Question

Despite the vital role they play in many ecosystems, animals considered to be “ugly” are being ignored by scientists. A study had found uglier animals attract less attention and less funding when it comes to conservation efforts and research. This could mean the ugliest animal population could be under threat.

The study was conducted by wildlife biologists Trish Fleming and Bill Bateman in Perth, Australia. They looked at research publications concerning 331 Australian mammal species that broadly fell into categories they labeled as “the good, the bad and the ugly”. It turned out that studies into “the good group” and “the bad group” were carried out while the “ugly group” was ignored.

Ugly animals, such as the fruit bat and the tree bat, are being ignored by conservationists. And some animals are even becoming endangered because of how they look. The Madagascan lemur(狐猴)called the aye---aye is so ugly that the natives have long seen them as a bad sign, or a sign of death, so they kill them whenever they see them. Other ugly animals under threat include the dugong(儒艮)and the proboscis monkey(长鼻猴).

Despite making up 45% of the 331 species studied, the ugly animals have attracted little attention from scientists. “We know so little about the biology of many of these species,” said Trish Fleming. “For many, we have catalogued their existence, but when it comes to understanding what they eat, their habitat needs, or how we could improve their chance of how we could improve their chance of survival, we are still in the dark.”

With Bill Bateman, Trish Fleming has called for improved funding for the lesser known mammals. “It would be ‘tragic’ if humans ended up causing the extinction of more species without even knowing anything about them,” they said.

1.Based on the text, the “ugly” animals _________

A. are increasing in number

B. get more conservation funds

C. play an important role in the ecosystem

D. cost quite a great deal of money in research

2.Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. People see the dugong as a sign of death

B. More attention has been paid to “the ugly animals”

C. There was not enough study about “the ugly animals”

D. Trish and Bill did research on 331 Australian mammals

3.The main reason for some animals’ being endangered may lie in _________.

A. their unpleasant looks B. their broad categories

C. their economic values D. their lovely appearances

4.The best title for the text would be _________.

A. The Ugliest Animal in the World

B. The Ugly Species Are under Threat

C. The Living Habits of the Ugly Species

D. The Proboscis Monkey Is Endangered

Answer 1