雅思(阅读)模拟试卷48(题后含答案及解析)

雅思（阅读）模拟试卷48 (题后含答案及解析)

题型有：1. Reading Module

Reading Module (60 minutes)

READING PASSAGE 3 You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below. SAVING LANGUAGE For the first time, linguists have put a price on language. To save a language from extinction isn’t cheap-but more and more people are arguing that the alternative is the death of communities There is nothing unusual about a single language dying. Communities have come and gone throughout history, and with them their language. But what is happening today is extraordinary, judged by the standards of the past. It is language extinction on a massive scale. According to the best estimates, there are some 6,000 languages in the world. Of these, about half are going to die out in the course of the next century: that’s 3,000 languages in 1,200 months. On average, there is a language dying out somewhere in the world every two weeks or so. How do we know? In the course of the past two or three decades, linguists all over the world have been gathering comparative data. If they find a language with just a few speakers left, and nobody is bothering to pass the language on to the children, they conclude that language is bound to die out soon. And we have to draw the same conclusion if a language has less than 100 speakers. It is not likely to last very long. A 1999 survey shows that 97 per cent of the world’s languages are spoken by just four per cent of the people. It is too late to do anything to help many languages, where the speakers are too few or too old, and where the community is too busy just trying to survive to care about their language. But many languages are not in such a serious position. Often, where languages are seriously endangered, there are things that can be done to give new life to them. It is called revitalisation. Once a community realises that its language is in danger, it can start to introduce measures which can genuinely revitalise. The community itself must want to save its language. The culture of the community must need to have a respect for minority languages. There needs to be funding, to support courses, materials, and teachers. And there need to be linguists, to get on with the basic task of putting the language down on paper. That’s the bottom line: getting the language documented-recorded, analysed, written down. People must be able to read and write if they and their language are to have a future in an increasingly computer- literate civilisation. But can we save a few thousand languages, just like that? Yes, if the will and funding were available. It is not cheap, getting linguists into the field, training local analysts, supporting the community with language resources and teachers, compiling grammars and dictionaries, writing materials for use in schools. It takes time, lots of it,to revitalise an endangered language. Conditions vary so much that it is difficult to generalise, but a figure of ＄100,000 a year per language cannot be far from the truth. If we devoted that amount of effort over three years for each of 3,000 languages, we would be talking about

some ＄900 million. There are some famous cases which illustrate what can be done. Welsh, alone among the Celtic languages, is not only stopping its steady decline towards extinction but showing signs of real growth. Two Language Acts protect the status of Welsh now, and its presence is increasingly in evidence wherever you travel in Wales. On the other side of the world, Maori in New Zealand has been maintained by a system of socalled ‘language nests’, first introduced in 1982. These are organisations which provide children under five with a domestic setting in which they are intensively exposed to the language. The staff are all Maori speakers from the local community. The hope is that the children will keep their Maori skills alive after leaving the nests, and that as they grow older they will in turn become role models to a new generation of young children. There are cases like this all over the world. And when the reviving language is associated with a degree of political autonomy, the growth can be especially striking, as shown by Faroese, spoken in the Faroe Islands, after the islanders received a measure of autonomy from Denmark. In Switzerland, Romansch was facing a difficult situation, spoken in five very different dialects, with small and diminishing numbers, as young people left their community for work in the German-speaking cities. The solution here was the creation in the 1980s of a unified written language for all these dialects. Romansch Grischun, as it is now called, has official status in parts of Switzerland, and is being increasingly used in spoken form on radio and television. A language can be brought back from the very brink of extinction. The Ainu language of Japan, after many years of neglect and repression, had reached a stage where there were only eight fluent speakers left, all elderly. However, new government policies brought fresh attitudes and a positive interest in survival. Several ‘semispeakers’ - people who had become unwilling to speak Ainu because of the negative attitudes by Japanese speakers-were prompted to become active speakers again. There is fresh interest now and the language is more publicly available than it has been for years. If good descriptions and materials are available, even extinct languages can be resurrected. Kaurna, from South Australia, is an example. This language had been extinct for about a century, but had been quite well documented. So, when a strong movement grew for its revival, it was possible to reconstruct it. The revised language is not the same as the original, of course. It lacks the range that the original had, and much of the old vocabulary. But it can nonetheless act as a badge of present-day identity for its people. And as long as people continue to value it as a true marker of their identity, and are prepared to keep using it, it will develop new functions and new vocabulary, as any other living language would do. It is too soon to predict the future of these revived languages, but in some parts of the world they are attracting precisely the range of positive attitudes and grass roots support which are the preconditions for language survival. In such unexpected but heart-warming ways might we see the grand total of languages in the world minimally increased.

Questions 28-32Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?In boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet writeYES——if the statement agrees with the writer’s viewsNO——if the statement contradicts the writer’s viewsNOT GIVEN——if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about

this

1． The rate at which languages are becoming extinct has increased. A．YES B．NO

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：A

解析：Para 1: But what is happening today is extraordinary, judged by the standards of the past. It is language extinction on a massive scale.

*

2． Research on the subject of language extinction began in the 1990s. A．YES B．NO

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：B

解析：Para 2: In the course of the past two or three decades, linguists all over the world have been gathering comparative data.

*

3． In order to survive, a language needs to be spoken by more than 100 people. A．YES B．NO

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：A

解析：Para 2: If they find a language ... And we have to draw the same conclusion if a language has less than 100 speakers.

*

4． Certain parts of the world are more vulnerable than others to language extinction.

A．YES B．NO

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：C

解析：Reasons for language extinction are discussed in paragraph 2. There is no information about the relative levels of language extinction in different parts of the world.

* 5． Saving language should be the major concern of any small community whose

language is under threat.

A．YES B．NO

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：B 解析：Para 3: Sometimes other considerations are more important: It is too late to do anything ... where the community is too busy just trying to survive to care about their language.

Questions 33-35 The list below gives some of the factors that are necessary to assist the revitalisation of a language within a community. Which THREE of the factors are mentioned by the writer of the text? Write the appropriate letters A-G in boxes 33-35 on your answer sheet.A——the existence of related languagesB——support from the indigenous populationC——books tracing the historical development of the languageD——on-the-spot help from language expertsE——a range of speakers of different agesF——formal education proceduresG——a common purpose for which the language is required

6． 【33】

正确答案：B

解析：Para 4: The community itself must want to save its language. The culture of which it is a part must need to have a respect for minority languages.

*

7． 【34】

正确答案：D

解析：Para 5: ... getting linguists into the field, training local analysts ... *

8． 【35】

正确答案：F 解析：Para 5: ... supporting the community with language resources and teachers, compiling grammars and dictionaries, writing materials for use in schools.

Questions 36-40 Match the languages A-F with the statements below (Questions 36-40) which describe how a language was saved. Write your answers

in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.Languages：A——Welsh B——Maori C——Faroese D——Romansch E——Ainu F——Kaurna

9． The region in which the language was spoken gained increased independence.

正确答案：C

解析：And when the reviving language is associated with a degree of pofitical autonomy, the growth can be especially striking, as shown by Faroese

*

10． People were encouraged to view the language with less prejudice.

正确答案：E

解析：... new government policies brought fresh attitudes and a positive interest in survival...

*

11． Language immersion programmes were set up for sectors of the population.

正确答案：B

解析：... organisations which provide children under five with a domestic setting in which they are intensively exposed to the language.

*

12． A merger of different varieties of the language took place.

正确答案：D

解析：The solution here was the creation in the 1980s of a unified written language for all these dialects.

*

13． Written samples of the language permitted its revitalisation.

正确答案：F 解析：This language had been extinct for about a century, but had been quite well documented.

READING PASSAGE 2You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below. Fun for the Masses Americans worry that the distribution of income is increasingly unequal. Examining leisure spending changes that picture. A Are you better off than you used to be? Even after six years of sustained economic growth, Americans worry about that question. Economists who plumb government income statistics agree that Americans’incomes, as measured in inflation-adjusted dollars, have risen more slowly in the past two decades than in earlier times, and that some workers’ real incomes have actually fallen. They also agree that by almost any measure, income is distributed less equally than it used to be. Neither of those claims, however, sheds much light on whether living standards are rising or falling. This is because ‘living standard’ is a highly amorphous concept. Measuring how much people earn is

relatively easy, at least compared with measuring how well they live. B A recent paper by Dora Costa, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, looks at the living-standards debate from an unusual direction. Rather than worrying about cash incomes, Ms Costa investigates Americans’recreational habits over the past century. She finds that people of all income levels have steadily increased the amount of time and money they devote to having fun. The distribution of dollar incomes may have become more skewed in recent years, but leisure is more evenly spread than ever. C Ms Costa bases her research on consumption surveys dating back as far as 1888. The industrial workers surveyed in that year spent, on average, three-quarters of their incomes on food, shelter and clothing. Less than 2% of the average family’s income was spent on leisure but that average hid large disparities. The share of a family’s budget that was spent on having fun rose sharply with its income: the lowest-income families in this working-class sample spent barely 1% of their budgets on recreation, while higher earners spent more than 3%. Only the latter group could afford such extravagances as theatre and concert performances, which were relatively much more expensive than they are today. D Since those days, leisure has steadily become less of a luxury. By 1991, the average household needed to devote only 38% of its income to the basic necessities, and was able to spend 6% on recreation. Moreover, Ms Costa finds that the share of the family budget spent on leisure now rises much less sharply with income than it used to. At the beginning of this century a family’s recreational spending tended to rise by 20% for every 10% rise in income. By 1972-73, a 10% income gain led to roughly a 15% rise in recreational spending, and the increase fell to only 13% in 1991. What this implies is that Americans of all income levels are now able to spend much more of their money on having fun. E One obvious cause is that real income overall has risen. If Americans in general are richer, their consumption of entertainment goods is less likely to be affected by changes in their income. But Ms Costa reckons that rising incomes are responsible for, at most, half of the changing structure of leisure spending. Much of the rest may be due to the fact that poorer Americans have more time off than they used to. In earlier years, Iow-wage workers faced extremely long hours and enjoyed few days off. But since the 1940s, the less skilled (and lower paid) have worked ever-fewer hours, giving them more time to enjoy leisure pursuits. F Conveniently, Americans have had an increasing number of recreational possibilities to choose from. Public investment in sports complexes, parks and golf courses has made leisure cheaper and more accessible. So too has technological innovation. Where listening to music used to imply paying for concert tickets or owning a piano, the invention of the radio made music accessible to everyone and virtually free. Compact discs, videos and other paraphernalia have widened the choice even further. G At a time when many economists are pointing accusing fingers at technology for causing a widening inequality in the wages of skilled and unskilled workers, Ms Costa’s research gives it a much more egalitarian face. High earners have always been able to afford amusement. By lowering the price of entertainment, technology has improved the standard of living of those in the lower end of the income distribution. The implication of her results is that

once recreation is taken into account, the differences in Americans’ living standards may not have widened so much after all. H These findings are not water-tight. Ms Costa’s results depend heavily upon what exactly is classed as a recreational expenditure. Reading is an example. This was the most popular leisure activity for working men in 1888, accounting for one-quarter of all recreational spending. In 1991, reading took only 16% of the entertainment dollar. But the American Department of Labour’s expenditure surveys do not distinguish between the purchase of a mathematics tome and that of a best-selling novel. Both are classified as recreational expenses. If more money is being spent on textbooks and professional books now than in earlier years, this could make ‘recreational’spending appear stronger than it really is. I Although Ms Costa tries to address this problem by showing that her results still hold even when tricky categories, such as books,are removed from the sample, the difficulty is not entirely eliminated. Nonetheless, her broad conclusion seems fair. Recreation is more available to all and less dependent on income. On this measure at least, inequality of living standards has fallen.

Questions 15-21Reading Passage 2 has nine paragraphs A-I.From the list of headings below choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph.Write the

appropriate numbers (i-xi) in boxes 15-21 on your answer sheet. List of headings Ⅰ Wide differences in leisure activities according to income Ⅱ Possible inconsistencies in Ms Costa’s data Ⅲ More personal income and time influence leisure activities Ⅳ Investigating the lifestyle problem from a new angle Ⅴ Increased incomes fail to benefit everyone Ⅵ A controversial development offers cheaper leisure activities Ⅶ Technology heightens differences in living standards Ⅷ The gap between income and leisure spending closes Ⅸ Two factors have led to a broader range of options for all Ⅹ Have people’s lifestyles improved? Ⅺ High earners spend less on leisure【Example】：Paragraph E Answer Ⅲ

14． Paragraph A

正确答案：Ⅹ

解析：lst and last 3 sentences of paragraph. *

15． Paragraph B

正确答案：Ⅳ

解析：1st sentence of paragraph. *

16． Paragraph C

正确答案：Ⅰ

解析：Para C: explains that there were large disparities in the average family

income and that ... The share of a family’s budget that was spent on having fun rose sharply with its income. Also it points out that only high earners could afford such extravagances as theatre and concert performances ...

*

17． Paragraph D

正确答案：Ⅷ

解析：Particularly section commencing: Moreover, Ms Costa finds that the share of the family budget spent on leisure now rises much less sharply with income than it used to.

*

18． Paragraph F

正确答案：Ⅸ

解析：Public investment in sports complexes, parks and golf courses has made leisure cheaper and more accessible. So too has technological innovation...

*

19． Paragraph G

正确答案：Ⅵ

解析：By lowering the price of entertainment, technology has improved the standard of living of those in the lower end of the income distribution.

*

20． Paragraph H

正确答案：Ⅱ

解析：Whole paragraph but in particular 1st and last sentences.

Questions 22-26Complete each of the following statements (Questions 22-26) using words from the box.Write the appropriate letter A-H in boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet.A——Recreational activitiesB——the family budgetC——holiday timeD——government expenditureE——computer technologyF——income levelsG——non-luxury spendingH——professional readingI——high-income earners

21． It is easier to determine ______ than living standards.

正确答案：F

解析：Para A: Measuring how much people earn is relatively easy, at least compared with measuring how well they live.

*

22． A decrease in ______ during the 20th century led to a bigger investment in leisure.

正确答案：G

解析：First mentioned in paragraph C: The industrial workers surveyed in that year (1888) spent, on average, three- quarters of their incomes on food, shelter and clothing. Then mentioned again in paragraph D: By 1991, the average household needed to devote only 38% of its income to the basic necessities, and was able to spend 6% on recreation.

*

23． According to Ms Costa, how much Americans spend on leisure has been directly affected by salaries and ______.

正确答案：C

解析：Para E: Much of the rest may be due to the fact that poorer Americans have more time off than they used to.

*

24． The writer notes both positive and negative influences of ______.

正确答案：E

解析：Para G: At a time when many economists are pointing accusing fingers at technology ... Ms Costa ‘s research gives it a much more egalitarian face.

*

25． According to the writer, the way Ms Costa defined ______ may have been misleading.

正确答案：A

解析：Para H: These findings are not water- tight. Ms Costa’s results depend heavily upon, what exactly is classed as a recreational expenditure. Reading is an example.

Question 27Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in box 27 on your answer sheet.

26． The writer thinks that Ms Costa ______. A．provides strong evidence to support her theory. B．displays serious flaws in her research methods. C．attempts to answer too many questions. D．has a useful overall point to make.

正确答案：D

解析：Para I: She only addresses one issue (C). The strength of the evidence is

questioned (A) and there are some flaws (B) but the key sentence is: Nonetheless, her broad conclusion seems fair. The rest of the text supports this.

ECO-TOURISM If you still believe the once-commonly held misconception that tourism is only an indulgence for the wealthy, you are out of step with the times! The tourism market is accessible to, and indeed marketed toward, many different sections of the community. Adventurers, fitness freaks, nature-lovers and business people all contribute to a rapidly expanding sector of the global economy. Section A This billion-dollar industry, whilst affected slightly by the unforeseen events of 11 September 2001, has experienced significant growth since the late 1980s. The subsequent economic benefits for governments are well-documented as tourism boosts foreign investment and foreign exchange. Large-scale resorts and civil infrastructure were often the only response to successful marketing and increased tourist demand. It is not surprising then that the direct impact on the environment and regional or indigenous populations became a contentious issue. Governments and big business became the target of environmentalists and activists who argued that mass tourism was not (and is not) sustainable. As hordes of tourists descended on often overcrowded beaches and overused parklands, this became apparent. Eco-tourism was born. Section B The broad concept of eco-tourism as a nature-based, culturally sensitive form of tourism was taken up enthusiastically because there appeared to be few losers. Governments were given a convenient escape route as eco-tourism appeased the environmentalists and local communities, but still provided income. Environmentalists saw eco-tourism as an alternative to mass tourism and its resource-exploiting ways. Local communities envisaged receiving at least a percentage of the tourist dollars, creating job opportunities and giving them control over the impact on their own communities. It seemed that the benefits of mass tourism were going to be expanded in the new world of eco-tourism to include cultural, social and environmental elements. Section C As evidence of the benefits of eco-tourism unfolded, the practice has spread. So much so that the United Nations nominated 2002 as the International Year of Eco-tourism. Perhaps inevitably, the meaning of eco-tourism became less clear as it enveloped the globe. It could be argued that the form of eco-tourism adopted in some cases was found wanting in certain aspects and the need for agreement on a tighter definition resulted. The eco-tourist is one who does not wish to contribute to the negative impact of large-scale tourism. He/she generally travels in small groups to low-key developments and attempts to “tread lightly” on the earth. These smaller-scale developments are environmentally responsible with a view to sustainability in all of the resources used. Their landscaping often relies on the use of native flora and they incorporate recycling methods and energy-efficient practices. Within the eco-tourist’s holiday experience will be an element of education about the local environment. The emphasis is on conservation and the part that humans play in keeping ecosystems functioning. If the area is of cultural or social importance, this too is highlighted. The eco-tourist doesn’t condone the exploitation of the indigenous or local community. Far from it, they insist that the host culture is acknowledged and respected. The repatriation of

funds to external sources is frowned upon. Wherever possible, the benefits of an eco-tourist’s holiday should be shared with the regional community-the hosts. Section D All of these elements promote minimal impact on human resources as well as on physical, cultural and environmental ones. They support conservation through education and experience. Despite the best of intentions, as popularity of eco-tourism spreads there is concern that the eco-tourist will have a more adverse effect on the environment. Critics argue that unethical tour operators wanting to take advantage of the trendy eco-tourism market print brochures that espouse the ethics of eco-tourism and show familiar emblems of green frogs and crocodiles to promote themselves but do little else. If such operators are not held accountable, the industry will not survive. Open and honest eco-tourism marketing as well as world-recognised accreditation must be endorsed and implemented. The sheer volume of tourists wanting to visit unique, unspoiled environments is also a cause for concern. Evidence of the need to restrict the number of visitors to sensitive areas exists in many eco-tourist attractions already. Hikers and bush walkers in Mount Kenya National Park have caused damage by straying from set trails and leaving food scraps behind. The number of Orca whales visiting Canada has declined in recent migratory seasons, as the restrictions placed on whale-watching boats and organisers are thought to be inadequate. Section E Eco-tourism does not guarantee sustainable tourism and it should not be viewed as a complete cure for the problems that have beset tourism. Until all stakeholders agree to a definition of eco-tourism, insist that eco-tourism operators abide by a strict code of ethics and carefully monitor the impact of eco-tourism (and all tourism), fragile ecosystems will continue to be besieged by tourists. There must be an educational program to promote ecologically-sustainable tourism across the board, so that the underlying principle in ALL forms of tourism is the management of resources. Eco-tourism can bring wealth to areas where there is nothing else but natural attractions. The reasons for visiting the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador can only be explained by an interest in nature itself, the subsequent tourist dollars, if re-injected into the community, can mean the survival of such habitats. Licenses and entry fees to some sites have, in many cases, replaced government funding as their source of income. Countries as diverse as Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica and Kenya are developing strategies to identify and cope with the constraints that inevitably come with a long-term vision of sustainable tourism. Eco-tourism has played an important role in developing an awareness for sustainable tourism practices but governments, tourist agencies and operators must be willing to join forces with eco-tourists to ensure that natural attractions are protected from their own popularity.

27． Look at the list of headings (I-VI) below. Choose the most suitable heading for Sections B to E. Write your answers in boxes 28-31 on your Answer Sheet. LIST OF HEADINGS I Eco-tourism Explained II The Appeal of Eco-tourism III Tourism Gives Birth to Eco-tourism IV The Future of Eco-tourism V Questioning Sustainability VI The Eco-tourist’s

ItinerarySection B ______

正确答案：II

28． Section C ______

正确答案：I

29． Section D ______

正确答案：V

30． Section E ______

正确答案：IV 31． Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 3. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 32-36 on your Answer Sheet.Polluted, high density tourist destinations are proof that ______ cannot be allowed to continue.

正确答案：mass tourism

32． Eco-tourism spread because ______ were obvious to environmental and government representatives as well as cultural and social groups.

正确答案：the benefits/the advantages

33． Eco-tourists choose to stay in ______ that do relatively less harm to the environment.

正确答案：low key/smaller scale developments

34． ______ can damage the coo-tourism industry and governments need to supervise them carefully.

正确答案：unethical tour operators/eco-tourism operators

35． The success of the Galapagos Islands shows that ______ can be a magnet for tourists.

正确答案：nature itself/nature alone/natural attractions

36． The main aim of the writer is to

A．point out the economic benefits of tourism.

B．outline the impact of tourism on the environment. C．introduce the concept of eco-tourism. D．explain the origins of eco-tourism.

正确答案：B

37． The tourism industry cannot survive unless it A．promotes ecologically-sustainable activities. B．ensures that eco-tourism operators are genuine.

C．considers the long-term effects of tourism on physical resources. D．All of the above.

正确答案：D

38． The eco-tourist

A．is often a victim of false advertising by unethical tour operators. B．accepts the restrictions that are placed on natural habitats.

C．can unintentionally contribute to the negative effects of tourism. D．never goes to larger-scale tourist resorts.

正确答案：C

39． The eco-tourism market

A．is more likely to impact on natural habitats.

B．is likely to restrict marketing of unethical tour operators. C．is more likely to repatriate profits from local communities. D．is likely to be more sustainable than mass tourism.

正确答案：D

Venus Flytraps A．From indigenous myths to John Wyndham’s Day of the Traffics and the off-Broadway musical Little Shop of Horrors, the idea of cerebral, carnivorous flora has spooked audiences and readers for centuries. While shrubs and shoots have yet to uproot themselves or show any interest in human beings, however, for some of earth’s smaller inhabitants—arachnids and insects—the risk of being trapped and ingested by a plant can be a threat to their daily existence. Easily the most famous of these predators is the Venus Flytrap, one of only two types of ‘snap traps’ in the world. Though rarely found growing wild, the Flytrap has captured popular imagination and can be purchased in florists and plant retailers around the world.

B．Part of the Venus Flytrap’s mysterious aura begins with the title itself While it is fairly clear that the second-half of the epithet has been given for its insect-trapping ability, the origin of ‘Venus’ is somewhat more ambiguous. According to the International Carnivorous Plant Society, the plant was first studied in the 17th and

18th Centuries, when puritanical mores ruled Western societies and obsession was rife with forbidden human impulses and urges. Women were often portrayed in these times as seductresses and temptresses, and botanists are believed to have seen a parallel between the behavior of the plant in luring and devouring insects, and the imagined behavior of women in luring and ‘trapping’ witless men. The plant was thus named after the pagan goddess of love and money—Venus.

C．The Venus Flytrap is a small plant with six to seven leaves growing out of a bulb-like stem. At the end of each leaf is a trap, which is an opened pod with cilia around the edges like stiff eyelashes. The pod is lined with anthocynin pigments and sweet-smelling sap to attract flies and other insects. When they fly in, trigger hairs inside the pod sense the intruder’s movement, and the pod snaps shut. The trigger mechanism is so sophisticated that the plant can differentiate between living creatures and non-edible debris by requiring two trigger hairs to be touched within twenty seconds of each other, or one hair to be touched in quick succession. The plant has no nervous system, and researchers can only hypothesize as to how the rapid shutting movement works. This uncertainty adds to the Venus Flytrap’s allure.

D．The pod shuts quickly, but does not seal entirely at first; scientists have found that this mechanism allows miniscule insects to escape, as they will not be a source of useful nourishment for the plant. If the creature is large enough, however, the plant’s flaps will eventually meet to form an airtight compress, and at this point the digestive process begins. A Venus Flytrap’s digestive system is remarkably similar to how a human stomach works. For somewhere between five and twelve days the trap secretes acidic digestive juices that dissolve the soft tissue and cell membranes of the insect. These juices also kill any bacteria that have entered with the food, ensuring the plant maintains its hygiene so that it does not begin to rot. Enzymes in the acid help with the digestion of DNA, amino acids and cell molecules so that every fleshy part of the animal can be consumed. Once the plant has reabsorbed the digestive fluid—this time with the added nourishment—the trap re-opens and the exoskeleton blows away in the wind. E．Although transplanted to other locations around the world, the Venus Flytrap is only found natively in an area around Wilmington, North Carolina in the United States. It thrives in bogs, marshes and wetlands and grows in wet sand and peaty soils. Because these environments are so depleted in nitrogen, they asphyxiate other flora, but the Flytrap overcomes this nutritional poverty by sourcing protein from its insect prey. One of the plant’s curious features is resilience to flame—it is speculated that the Flytrap evolved this to endure through periodic blazes and to act as a means of survival that its competition lacks. F．While the Venus Flytrap will not become extinct anytime soon (an estimated 3-6 million plants are presently in cultivation)—its natural existence is uncertain. In the last survey, only 35,800 Flytraps were found remaining in the wild, and some prominent conservationists have suggested the plant be given the status of ‘vulnerable’. Since this research is considerably dated, having taken place in 1992, the present number is considerably lower. The draining and destruction of natural wetlands where the Flytrap lives is considered to be the biggest threat to its existence, as well as people removing the plants from their natural habitat. Punitive measures have been introduced to prevent

people from doing this. Ironically, while cultural depictions of perennial killers may persist, the bigger threat is not what meat-eating plants might do to us, but what we may do to them.Questions 14-19 Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

40． An overview of how the Flytrap eats its prey

正确答案：D

41． A comparison between human and plant behaviour

正确答案：B

42． A measure designed to preserve Flytraps in their native environment

正确答案：F

43． An example of a cultural and artistic portrayal of meat-eating plants

正确答案：A

44． A characteristic of the Venus Flytrap that is exceptional in the botanical world

正确答案：E

45． A reference to an aspect of the Venus Flytrap’s biology that is not fully understood

正确答案：C 46． If they are too small to provide ______, the closing pod allows insects to get out.

正确答案：useful nourishment

47． Only the ______ is left after the Flytrap has finished digesting an insect.

正确答案：exoskeleton

48． Many plants cannot survive in bogs and wetlands owing to the lack of ______.

正确答案：nitrogen

49． The Venus Flytrap can withstand some exposure to fire. A．真 B．假

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：A

50． Many botanists would like the Venus Flytrap to be officially recognized as an endangered plant species.

A．真 B．假

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：C

51． Only 35,800 Venus Flytraps now survive in their natural habitats. A．真 B．假

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：B

52． Human interference is a major factor in the decline of wild Venus Flytraps. A．真 B．假

C．NOT GIVEN

正确答案：A