Question

  As skies are filled with millions of migrating(迁徙) birds, European scientists say the seasonal wonder appears to be strange: The fatter the bird, tile better it flies.

    The results of their study led to a theory opposite to a central one of aerodynamics (空气动力学), which says that the power needed to fly increases with weight.

    For birds, obviously, the cost of flying with heavy fat is much smaller than we used to think. Researchers found that red knot wading birds double their normal body weight of 100 grams before making their twice-a-year nonstop flight between the British Isles and the Russian Arctic. Distance: 5,000 kilometers.

    Another study in the magazine Nature measured the advantage of flying in an aerodynamic group which allows birds to save energy by flying smoothly and quietly in the lead bird' s air stream.

    Flying in groups, their heart rates were 14.5 percent lower than flying alone, according to Henri, a French scientist. The findings help explain how birds complete difficult migrations. Researchers had thought that thinner, stronger birds would have the best chance to survive.

    The first study suggests that building up fat to be burnt as fuel during the migration is worth more than the energy it takes to carry the additional weight.

    In the study, researchers said their team studied the birds flown at different body weights during 28 simulated(模拟的) flights. They forced a small amount of special water into the birds' bodies so that they could measure the amount of energy burnt during the flight.

60. A red knot wading bird of 100 grams will probably weigh ________ before making its nonstop migrating flight.

  A. 50 grams    B. 100 grams       C. 150 grams       D. 200 grams

61. During their migrating flight, red knot wading birds can save energy by flying

  A. separately   B. alone           C. in groups        D. in pairs

62. A ________ red knot wading bird has a better chance to survive during its migrating flight.

  A. stronger     B. weaker         C. thinner          D. fatter

63. The best title for this passage may probably be ________.

Birds Thin Down For Journey

Birds Fatten Up For Journey

How Birds Build Up Fat For Journey

How Birds Burn Energy For Journey

Answer 1

 

60．D．

解析：文章的第三段说到：Researchers found that red knot wading birds double their normal body…。Double的含义是使…加倍。

61．C．

解析：第四段中另一个研究说明了群飞的好处：在领头鸟的气流中飞行，更省力。另外。第五段：Flying in groups, their heart rates were14.5 percent…。证明了这个发现。

62．D．

解析：文章中第六段说到：The first study suggests that building up fat to be burnt….the energy it takes to carry the additional weight.以及文中的五段说到：Researchers had thought that thinner, stronger birds would have the best chance to survive.(研究人员曾经认为较瘦但较强壮的鸟才最有可能幸存。但第一个研究表明，研究人员以前的想法是错误的，现在发现较胖的鸟才更有可能幸存。)

63．B．

解析：文中的第一句话说到科学家们发现The fatter the bird, the better it flies,之后又列举具体例子（red knot wading birds）,最后还说明了具体测算的实验；这都说明应选B。而具体鸟类如何增加体重或消耗能量，文中根本未提及。