of Central America. We can also see them in South America. They hang onto the trees with their claws (爪子). There are two main types of sloths. You can know them by the number of their claws. Sloths hardly move. They spend most of their time sleeping in the trees. But now, with the increase of population, human beings cause a lot of problems for these slow and quiet animals. The main problem is that the forests are becoming smaller and smaller. When trees are cut down, sloths will fall and hurt themselves. Some sloths live near human beings and they sometimes are hit by cars or killed by dogs. 1. Why did Judy call the zoo? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. Where do the sloths live? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Can the sloths run very fast? _______________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the main problem for sloths? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What should we learn from the last paragraph? _______________________________________________________________________ 提高篇 06 Have you ever seen capybara (水豚)? They were thought to be a kind of pig in the past, but now we know that they are the largest rodents (啮齿动物) on earth. Guess what? They are new stars on social media now! Seeing them in the wild, you might be surprised at first because they are similar to giant guinea pigs, which are in fact one of their closest relatives. Capybaras’ bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur. When swimming around, thanks to their small eyes, noses and hairless ears which are high on their heads, they’ re able to see the above-water things around them. That’s why they can protect themselves from danger easily. A capybara weighs around 50 kilograms and it can grow to 1.5meters in length. Female capybaras are usually a little heavier than the males. Most of them can be found in South America and like to stay in comfortable places with lots of water. Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, is a perfect place for them to live. Capybaras usually eat grass. But they sometimes eat their own poop because it is helpful for them to get all the things they need. Capybaras are good swimmers and love to play with water. They usually live in groups of 10 to 20 (and up to 100 during the dry season). They also like chatting with each other very much. They express themselves by making different kinds of sounds, including purring, barking, whistling, cackling and grunting. Each sound has an important meaning, from warning the group of danger to sending signals of leaving. It’s like a capybara language. With good personalities, capybaras have become increasingly popular on social media. They get along with almost all the other animals and share their homes with birds and turtles, just like a big animal family living together peacefully. They are calm and don’t really care about what goes on around them. Other animals can do whatever they feel like if they don’t hurt the capybaras. But if capybaras realize a risk, they may attack others to protect themselves. Social media’ s new stars— Capybaras Introduction People used to think capybaras were a kind of pig, but now we are 1.______ that they are the largest rodents on earth. Looks Capybaras look 2.________ giant guinea pigs which are their closest relatives. Covered with reddish-brown fur, the male capybaras are not usually as 3._______ as the female ones. Living area Most of them live in comfortable and 4.________ places such as Pantanal in South America. Food They 5.__________ mainly on grass, while eating their own poop is sometimes helpful. Abilities Capybaras are good at 6._________ and enjoy playing with water. They make different kinds of sounds and chat in their own 7._________ . They may attack others when they are in 8.________ . Why do capybaras have become increasingly popular on social media? (List two reasons within 15 words) 9. ________________________ 07 Do you know magpies ? Magpies are as much an important part of Beijing as the Palace Museum and Beijing Roast Duck. But how much do you know about this type of birds? In the Chinese culture, magpies are also called xique, which means “bird of happiness”. People believe that seeing magpies can bring them good luck. The birds even have a special job in the Chinese story of the Qixi Festival. It’s said that magpies would form the bridge in the sky for Niülang and Zhinü so that they got to get together once a year. As a result, magpies stand for true