阅读理解。
Everyone makes mistakes in life, but for whales and dolphins, the "mistake" of landing on the shore
costs the highest price-their lives.
People living along the coast of Australia and New Zealand have been shocked and saddened by the
number of whales and dolphins that they have found on their beaches recently. Since November 28th, 96
whales and dolphins have died in Australia and 53 whales died in New Zealand. Although 20 whales were
saved, some of these were not expected to live, as they were too weak to swim with the others back to
sea.
Bob Brown, leader of Australia's Green party, said the mass beaching was caused by the recent "sound
bombing" of the ocean floor between the two countries. This is a method of testing for oil and gas reserves
(储藏量).
But mass beaching of whales has long puzzled scientists. Typically most members of the stranded (搁
浅) group will appear to be perfectly healthy. "Some researchers believe that close relationship within the
group causes the problem, if one gets into trouble, the others will not leave" said Shery Gibney, a leading
biologist in New Zealand. "Some will come in and try and assist it; if they get trapped on the beach, then
more will come."
Another common theory is that the whales' navigation (导航) system are thought to break down in some
way. It has been said that whales follow electromagnetic (电磁的) patterns in the sea-bed. The whales can
get confused because these patterns sometimes change. That would be a bit like a new roundabout (环状交
叉路) being built on a road you were used to driving on. You might be confused for a minute when you
come to it for the first time, and you might even take a wrong turning before getting back on your route.
A different idea is that when whales chase fish for food they end up in shallow waters because they are
not paying attention to where they are going.
And yet, from time to time a group will swim on purpose into shallow waters and end up on the beach,
where they die. If returned to the sea, some whales often show great determination in restraining themselves.
1. ______ whales and dolphins would probably die in this mass beaching along the coast of Australia and
New Zealand. [ ]
A. Less than 100
B. Less than 150
C. More than 150
D. 149
2. Which of the following can be used to explain the term "sound bombing"? [ ]
A. The terrible sound that is caused in the war between two countries.
B. Human activities that aim to explore the ocean floor.
C. The loud sound that whales and dolphins make.
D. The earthquakes that happen on the ocean floor.
3. Which of the following couldn't probably lead to the mass beaching of whales? [ ]
A. A change in the electromagnetic patterns that whales follow.
B. New roundabout being built on a road.
C. Their full attention to the search for food.
D. Exploiting natural resources in oceans.
4. The passage is mainly about ______. [ ]
A. that whales and dolphins may make mistakes as well as human beings
B. how scientists have found the reasons for the mass beaching of whales
C. how human beings make use of the ocean resources
D. why the mass beaching of whales happens
