Question

The next time you take medicine when you’re ill, you may eat a cone snail(芋螺). At least that’s what some scientists are hoping. Scientists have found that cone snails can help with backache, as well as toothache and other body problems.

There are over 600 different kinds of cone snails. This family is especially found in warm and hot waters in the oceans. They catch and eat small fish and even other cone snails. The snails have venom that they’ll give out and use to kill small animals they have caught because cone snails are slow-moving. Sometimes the venom can even kill people. But some scientists have discovered that the venom can also be used as medicine.

The shells of cone snails are often brightly colored, and have interesting shapes, many people think the shells are so beautiful that people kill them, collect lots of shells, and sell them around the world. The environment is also very dangerous for them because of fishing and boating.

Scientists want to help save the cone snails. They hope to make new rules to stop them from dying. If they die out, scientists may never discover what kinds of medicines they can give us.

1.We can find a cone snail in ________ .

A. a warm river      B. in a hot ocean

C. a cold ocean      D. a lake

2.What does the underline(下划线) word “venom” mean in the second paragraph ? ________.

A. 盔甲         B. 毒液           C. 螺纹        D.鳞片

3.People kill the cone snails in order to ________ .

A. sell their shells              B. study their venom

C. save the environment           D. kill animals

4.The best title of the passage may be ________ .

A. A Special Medicine             B. Great Venom

C. Cone Snails                   D. Saving the Cone Snails

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：芋螺可以治病，对背痛、牙痛以及其它疾病都有效。什么是芋螺呢？本文介绍了芋螺的种类、生活习性等等。并呼吁人们拯救芋螺，保护芋螺。

1.B 细节理解题。题意：我们可以在哪里找到芋螺？从第二段的“This family is especially found in warm and hot waters in the oceans.”可以知道，可以暖和的海水里找到。故选B。

2.B 词义猜测题。题意：第2段中有下划线的“venom” 是什么意思？从文中知道，芋螺行动缓慢，可以借助venom来捕捉食物，venom甚至可以杀死人类。可以推测出其意思是“毒液”。故选B。

3.A 细节理解题。题意：人们杀死芋螺是为了什么？由文中的“many people think the shells are so beautiful that people kill them”可以知道，人们杀芋螺是为了取其漂亮的贝壳。故选A。

4.

考点：考查科教类短文阅读。