love and happiness too. Magpies have black and white feathers with slightly blue tails. With their special “chachacha” sounds from early morning till night, it is not difficult for birdwatchers to notice them. You can always see them chatting on the roof or in the branches (树枝). Magpies have some very interesting living habits. They always live around humans, because they mainly live on the food we throw away. In winter, many magpies turn to a more plant-rich diet. Their diet includes around 60% vegetables. Sometimes they may look for food on the ground but not eat it right away. Instead, they will save the food for the future. Even more surprising, they will stay around the dead birds and make sad sounds. It is just like they are holding a funeral (葬礼). All these unbelievable things lead some people to believe that magpies may be the cleverest of all birds. Well, Beijing’s noisiest bird is also one of its smartest ones. Maybe these little birds can really bring a little luck too. 1. What does the magpie’s Chinese name mean in the article? ________________________________________________________  2. What do magpies look like? _____________________________________________________________  3. What do magpies live mainly on in winter? ___________________________________________________________________  4. What will magpies do for their dead friends? ___________________________________________________________________  5. What other animals can bring good luck in Chinese culture? Give an example. ________________________________________________________________________ 08 The Shy Mimosa Mimosa pudica, or the “sensitive plant”, is known for its special ability. When touched, its leaves fold up quickly, as if it’s shy. This clever trick helps it avoid being eaten by animals—most pests lose interest when the leaves close! Mimosa grows in warm places like forests and grasslands. It loves sunlight and well-watered soil. But today, this plant is in danger. People often pick it for fun, and construction (建筑施工) destroys its home. In some areas, mimosa has become rare. Scientists say mimosa is more than a “shy” plant. Its folding leaves can teach us about plant movement—how plants react to the world around them. Protecting mimosa means saving a small but important part of nature’s diversity (多样性). 1．Why do mimosa leaves fold up when touched? (No more than 10 words) ________________________________________________________ 2．Where does mimosa like to grow? (No more than 15 words) ________________________________________________________ 3．What are the two dangers to mimosa? (No more than 15 words) ________________________________________________________ 4．What can we learn from mimosa’s folding leaves? (No more than 10 words) ________________________________________________________ 5．What can you do to protect mimosa? (No more than 20 words) ________________________________________________________ ( 1 / 13 ) 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ Unit 2 Amazing Plants and Animals 任务型阅读专练 话题：人与自然 — 神奇动植物 基础篇 01 Plants and animals are very important to humans. We can’t live without them. The blue whale is the largest animal in the world. It lives in the ocean, is very big and heavy, and can weigh up to 200 tons. It plays an important role in the ocean ecosystem. Bamboo is one of the most useful plants. It grows very fast—some can grow almost one meter a day. People use it to make many things like houses, tools and instruments. Bees are hard-working. They help pollinate (授粉) plants. Without them, about 80% of plants can’t grow. So bees are very important animals. We should take care of plants and animals, protect their homes and stop them from being killed. 1．What can’t we live without? (不超过5词) _______________________________________________________________________ 2．What’s the largest animal in the world? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 3．How fast can some bamboo grow? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 4．Why are bees very important? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 5．What should we do for plants and animals? (不超过10词) _______________________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1．Plants and animals. 2．The blue whale. 3．Almost one meter a day. 4．They help pollinate plants./Without them, about 80% of plants can’t grow. 5．Take care of them, protect their homes and stop killing. 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇说明文，主要讲述了动植物对人类的重要性，并列举了蓝鲸、竹子和蜜蜂的例子，呼吁人们保护动植物。 