8.The Scottish countryside will soon be home to creatures which are strange to Britain.This spring,17beavers will be released into a remote area of rivers and forests.Hunted to die out throughout Europe,beavers haven't roamedin Britain's wilderness for almost 500years.Ecologists would like to invite back other long-lost animals to help recover the natural balance.To save the country's plants from deer,which have doubled to 2million since the start of this decade,an Oxford University biologist late last year called for introducing the lynx(猞猁) that died out in Britain 1,300years ago.
Nature has long been a popular cause in Europe.British people love their countryside of fences and fields,and the Germans love their hiking forests.But in recent years people have set their sights on the more distant past,when Europe's forests were filled with elephants,rhinoceroses and big cats.Some people are even now advocating a return to the way of wilderness that dates back to the Pleistocene era,more than 11,000years ago.
Nobody is advocating allowing elephants and lions to run crazily in big cities.But supporters would give free control to a long list of small mammals,including the beaver and lynx,which some people fear could be dangerous.Some landowners are worried at the thought of beavers cutting down trees and possible floods; the Scottish parliament refused several earlier efforts to introduce the mammal.Proposals to set wolves and bears free in Britain have also met with opposition.
Although the beavers and the lynxes were popular in Europe thousands of years ago,no one is sure what effect they would have on ecosystems now."The idea of bringing back big animals is interesting,but when you take it seriously,there are a lot of questions,"say some biologists.For example,elephants could destroy what little forest and grassland Europe has left.
The beavers of Tierra del Fuego provide a lesson.When a failed commercial fur farm released its few remaining beavers into the wild 60years ago,the population exploded,and are still harming the local people.Is this Britain's future?Supporters say no,the beaver will fit right in.Destroying nature is not a job for the wild.
41.The underlined word"roamed"most probably meansA
A.walked
B.released
C.developed
D.exploded
42.Why did the Oxford University biologist call for introducing the lynx?B
A.Because the lynx died out in Britain 1,300years ago.
B.Because the lynx can prevent the plants from being destroyed by deer.
C.Because there are too many deer in Britain.
D.Because the biologist wanted to invite back the long-lost species.
43.What can we learn from Para.3?C
A.Not all the people support setting loose wild animals in Britain.
B.Some small mammals will be out of control in Britain.
C.The landowners don't like beavers because of the possible disasters.
D.British Parliament has proposed several times to bring beavers back.
44.What is the opinion of the biologists about bringing back the mammals?B
A.They consider bringing them back to be fantastic.
B.They think bringing them back is no easy task.
C.They know for sure the result of bringing them back.
D.They think the mammals will destroy the ecosystem.
45.What can be inferred from the passage?B
A.Beavers are the most useful mammals to the balance of Britain.
B.Lynxes may get more freedom in Britain than tigers do.
C.The ecosystem in Britain doesn't need any changes.
D.Beavers released in Britain will destroy nature.
分析 本文属于说明文阅读.作者通过这篇文章主要向我们描述了英国生态学家想通过引进其他动物来帮助恢复自然平衡,他们希望通过释放小动物自由来回归自然,这种想法很有趣,却也遭到了一部分人的反对,他们认为这会危害当地居民.
解答 41.A.词义猜测题.根据文章第一段"Hunted to die out throughout Europe,beavers haven't roamedin Britain's wilderness for almost 500years"可知由于整个欧洲的捕杀,海狸已经15年没有进入欧洲了;故选A.
42.B.细节理解题.根据文章第一段"To save the country's plants from deer"可知呼吁引进猞猁的目的是可以阻止植物被鹿破坏,故选B.
43.C.细节理解题.根据文章第二段Some people are even now advocating a return to the way of wilderness that dates back to the Pleistocene era,more than 11,000years ago;可知有些人不喜欢海狸由于可能的灾难;故选C.
44.B.细节理解题,根据文章倒数第二段"The idea of bringing back big animals is interesting,but when you take it seriously,there are a lot of questions"可知生物学家们认为把他们带回来不是一件容易的事;故选B.
45.B.推理判断题,根据文章最后一段"But supporters would give free control to a long list of small mammals,including the beaver and lynx",可知海狸在英国比老虎更自由;故选B.
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力,做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句,和题干进行比较,再做出正确的选择.在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实,要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断