Although many butterflies remain to be decreasing in the long run, last year three quarters of endangered species saw an increase in number, including some rare species.
Experts said the improvement in the butterflies’ fortunes was likely to be the result of effective action on protection, such as leaving open wetland in woods where flowers can grow, and better weather in 2010 after three damaging wet summers.
Dr Tom Brereton said butterflies are extremely sensitive to changes in the weather. Last ye
ar saw a warm summer for successful feeding, which helped a number of butterflies in some way.
He even said climate change could be benefiting some butterfly species but many other butterfly species suffer from it. For example, the mountain ringlet suffers as it needs cold climates. And at the same time, the change is too rapid for most to get used to.
In the long run butterfly numbers have continued to drop, with three quarters of the nearly 60 species found in Britain seeing numbers fall in recent decades and nearly half of them seriously threatened.
The Lulworth skipper, one of the UK’s rarest butterflies, had its worst year since 1976, and there are people worrying that changing the environment to benefit other species may be harming this kind of butterfly. Wild flowers have been grown in some places to help other butterflies but the Lulworth skipper needs long grass and wild areas. Meadow browns, the country’s most common species, also had the worst year on record. Some other kinds of butterflies also had a bad year.
However, in the short term many butterflies saw an increase in number in 2010 compared to 2009 levels.
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小题1:Which was a reason for the increase in the number of the butterflies last year?
A．The protection of humans.
B．A wet summer.
C．Changes in the butterflies’ habits.
D．The decrease in wetland in woods.小题2:We can learn from Dr Tom Brereton’s words that .
A．the mountain ringlet can quickly adapt to climate change
B．butterflies can help slow down climate change
C．climate change can be both beneficial and harmful to butterflies
D．other kinds of animals also suffer from climate change小题3:What is most likely to be discussed in the following paragraph?
A．Why some butterflies decreased in number in 2010.
B．How to protect butterflies in the coming winter.
C．Effects of climate change on butterflies.
D．Examples of butterflies that have increased in number.小题4:What is the passage mainly about?
A．Some butterflies in Britain have had a good year.
B．Butterflies in Britain have different habits.
C．Butterflies are well protected in Britain.
D．Butterflies are disappearing from Britain.