1．根据文章第1段“Plants and animals are very important to humans. We can’t live without them.”可知，动植物对人类非常重要，没有它们我们就无法生存。故填Plants and animals. 2．根据文章第2段“The blue whale is the largest animal in the world.”可知，蓝鲸是世界上最大的动物。故填The blue whale. 3．根据文章第3段“It grows very fast—some can grow almost one meter a day.”可知，竹子生长非常快，有些一天能长近一米。故填Almost one meter a day. 4．根据文章第4段“They help pollinate plants. Without them, about 80% of plants can’t grow.”可知，蜜蜂帮助植物授粉，没有它们，约80%的植物无法生长。故填They help pollinate plants./Without them, about 80% of plants can’t grow. 5．根据文章最后1段“We should take care of plants and animals, protect their homes and stop them from being killed.”可知，我们应该照顾动植物，保护它们的家园并阻止它们被杀害。故填Take care of them, protect their homes and stop killing. 02 Plants: more than we thought Plants are amazing! In the past, there were some ideas that plants had feelings and could act like people. But now, new studies show that plants are unusual in their own ways. Protecting (保护) themselves One way is how plants protect themselves. For example, when worms eat them, tomato plants can make their leaves taste bad with a special juice. This can even make the worms eat each other! Corn (玉米) plants can check what worms leave behind and then use that information to call a bee to hunt the worms. Plant communication Plants can also talk to each other. They mainly use special air. There are small openings on plants that look like little fish mouths under a microscope. These openings let out air with information. When a plant has problems, like being eaten or hurt by wind, it sends a “call”. Other plants close to it can get this “call” and get ready to stay safe. Plant memory Do plants have memory? One example is the “memory of winter”. Many fruit trees need to “remember” the number of cold days in winter to blossom in spring. They remember the cold and warm days to stop flowering too early during a warm time in winter. Now, when we look at plants in a park, we can think of them as little “strangers” (陌生人) with their own “stories” going on all around. We don’t know if they feel pain (疼痛), but they sense touch or respond to being eaten, even though they don’t feel pain like we do. 1. What can tomato plants do when worms eat them? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. What do plants mainly use to talk to each other? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Why do plants remember the cold and warm days in winter? _______________________________________________________________________  4. What’s the main idea of the passage? _______________________________________________________________________  5. How do you usually look after the amazing plants around us? _______________________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1. Tomato plants can make their leaves taste bad with a special juice. 2. Special air. 3. To stop flowering too early during a warm time in winter. 4. It mainly introduces that plants are amazing and unusual in their own ways, including protecting themselves, communicating with each other and having memory. 5. I usually water them regularly, give them proper sunlight and keep them away from strong wind.（答案不唯一） 【解析】 【导语】本文主要介绍植物超乎我们认知的特性，包含自我保护、相互交流和拥有记忆三方面内容。 1. 句意：当虫子啃食番茄植株时，番茄植株能做什么？根据文中“when worms eat them, tomato plants can make their leaves taste bad with a special juice”可知答案，故填Tomato plants can make their leaves taste bad with a special juice. 2. 句意：植物主要用什么相互交流？根据文中“Plants can also talk to each other. They mainly use special air”可知答案，故填Special air. 3. 句意：植物为什么要记住冬天的冷暖天数？根据文中“They remember the cold and warm days to stop flowering too early during a warm time in winter”可知答案，故填To stop flowering too early during a warm time in winter. 4. 句意：这篇文章的主旨是什么？通读全文可知核心是介绍植物很神奇，有自我保护、交流、记忆的独特能力，超乎我们以往认知，故填It mainly introduces that plants are amazing and unusual in their own ways, including protecting themselves, communicating with each other and having memory. 5. 句意：你通常如何照料我们身边这些神奇的植物？