4. The writer is probably ________.

A. a bird expert                          B. a bird-hunter

C. a bird raiser                          D. a scientist

【答案与解析】本文主要是讲the male redstart 是怎样使出浑身解数吸引the female入巢的。

3. You can spot a pair of redstarts in a Walsh wood ________.

A. at any time        B. regularly    C. in April    D. occasionally

2. The writer was lucky to see ________.

A. how the male made his tricks

B. how an interested female played with the male happily

C. what the male displayed and won the female

D. that the male tried his best but failed to attract the female

1. How do the blue tits choose their nest?

A. They choose their nest together.     

B. The male chooses their nest.

C. The house-hunter chooses their nest.

D. The female chooses their nest.

4. D。推断题。根据文章最后一段第1句中的…on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. 和第2段第2句中的 Between 1825, when the canal was opened… 可推知此题答案为D。

十一、自然类

(1)

The blue tits(山雀) have been inspecting the nest-box again this year. The male is the house-hunter but the female will make the final choice. He lands at the hole and turns his head to expose his white cheeks as a signal to attract the female from where she has been feeding.

Among many birds that nest in holes, the male has a light-coloured patch on its plumage(鸟羽) which acts as signal for drawing the female’s attention to a suitable nesting-place. Unlike the blue tit, the redstart(红尾鸲) may be only the male that strikingly coloured and the female is not beautiful.

    A few years ago I was lucky enough to spot a pair of redstarts in action in a Walsh wood. The male was leading an interested female to holes that he had previously(先前) checked out. He sat at the entrance of each hole and put his head on to show off his white forehead, or his head in to reveal(显露) his tail.

    If the female failed to react to his visual signals, the male sometimes sang for extra effect, while gliding towards her on spread wings and tail. Once the female accepts by following the male through the hole the displays stop, you must be at the right place at the right time to watch them.

3. A。推断题。通过比较文章第2段第2句 It cost $ 7, 143, 789 和第2段最后一句中的…the state collected $121, 461, 891可推知此题答案为A。

2. B。推断题。根据文章第1段第2句和第3句：运河from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River 横跨了New York 把the Great Lakes和the Atlantic Ocean联系起来了可推知此题答案为B。

1. C。细节题。根据文章第1段最后一句The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city 及全段内容，可推知此题答案为C。

4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.

B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.

C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.

D. Construction of the canal took eight years.

(1―4 CBAD)　

【答案与解析】本文介绍了Erie Canal的作用及修建过程。

A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.

B. It’s 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.

D. Many other states helped New York built the canal.