Question

Hummingbirds(蜂鸟) are one of nature’s most energetic fliers and the only birds to hover(盘旋) in the air by relying on their strength alone.

Now scientists have found that it is the ratio(比值) of the bird’s wing length to its width that makes them so efficient. The discovery is helping experts compete with 42 million years of natural selection to build helicopters that are increasingly efficient.

David Lentink, an assistant professor at Stanford University in California, tested wings from 12 different species of hummingbirds, which he sourced from museums. He placed them on a machine used to test the aerodynamics(气力学) of the helicopter blades(桨叶). Professor Lentink’s team used the same machine to test the blades from an advanced micro-helicopter used by the UK’s army. They found that the micro-helicopter’s blades are as efficient at hovering as the average hummingbirds.

But while the micro-helicopter’s blades kept pace with the average hummingbird wings, they could not keep up with the most efficient hummingbird’s wing. The wings of Anna’s hummingbird were found to be about 27 percent more efficient than the man-made micro- helicopter’s blades.

While Professor Lentink wasn’t surprised at nature’s superiority, he said that helicopter blades have come a long way. “The technology is at the level of an average hummingbird,” he said. “A helicopter is really the most efficient hovering device that we can build. The best hummingbirds are still better, but I think it’s amazing that we’re getting closer. It’s not easy to match their performance, but if we build better wings with better shapes, we might match hummingbirds.”

Professor Lentink said that we don’t know how hummingbirds maintain their flight in a strong wind, how they navigate(确定方向) through branches, or how they change direction so quickly. He thinks that great steps could be made by studying wing aspect ratios-the ratio of wing length to wing width. Understanding these abilities and characteristics could be a benefit for robotics and will be the focus of future experiments.

1.What did the scientists find about hummingbirds?

A. Their wings are long and wide

B. They can hover in the air for a long time

C. The ratio of their wing length to wing width is very important

D. They are the most energetic flier in nature

2.Which is the right order of Professor Lentink’s research?

①Tested wings from different species of hummingbirds

②Got resources from museums

③Analyzed the results and drew a conclusion

④Tested the blades from a micro-helicopter

A. ①②③④    B. ②①③④

C. ②④①③    D. ②①④③

3.According to Professor Lentink, what will be the focus of future experiments?

A. To know how hummingbirds can fly in a strong wind

B. To know how hummingbirds change direction so quickly

C. To develop a new kind of helicopter

D. To study the secrets of hummingbirds

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.D

【解析】本文主要讲述了科学发现是蜂鸟的翅膀的宽度与长度的比例使它飞翔更有效率。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第二段Now scientists have found that it is the ratio (比值) of the bird’s wing length to its width that makes them so efficient.可知C正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段的内容David Lentink, an assistant professor at Stanford University in California, tested wings from 12 different species of hummingbirds（①）, which he sourced from museums. （②）He placed them on a machine used to test the aerodynamics (气力学) of the helicopter blades (桨叶)（④）. Professor Lentink’s team used the same machine to test the blades from an advanced micro-helicopter used by the UK’s army. They found that the micro-helicopter’s blades are as efficient at hovering as the average hummingbirds.（③）

3.行文结构题。根据最后一段的内容Understanding these abilities and characteristics could be a benefit for robotics and will be the focus of future experiments.可知D正确。

名师点睛：

文章主题和中心思想的阐述往往需要大量细节信息的支持，这些细节对于理解全文内容至关重要，同时也是归纳和概括文章中心思想的基础。命题人往往会要求考生根据不同的要求阅读文章，以获得某些特定的信息，或准确地寻求所需的细节，并对细节进行直接或间接辨认和理解。文章细节的理解可以细化为：（1）一一对应型。答案与题目在表达形式和意义上直接吻合，一一对应，一目了然。属于浅层次的阅读试题，分数比例较少。（2）语言转述型。这是一类间接事实细节题，答案与题目在意义上从分运用了词义之间的转述关系，即正确选项是原文有关词语和句子的另类表达。属于中档难度题，分数比例较大。（3）语意理解型。这是一类深层事实细节理解题，答案与题目之间存在着一定的逻辑联系，这种联系需要建立在事实的基础上通过上、下文来进行判断、分析、归纳和整合，才能得出正确答案。属于较高难度的事实细节题。（4）是非辨别型。这是一类综合事实细节题，出题形式常常是“三正一误”(三项正确，只有一项不符合原文内容)或“三误一正”（三项错误，只有一项符合原文内容)。（5）事实排序型。这是一类运用多项事实进行排序的事实细节题，要求根据动作发生的先后顺序、时间顺序或者句子之间的逻辑关系，找出时间发生，发展的正确顺序。

此题的第一题为（1）一一对应型。答案与题目在表达形式和意义上直接吻合，一一对应，一目了然。属于浅层次的阅读试题，分数比例较少。此题根据文章第二段Now scientists have found that it is the ratio (比值) of the bird’s wing length to its width that makes them so efficient可知信息句与选项C一一对应。

此题的第3小题为（5）事实排序型。这是一类运用多项事实进行排序的事实细节题，要求根据动作发生的先后顺序、时间顺序或者句子之间的逻辑关系，找出时间发生，发展的正确顺序。此题根据第三段的内容David Lentink, an assistant professor at Stanford University in California, tested wings from 12 different species of hummingbirds（①）, which he sourced from museums. （②）He placed them on a machine used to test the aerodynamics (气力学) of the helicopter blades (桨叶)（④）. Professor Lentink’s team used the same machine to test the blades from an advanced micro-helicopter used by the UK’s army. They found that the micro-helicopter’s blades are as efficient at hovering as the average hummingbirds.（③）可以判断出正确顺序。