开放性题目，言之有理即可，参考答案为I usually water them regularly, give them proper sunlight and keep them away from strong wind. 03 Can plants eat people? Maybe not, but there are many plants that eat meat.Some of them are big, and they can eat small animals. One famous meat-eating plant is the Venus flytrap(捕蝇草). The Venus flytrap is a very strange plant. It grows in dry parts of the United States. Its leaves are like the pages of a book. They can open and close very quickly. Inside the leaves, there are three small hairs. If a fly touches one of the hairs, the leaf closes quickly. The fly cannot get out. In about half an hour, the leaf presses(压) the fly until it is dead. Then, the plant covers the fly. Slowly, the plant eats the fly. Plants are living things that have leaves and roots and grow in earth. Most plants get what they need from the sun, the air and the ground. In some places, the ground is very poor. It doesn't have all these important things, especially nitrogen(氮). Animal meat has a lot of nitrogen, so some plants eat meat to get what they need. Let's hope that some of the bigger plants don't get the same idea! 1. Is the Venus flytrap a plant or an animal? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. What's inside the leaves of the Venus flytrap? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Where do most plants get what they need? _______________________________________________________________________ 4. Why do some plants eat animal meat? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What do you think of the Venus flytrap? Why? _______________________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1. It is a plant. 2. Three small hairs. 3. From the sun, the air and the ground. 4. Because they need nitrogen and animal meat has a lot of nitrogen. 5. It is very strange. Because it can eat small animals like flies.（答案不唯一） 【解析】 【导语】本文介绍了食肉植物捕蝇草的特性、捕食方式，以及部分植物食肉的原因。 1. 句意：捕蝇草是植物还是动物？根据"One famous meat-eating plant is the Venus flytrap"可知捕蝇草是植物，故填It is a plant. 2. 句意：捕蝇草的叶子里有什么？根据"Inside the leaves, there are three small hairs"可知叶子里有三根小绒毛，故填Three small hairs. 3. 句意：大多数植物从哪里获取所需养分？根据"Most plants get what they need from the sun, the air and the ground"可知答案，故填From the sun, the air and the ground. 4. 句意：为什么有些植物会吃动物肉？根据"It doesn't have all these important things, especially nitrogen. Animal meat has a lot of nitrogen, so some plants eat meat to get what they need"可知是因缺乏氮，而动物肉富含氮，故填Because they need nitrogen and animal meat has a lot of nitrogen. 5. 句意：你觉得捕蝇草怎么样？为什么？开放性问题，结合文章说它很奇特，能捕食苍蝇这类小动物即可，参考答案为It is very strange. Because it can eat small animals like flies.  04 Although the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger seems to be a little heavier recently, Duan Lianru can still easily recognize (认出) her. She has watched the tiger grow up. Duan works at a WildAid center. She has a very special job— making “ID cards” for Siberian tigers. With the help of 5,000 cameras, she watches hundreds of pictures on the computer every day. Then she records and compares them carefully. By doing so, she has collected a lot of ▲ about the “King of the Forest”. The information includes each tiger’s patterns (花纹), areas of activities, eating habits, etc. What Duan is doing is to protect Siberian tigers. The tigers mainly live in Russia’s Far East and Northeast China. They’ re one of the world’s most endangered animals. Only about 500 Siberian tigers are living in the wild. To save them, China set up the Northeast China Tiger National Park. It has an area of over 1,400 square kilometers. Thanks to people like Duan, the number of wild Siberian tigers in the park is now more than 50. “What I am doing is meaningful (有意义的). I hope that people and wild animals can live together peacefully and that nature will become more beautiful,” Duan said. 1．What does the underlined word “her” refer to (指的是)? It refers to “ ”. 2．What word can you put in the“ ▲ ”? I can put “ ” there. 3．Where do Siberian tigers mainly live? They mainly live in . 4．How large is the area of Northeast China Tiger National Park? It is square kilometers. 5．What do you think of Duan Lianru? I think . 【答案】 1．the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger 2．information 3．Russia’s Far East and Northeast China 4．over 1,400 5．she is doing a meaningful job and she is responsible (答案不唯一) 【解析】 【导语】本文主要介绍Duan Lianru为保护东北虎而做出的努力。 1．根据“Although the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger seems to be a little heavier recently, Duan Lianru can still easily recognize (认出) her.”可知，这里“her” 指的是前文中的“the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger”。故填the three-year-old wild Siberian tiger。 2．根据下一句“The information includes each tiger’s patterns (花纹), areas of activities, eating habits, etc.”可知，此处是指她收集了很多关于“森林之王”的信息。information“信息”，不可数名词。故填information。 3．根据“The tigers mainly live in Russia’s Far East and Northeast China.”可知，东北虎主要生活在俄罗斯远东和中国东北地区。故填Russia’s Far East and Northeast China。 4．根据“To save them, China set up the Northeast China Tiger National Park. It has an area of over 1,400 square kilometers.”