Question

Pretoria, South Africa. Hundreds of swimmers are playing in the water along a South African beach. Suddenly a huge shark appears offshore and heads for the bathers. Before it can get close to the swimmers, the shark, for some mysterious reason, starts swimming parallel to the beach. Then it turns away from the shore and heads out to sea,leaving the swimmers untouched.

Such a scene will soon become common along shark infested(鲨鱼出没)shores. An electrical engineer from the University of Pretoria has developed an electrical system that repels(击退)sharks by controlling their movements. Confixsed by this action, the sharks end up turning away from the beach.

In this unusual shark repellent method, an insulated(绝缘的)cable is buried on the bottom of the sea around a beach from which people swim. When an electric current is sent through the cable， an electric field is produced in the water above the cable.

When the shark swims into the electric field, nerve cells just below the shark's skin detect the field. The electricity produces a reflex(反射)action in the shark's muscles, causing the dangerous animal with sharp teeth to swim parallel to the cable. Confused by increasing loss of control of its muscles, the shark suddenly changes its direction and heads seaward, away from the electric field.

In a test of the invisible new shark-repellent system，a cable was placed around a beach in St. Lucia,an island in the tropics. A protective net,which had been installed around the beach a long

 

time ago to keep sharks from swimmers, was left in place during the experiment.

When the electric field was left on for more than a year and a half,no sharks were found in the nets. However, when the power was turned off, 89 sharks ended up in the nets.

of many sharks，say biologists. Currently，thousands of sharks die each year when they become trapped in protective nets that surround holiday resorts in Africa and Australia. About 10 to 15 humans are killed by sharks annually.

(   ) 4. In the first passage, why doesn't the shark attack the swimmers?

A.   Because there are many swimmers in the water.

B.   Because the shark doesn't want to eat the swimmers.

C.   Because of some mysterious reason from the God.

D.   Because there is an invisible electric field confusing the shark.

(   ) 5. An electrical engineer from the University of Pretoria has developed                   -

A. a protective net    B. a new shark-repellent system

C. the electric field    D. an insulated cable

(   ) 6. An electric field is produced in the water above the cable       

A.   only when the shark swims into the electric field

B.   only when an insulated cable is buried on the bottom of the sea around a beach from which people swim

C.   only when an electric current is sent through the cable

D.   only when the sharks are trapped in protective nets

(   ) 7. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A.  Protective nets had been installed around the beach earlier than the new shark re?pellent system.

B.  This new kind of shark repellent system will take place of the protective nets.

C.  Thousands of sharks die and about 10 to 15 humans are killed by sharks each year in Africa and Australia since this new system was put into use.

D.  Using the electric wall method instead of nets to protect bathers would avoid the needless death of many sharks.

Answer 1

4. D逻辑推理题。根据文章内容及第^殳"anelectrical system that repels sharks by controlling their movements. Confused by this action, the sharks end up turning away from the beach"可知₀

5. B细节理解题。根据第二段第二句"An electrical engineer from the University of Pretoria has developed an electrical system that repels sharks by controlling their movements"及下文可知。 

6. C细节理解题。根据第三段第二句"When an electric current is sent through the cable, an electric field is produced in the water above the cable"可知。

7. C事实判断题。根据第五、六、七三段内容可知C错误。