The history of mammals dates back at least to Triassic time. Development was retarded, however, until the sudden acceleration of evolutional change that occurred in the oldest Paleogene. This led in Eocene time to increase in average size, larger mental capacity, and special adaptations for different modes of life. In the Oligocene Epoch, there was fun her improvement, with some appearance of some new lines and extinction of others. Miocene and Pliocene time was marked by culmination of several groups and continued approach toward modern characters. The peak of the career of mammals in variety and average large size was attained in the Miocene.
The adaptation of mammals to almost all possible modes of life parallels that of the reptiles in Mesozoic time, and except for greater intelligence, the mammals do not seem to have done much better than corresponding reptilian forms. The bat is doubtless a better flying animal than the pterosaur, but the dolphin and whale ore hardly more fishlike than the ichthyosaur. Many swift-running mammals of the plains, like the horse and the antelope, must excel any of the dinosaurs. The tyrannosaur was a more ponderous and powerful carnivore than any flesh-eating mammal, but the lion or tiger is probably a more efficient and dangerous beast of prey because of a superior brain.
The significant point to observe is that different branches of the mammals gradually filled themselves for all sorts of life, grazing on the plains and able to run swiftly (horse, deer, bison), living in rivers and swamps (hippopotamus, beaver), dwelling in trees (sloth, monkey), digging underground (mole, rodent), feeding on flesh in the forest (tiger) and plain (wolf), swimming in the sea (dolphin, whale, seal) and flying in the air (bat). Man is able by mechanical means to conquer the physical world and to adapt himself to almost any set of conditions.
This adaptation produces gradual changes of form and structure. It is biologically characteristic of the youthful, plastic stage of a group. Early in its career, an animal assemblage seems to possess capacity for change, which, as the unit becomes old and fixed, disappears. The generalized types of organisms retain longest the ability to make adjustments when required, and it is from them that new, fecund stocks take origin — certainly not from any specialized end products. So, in the mammals, we witness the birth, plastic spread in many directions, increasing specialization, and in some branches, the extinction, which we have learned from observation of the geologic record of life is a characteristic of the evolution of life.
1. In chronological order, the geologic periods are ( ).
2. From this passage, we may conclude that the pterosaur ( ).
3. That the mammals succeeding the reptile in geologic time were superior is illustrated by the statement that the ( ).
4. The statements made by the writer are based on evidence ( ).
问题1选项
A.Paleogene, Miocene, Triassic, Mesozoic
B.Mesozoic, Triassic, Paleogene, Miocene
C.Miocene, Paleogene, Triassic, Mesozoic
D.Triassic, Mesozoic, Paleogene, Miocene
问题2选项
A.resembled the bat
B.was a mammal that lived in the Mesozoic period
C.was a flying reptile
D.evolved during the Miocene period
问题3选项
A.tiger has a brain that surpasses that of the tyrannosaur
B.deer runs more swiftly than the lion
C.whale is more Fishlike than the ichthyosaur
D.tiger is more powerful than the carnivorous reptiles
问题4选项
A.found by studying fossil remains
B.found by comparing animals and reptiles
C.found by going to different time periods
D.that cannot be definitely established
第1题:
【选项释义】
In chronological order, the geologic periods are ( ). 地质时期按时间顺序排列为( )。
A. Paleogene, Miocene, Triassic, Mesozoic A. 古近纪、中新世、三叠纪、中生代
B. Mesozoic, Triassic, Paleogene, Miocene B. 中生代、三叠纪、古近纪、中新世
C. Miocene, Paleogene, Triassic, Mesozoic C. 中新世、古近纪、三叠纪、中生代
D. Triassic, Mesozoic, Paleogene, Miocene D. 三叠纪、中生代、古近纪、中新世
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】该题可采用排除法。根据文章第一段可知最后提到的是中新世,因此可以排除A、C选项;最先提到的是三叠纪,然后是古近纪,可知符合该顺序的只有B选项,因此B选项“中生代、三叠纪、古近纪、中新世”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A、C、D选项均不符合时间顺序,属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
From this passage, we may conclude that the pterosaur ( ). 从这篇文章中,我们可以得出结论,翼龙( )。
A. resembled the bat A. 像蝙蝠一样
B. was a mammal that lived in the Mesozoic period B. 是一种生活在中生代的哺乳动物
C. was a flying reptile C. 是会飞的爬行动物
D. evolved during the Miocene period D. 在中新世时期进化
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词pterosaur定位文章第二段第二句The bat is doubtless a better flying animal than the pterosaur, but the dolphin and whale ore hardly more fishlike than the ichthyosaur.(蝙蝠无疑是一种比翼龙更好的飞行动物,但海豚和鲸鱼并不比鱼龙更像鱼),可知C选项“是会飞的爬行动物”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“像蝙蝠一样”,根据文章第二段第二句可知蝙蝠是一种比翼龙更好的飞行动物,二者并不一样,属曲解原文;
B、D选项根据文章首段最后一句可知哺乳动物生活在中新世,而不是中生代;哺乳动物的种类和平均体型在中新世时期达到高峰,不是进化,属于曲解原文。
第3题:
【选项释义】
That the mammals succeeding the reptile in geologic time were superior is illustrated by the statement that the ( ). 在地质时代,继爬行动物之后的哺乳动物更优越,这一点可以从下列( )陈述中得到说明。
A. tiger has a brain that surpasses that of the tyrannosaur A. 老虎的大脑优于暴龙的大脑
B. deer runs more swiftly than the lion B. 鹿跑得比狮子快
C. whale is more Fishlike than the ichthyosaur C. 鲸比鱼龙更像鱼
D. tiger is more powerful than the carnivorous reptiles D. 老虎比食肉爬行动物更强壮
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据选项关键词tiger以及brain定位文章第二段最后一句The tyrannosaur was a more ponderous and powerful carnivore than any flesh-eating mammal, but the lion or tiger is probably a more efficient and dangerous beast of prey because of a superior brain.(暴龙是一种比任何食肉哺乳动物都笨重有力的食肉动物,但狮子或老虎可能是一种效率更高、更危险的猎物,因为它们的大脑更优越)可知A选项“老虎的大脑优于暴龙的大脑”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B、D选项均未在文中体现,属于无中生有;
C选项“鲸比鱼龙更像鱼”,根据文章第二段第二句可知鲸并不比鱼龙更像鱼,属于曲解原文。
第4题:
【选项释义】
The statements made by the writer are based on evidence ( ). 作者的陈述基于( )证据。
A. found by studying fossil remains A. 通过研究化石残骸发现的
B. found by comparing animals and reptiles B. 通过比较动物和爬行动物发现的
C. found by going to different time periods C. 通过不同时间段的发现
D. that cannot be definitely established D. 无法完全确定的
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据文章最后一段尾句So, in the mammals, we witness the birth, plastic spread in many directions, increasing specialization, and in some branches, the extinction, which we have learned from observation of the geologic record of life is a characteristic of the evolution of life.(因此,在哺乳动物中,我们见证了生命的诞生、向许多方向的塑性扩散、日益专业化,以及在某些分支中的灭绝,我们从对生命的地质记录的观察中了解到这是生命进化的一个特征)中的“地质记录”指的是地球历史上的各种地质事件和过程所留下的记录,包括化石,因此可推知A选项“通过研究化石残骸发现的”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B、C选项虽在文中体现,但并不是主要依据,属于以偏概全;
D选项“无法完全确定的”未在文中体现,属于无中生有。