可知，东北虎国家公园的面积是1400多平方公里。故填over 1,400。 5．开放性题目，言之有理即可。参考答案为：she is doing a meaningful job and she is responsible。 05 Twenty years ago in Costa Rica, three girls found a baby sloth (树懒) on a road. The little animal's mother was killed by a car. These girls took the baby sloth to Judy, the owner of a hotel. Judy wanted to help, but she didn't know how to look after the sloth, so she called the zoo. With the help of the zoo, Judy took good care of the baby sloth. She named the baby sloth Buttercup. After her first success, more people brought Judy wounded (受伤的) sloths or baby sloths they found. Judy then opened a help centre. Today, the help centre has saved more than 500 sloths. Sloths live in the forests of Central America. We can also see them in South America. They hang onto the trees with their claws (爪子). There are two main types of sloths. You can know them by the number of their claws. Sloths hardly move. They spend most of their time sleeping in the trees. But now, with the increase of population, human beings cause a lot of problems for these slow and quiet animals. The main problem is that the forests are becoming smaller and smaller. When trees are cut down, sloths will fall and hurt themselves. Some sloths live near human beings and they sometimes are hit by cars or killed by dogs. 1. Why did Judy call the zoo? _______________________________________________________________________ 2. Where do the sloths live? _______________________________________________________________________ 3. Can the sloths run very fast? _______________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the main problem for sloths? _______________________________________________________________________ 5. What should we learn from the last paragraph? _______________________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1. Because she didn't know how to look after the baby sloth. 2. They live in the forests of Central America and South America. 3. No, they can't. 4. The forests are becoming smaller and smaller. 5. We should protect sloths and their living environment.（答案不唯一） 【解析】 【导语】本文讲述朱迪救助树懒并开设救助中心的故事，介绍树懒栖息地、特征，及它们如今面临的生存危机。 1. 句意：朱迪为什么打电话给动物园？根据"Judy wanted to help, but she didn't know how to look after the sloth, so she called the zoo"可知原因是她不知道如何照顾这只树懒宝宝，故填Because she didn't know how to look after the baby sloth. 2. 句意：树懒生活在哪里？根据"Sloths live in the forests of Central America. We can also see them in South America"可知树懒生活在中美洲和南美洲的森林里，故填They live in the forests of Central America and South America. 3. 句意：树懒能跑得很快吗？根据"Sloths hardly move"可知树懒几乎不移动，跑得不快，故填No, they can't. 4. 句意：树懒面临的主要问题是什么？根据"The main problem is that the forests are becoming smaller and smaller"可知主要问题是森林变得越来越小，故填The forests are becoming smaller and smaller. 5. 句意：从最后一段我们能学到什么？最后一段讲人类活动给树懒带来生存问题，核心是要保护树懒和它们的生存环境，参考答案为We should protect sloths and their living environment. 提高篇 06 Have you ever seen capybara (水豚)? They were thought to be a kind of pig in the past, but now we know that they are the largest rodents (啮齿动物) on earth. Guess what? They are new stars on social media now! Seeing them in the wild, you might be surprised at first because they are similar to giant guinea pigs, which are in fact one of their closest relatives. Capybaras’ bodies are covered in reddish-brown fur. When swimming around, thanks to their small eyes, noses and hairless ears which are high on their heads, they’ re able to see the above-water things around them. That’s why they can protect themselves from danger easily. A capybara weighs around 50 kilograms and it can grow to 1.5meters in length. Female capybaras are usually a little heavier than the males. Most of them can be found in South America and like to stay in comfortable places with lots of water. Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, is a perfect place for them to live. Capybaras usually eat grass. But they sometimes eat their own poop because it is helpful for them to get all the things they need. Capybaras are good swimmers and love to play with water. They usually live in groups of 10 to 20 (and up to 100 during the dry season). They also like chatting with each other very much. They express themselves by making different kinds of sounds, including purring, barking, whistling, cackling and grunting. Each sound has an important meaning, from warning the group of danger to sending signals of leaving. It’s like a capybara language. With good personalities, capybaras have become increasingly popular on social media. They get along with almost all the other animals and share their homes with birds and turtles, just like a big animal family living together peacefully. They are calm and don’t really care about what goes on around them. Other animals can do whatever they feel like if they don’t hurt the capybaras. But if capybaras realize a risk, they may attack others to protect themselves. Social media’ s new stars— Capybaras Introduction People used to think capybaras were a kind of pig, but now we are 1.