高二英语练习题8 (1)

语篇提能

阅读理解

A

Imagine being face-to-face with a woolly mammoth (猛犸象). It would be quite a sight. Scientists believe it would be 11 feet tall. The woolly mammoth would have a long powerful trunk, and sharp tusks (长牙) that reach up to 10 feet. Its fur would be up to three feet long. It would weigh six tons — about as much as a bus.

You've probably never seen a giant furry elephant before. Actually, you definitely haven't. The species has been extinct for thousands of years.

But a few years from now, you might be able to see a woolly mammoth for yourself. Scientists believe they have the technology to recreate one.

A team of South Korean and Russian scientists plan to clone a woolly mammoth. How will they do it? Several woolly mammoth bodies have already been discovered in Siberia, an icy region in Russia. The scientists plan to take cells from these frozen mammoths.

The scientists believe it will take five years. Many scientists and animal lovers can't wait. It will be so exciting, they think, to be able to bring back to life a creature that has been extinct for thousands of years. By observing the way the creature looks and acts, scientists might make brand-new discoveries about the history of animal life.

Other experts aren't so sure about the woolly mammoth project. One big question is what to do with a mammoth. Earth has changed in the thousands of years since these animals died out. Would it be able to survive in today's climate?

Then there's the cost: Some believe that the money being spent on the experiment could be better spent on other important scientific projects, such as fighting disease.

But the South Korean and Russian scientists are sticking to their plan. They admit they have a big challenge ahead. There is no guarantee that they will succeed, but they're hopeful.

语篇解读本文是说明文。文章介绍了科学家计划克隆史前动物长毛猛犸象。

1．What do we know about a woolly mammoth?

A. It had short hair.

B. It had a heavy build.

C. It had six-foot-long legs.

D. It had a three-foot-long trunk.

答案与解析B细节理解题。根据第一段的内容可知，长毛猛犸象的特点是体型巨大、身披长毛。

2．“The woolly mammoth project” refers to the plan to ________.

A. search for the animal

B. clone the extinct animal

C. exhibit the extinct animal

D. study the animal's living habits

答案与解析B细节理解题。从第三段的“have the technology to recreate one”，第四段的“take cells from these frozen mammoths”和第五段的“to bring back to life a creature that has been extinct for thousands of years”可知，“长毛猛犸象课题”指的是克隆长毛猛犸象的计划。

3．The experts who are not sure about the woolly mammoth project think ________.

A. it won't be successful