Ⅰ.阅读理解
(2020•福建龙岩质检，D)Pachyrhynchus weevils (球背象鼻虫) are found on most islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean. These weevils could not fly.Why are they so widespread? WenSan Huang of the National Museum of Natural Science in Taiwan thinks he has the answer.
One theory, which dates back to 1923, is that the beetles drift from place to place by a tiny air cavity beneath its outer shell, which allows the insects to float.
Dr Huang began his research into the weevils and discovered that the beetles do float. But he also reports floating in sea water does not do them much good. All 57 adults he tried it with died within two days. Clearly, adult weevils are not good sailors.
Pachyrhynchus weevils love laying their eggs inside the fruit of a plant called the fishpoison tree. This reproduces in a way that reminds us of coconut palms. It drops its fruits into the ocean, which carries them away to germinate(发芽) on distant beaches. Coconuts are protected from being eaten on their travels by having a hard, thick shell. Fishpoisontree fruits are also protected from hungry sea creatures. But in their case, as their name suggests, the protection is a chemical.
Given the relationship between weevils and plants, Dr Huang wondered how beetle larvae (幼虫) would fare if they were deep inside a piece of fruit floating in sea water.
So he tested this as well. His experiment suggested that such larvae are tolerant of saline(含盐的) conditions.
Specifically, of 18 grubs(蛆) thrown into sea water inside a piece of fruit, two survived for six days.
Moreover, these larvae went on to develop into healthy，sexually mature adults. So Dr Huang argues that such numbers would easily support the immigration of weevils into the islands.
He also observes that the Kuroshio Current, which carries water from the Philippines, past Japan and onwards into the Pacific, moves so swiftly that a piece of fruit caught in it could easily travel 90 km in a day, enabling the flightless beetle to cover the distance of 400 km between the islands effectively.
【语篇解读】 本文为说明文。在东太平洋的大部分岛屿中都发现了球背象鼻虫。如果这些象鼻虫会飞的话，也不稀奇。但是它们却不会飞。台湾自然科学博物馆的黄文山认为，他已解开了这个谜团。
1．What did WenSan Huang find in his research?
A．The old theory accounts for weevils.
B．Adult weevils are good at floating.
C．Fishpoisontree fruits protect weevils.
D．The weevils cross the islands in a day.
C [细节理解题。本题题干意为：黄文山在他的研究中发现了什么？根据第四段第一句(球背象鼻虫喜欢把它们的卵产在一种植物的果实中，这种植物被称为鱼毒树。)和第五、六句(鱼毒树的果实也受到了保护，不会被饥饿的海洋生物吃掉。但是正如它们的名字一样，保护它们的是一种化学物质。)可知答案为C项(鱼毒树保护了球背象鼻虫)。]
2．What can the underlined word “fare” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A．Survive. B．Travel.
C．Grow. D．Float.
A [词义猜测题。本题题干意为：第五段中的画线词“fare”的意思可能是什么？根据第六、七段尤其是第七段中的“survived”可知答案。]
3．How do weevils succeed in immigrating between the islands?
A．By travelling with sea creatures.
B．By wearing shells for protection.
C．By laying eggs in coconuts sinking under the sea.
D．By staying in the floating fishpoisontree fruits.
D [细节理解题。本题题干意为：球背象鼻虫是如何成功地在岛屿间迁徙的？根据第四段第一句(球背象鼻虫喜欢把它们的卵产在一种植物的果实中)可知答案为D项(通过待在漂浮的鱼毒树的果实里)。]
4．What's the author's purpose of writing the text?
A．To introduce the research result.
B．To compare coconut palms and weevils.
C．To tell when weevils immigrate to the islands.
D．To praise WenSan Huang for his research.
A [推理判断题。本题题干意为：作者写本文的目的是什么？本文介绍的是黄文山对并不会飞行的球背象鼻虫如何分布在许多岛屿所做的研究，故答案为A项(介绍研究结果)。]