______ that they are the largest rodents on earth. Looks Capybaras look 2.________ giant guinea pigs which are their closest relatives. Covered with reddish-brown fur, the male capybaras are not usually as 3._______ as the female ones. Living area Most of them live in comfortable and 4.________ places such as Pantanal in South America. Food They 5.__________ mainly on grass, while eating their own poop is sometimes helpful. Abilities Capybaras are good at 6._________ and enjoy playing with water. They make different kinds of sounds and chat in their own 7._________ . They may attack others when they are in 8.________ . Why do capybaras have become increasingly popular on social media? (List two reasons within 15 words) 9. ________________________ 【答案】1.aware 2.like 3.heavy 4.wet 5.feed 6.swimming 7.language 8.danger 9.They have good personalities and get along with almost all the other animals. 【解析】 【导语】本文主要介绍了水豚的相关信息，包括其过去被误认为的种类、现在的认知、外貌特征、生活区域、食物、能力以及它们在社交媒体上受欢迎的原因。 1．根据第一段“They were thought to be a kind of pig in the past, but now we know that they are the largest rodents (啮齿动物) on earth”可知，过去人们认为水豚是一种猪，但现在我们知道它们是地球上最大的啮齿动物。此处表示“现在我们知道/意识到……”，因此空格处可填“aware”。故填aware。 2．根据第二段“Seeing them in the wild, you might be surprised at first because they are similar to giant guinea pigs, which are in fact one of their closest relatives.”可知，在野外看到水豚时，人们可能会惊讶，因为它们与巨型豚鼠相似，而巨型豚鼠实际上是它们最近的亲属之一。因此，此处应填“like”，表示“像”。故填like。 3．根据第二段“A capybara weighs around 50 kilograms…Female capybaras are usually a little heavier than the males”可知，雄性水豚通常不如雌性水豚重，空格处表示“重的”，应用“heavy”。故填heavy。 4．根据第三段“Most of them can be found in South America and like to stay in comfortable places with lots of water. Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland, is a perfect place for them to live.”可知，它们大多生活在南美洲，喜欢待在舒适且水源丰富的地方。潘塔纳尔是世界上最大的淡水湿地，是它们生活的理想之地。由此可知，它们喜欢待在舒适且潮湿的地方。“wet”表示“潮湿的”，符合语境。故填wet。 5．根据第三段“Capybaras usually eat grass”可知，水豚主要以草为食。“feed on”表示“以……为食”，为固定搭配。故填feed。 6．根据第四段“Capybaras are good swimmers and love to play with water”可知，水豚擅长游泳，喜欢玩水。空格处表示“游泳”，且位于介词“at”后，应用动名词“swimming”。故填swimming。 7．根据第四段“They express themselves by making different kinds of sounds…It’s like a capybara language”可知，水豚通过发出不同的声音来表达自己，这就像水豚的语言。空格处表示“语言”，应用“language”。故填language。 8．根据最后一段“But if capybaras realize a risk, they may attack others to protect themselves”可知，当水豚意识到危险时，它们可能会攻击别人来保护自己。空格处表示“危险”，应用“danger”。故填danger。 9．根据最后一段“With good personalities, capybaras have become increasingly popular on social media. They get along with almost all the other animals…just like a big animal family living together peacefully”可知，水豚性格好，几乎与所有其他动物都相处得很好，就像一个大家庭一样和平共处，这是它们在社交媒体上越来越受欢迎的原因。故填They have good personalities and get along with almost all the other animals。 07 Do you know magpies ? Magpies are as much an important part of Beijing as the Palace Museum and Beijing Roast Duck. But how much do you know about this type of birds? In the Chinese culture, magpies are also called xique, which means “bird of happiness”. People believe that seeing magpies can bring them good luck. The birds even have a special job in the Chinese story of the Qixi Festival. It’s said that magpies would form the bridge in the sky for Niülang and Zhinü so that they got to get together once a year. As a result, magpies stand for true love and happiness too. Magpies have black and white feathers with slightly blue tails. With their special “chachacha” sounds from early morning till night, it is not difficult for birdwatchers to notice them. You can always see them chatting on the roof or in the branches (树枝). Magpies have some very interesting living habits. They always live around humans, because they mainly live on the food we throw away. In winter, many magpies turn to a more plant-rich diet. Their diet includes around 60% vegetables. Sometimes they may look for food on the ground but not eat it right away. Instead, they will save the food for the future. Even more surprising, they will stay around the dead birds and