A
Mary Anning was an English fossil(化石) collector，dealer and paleontologist(古生物学家)．Her fossilhunting helped change the way people thought about the world.
Mary was born into a poor family in England on May 21，1799.She lived in the seaside town of Lyme Regis，in Dorset.The family had nine children.Only Mary and her brother Joseph grew up.Mary's father took his children along the beach.They picked up shells and stones to sell to visitors.Mary did not go to school much.Her family was too poor.And schools did not teach children about fossils.Mary could read and write.She taught herself.She learned about rocks and how bodies are made.
In 1811 when Mary and Joseph were hunting fossils，Joseph saw a bone sticking out of the rock.Mary had a hammer to chip away at the rock.Very carefully she uncovered it.She found the first complete fossil of the ichthyosaur(鱼龙)．
Since then，Mary became crazy about fossil hunting.She liked to hunt on the beach after a storm.The wind，rain and waves made the rocks crumble．It was easy to spot fossils.Most days Mary went fossil hunting with her dog，Tray.
Rich friends helped Mary by selling fossils for her.They sent her money.Scientists wrote letters and came to see her.One good friend was William Buckland，a professor at Oxford University.Mary also opened a shop to sell fossils，stones and shells.She chatted with visitors.
Mary Anning died in 1847.How evolution(进化) works was explained by Charles Darwin not long after Mary's death.Her fossils had helped scientists understand how things began.
【语篇解读】 本文为一篇记叙文。文章讲述了Mary Anning的生平事迹。Mary是英国化石收藏家、经销商和古生物学家，她的化石搜寻帮助改变了人们思考世界的方式。
1．Why did Mary's father take his children along the beach?
A．To enjoy life.
B．To make a living.
C．To look for fossils.
D．To teach them about fossils.
B [细节理解题。根据第二段首句“Mary was born into a poor family in England on May 21，1799.”和第五、六句“Mary's father took his children along the beach.They picked up shells and stones to sell to visitors.”可知，Mary家境贫寒，父亲带着孩子们沿海滩捡贝壳和石头卖给游客，以维持生计。]
2．What can we learn about Mary?
A．Her father was a paleontologist.
B．Her father educated her at home.
C．She had nine brothers and sisters in all.
D．She might be popular at that time.
D [推理判断题。根据第四段首句“Since then，Mary became crazy about fossil hunting.”和第五段前三句“Rich friends helped Mary by selling fossils for her.They sent her money.Scientists wrote letters and came to see her.”以及第五句“Mary also opened a shop to sell fossils，stones and shells.”等可知，自从发现了鱼龙化石，Mary就迷上了化石，有钱的朋友帮她卖化石，科学家们写信并来看她，她还开了一家商店卖化石、石头和贝壳，因此推断那时候她很受欢迎。]
3．Who was the first one to catch sight of the rock containing the first complete ichthyosaur fossil?
A．Charles Darwin. B．Mary's dog.
C．Joseph. D．Mary.
C [细节理解题。根据第三段首句“In 1811 when Mary and Joseph were hunting fossils，Joseph saw a bone sticking out of the rock.”可知，Joseph首先看到了鱼龙化石。]
4．What does the underlined word“crumble”in the fourth paragraph mean?
A．Break. B．Shake.
C．Float. D．Dive.
A [词义猜测题。根据第四段第二、三、四句“She liked to hunt on the beach after a storm.The wind，rain and waves made the rocks crumble.It was easy to spot fossils.”可知，她喜欢在暴风雨后到海滩上搜寻化石，因为风、雨和海浪会使岩石崩裂，从而发现化石更容易。]