make sad sounds. It is just like they are holding a funeral (葬礼). All these unbelievable things lead some people to believe that magpies may be the cleverest of all birds. Well, Beijing’s noisiest bird is also one of its smartest ones. Maybe these little birds can really bring a little luck too. 1. What does the magpie’s Chinese name mean in the article? ________________________________________________________  2. What do magpies look like? _____________________________________________________________  3. What do magpies live mainly on in winter? ___________________________________________________________________  4. What will magpies do for their dead friends? ___________________________________________________________________  5. What other animals can bring good luck in Chinese culture? Give an example. ________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1．It means “the bird of happiness”. 2．They have black and white feathers with slightly blue tails. 3．Around 60% vegetables. 4．They stay around them and make sad sounds. 5．Carp. It symbolizes good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. 【解析】 【导语】本文介绍了喜鹊在中国文化中的寓意、外观特征、生活习性等内容。 1．根据“In the Chinese culture, magpies are called xique, which means ‘the bird of happiness’.”可知，喜鹊的中文名字意思是“幸福之鸟”。故填It means “the bird of happiness”. 2．根据“Magpies have black and white feathers with slightly blue tails.”可知，喜鹊的外观是有黑白羽毛和略带蓝色的尾巴。故填They have black and white feathers with slightly blue tails. 3．根据“In winter, many magpies turn to a more plant-rich diet. Their diet includes around 60% vegetables.”可知，冬天喜鹊主要以蔬菜为主食。故填Around 60% vegetables. 4．根据“Even more surprising, they stay around the dead birds and make sad sounds. It is just like they are holding a funeral (葬礼).”可知，喜鹊会在死去的同伴身边发出悲伤的声音。故填They stay around the dead birds and make sad sounds. 5．本题答案不唯一，合理正确即可。从中国文化中能带来好运的动物，如鲤鱼（象征好运、繁荣）、蝙蝠（“蝠”与“福”同音，象征福气）等方面作答，示例为鲤鱼。故填Carp. It symbolizes good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. 08 The Shy Mimosa Mimosa pudica, or the “sensitive plant”, is known for its special ability. When touched, its leaves fold up quickly, as if it’s shy. This clever trick helps it avoid being eaten by animals—most pests lose interest when the leaves close! Mimosa grows in warm places like forests and grasslands. It loves sunlight and well-watered soil. But today, this plant is in danger. People often pick it for fun, and construction (建筑施工) destroys its home. In some areas, mimosa has become rare. Scientists say mimosa is more than a “shy” plant. Its folding leaves can teach us about plant movement—how plants react to the world around them. Protecting mimosa means saving a small but important part of nature’s diversity (多样性). 1．Why do mimosa leaves fold up when touched? (No more than 10 words) ________________________________________________________ 2．Where does mimosa like to grow? (No more than 15 words) ________________________________________________________ 3．What are the two dangers to mimosa? (No more than 15 words) ________________________________________________________ 4．What can we learn from mimosa’s folding leaves? (No more than 10 words) ________________________________________________________ 5．What can you do to protect mimosa? (No more than 20 words) ________________________________________________________ 【答案】 1．To avoid being eaten by animals. 2．In warm places like forests and grasslands with sunlight and well-watered soil. 3．People pick it for fun and construction destroys its home. 4．How plants react to the world. 5．(Example) I can tell others not to pick mimosa and protect its growing areas. 【解析】 【导语】本文介绍含羞草的“害羞”特性(叶片受触碰闭合)、生长环境，以及面临的人为采摘、栖息地破坏等威胁，阐述保护含羞草对维护生物多样性的意义。 1．根据“This clever trick helps it avoid being eaten by animals”可知闭合叶片是为了避免被动物吃掉，故填To avoid being eaten by animals. 2．根据“Mimosa grows in warm places like forests and grasslands. It loves sunlight and well-watered soil”可知含羞草生长在森林和草地等温暖的地方，它喜欢阳光和水分充足的土壤，故填In warm places like forests and grasslands with sunlight and well-watered soil. 3． 根据“People often pick it for fun, and construction destroys its home”可知含羞草面临的危险是人们经常因为好玩而采摘它和建筑施工毁坏它的家，故填People pick it for fun and construction destroys its home. 4． 根据“Its folding leaves can teach us about plant movement—how plants react to the world around them”可知它的闭合叶子的特性让我们了解植物如何对周围世界做出反应，故填How plants react to the world. 5．开放性作答。符合题意，言之有理即可。参考答案为I can tell others not to pick mimosa and protect its growing areas. ( 1 / 13 ) 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $