The eggs of the Mojave shrimps are the size and have the appearance of grains of sand. When enough spring rain falls to form a lake, once every two to five years, these eggs will hatch. Then the water is soon filled with millions of tiny shrimps about one millimeter long. They feed on tiny plant and animal organisms that grow in the desert lake. Within a week, the shrimps grow from their original 1 millimeter to about 1.5 centimeters.Throughout the time when the shrimps are rapidly growing, the water in the lake equally rapidly evaporates. Therefore, for the shrimps, it is a race against time. By the twelfth day, when they are about three centimeters long, hundreds of tiny eggs form in the bodies of the females. Usually, by this time, all that remains of the lake is a large, muddy area of wet soil. On the thirteenth day and the next, during the final hours of their brief lives, the females lay their eggs in the mud. Then, having ensured that their species will survive, the shrimps die as the last of the water evaporates.If enough rain falls the next year to form another lake, the eggs will hatch, and once again the shrimps pass rapidly through their cycle of growth, egg-laying, and death. In some years there is not enough rain to form a lake. Then the eggs will remain inactive for another year, or even longer if necessary. Sometimes enough rain falls to form a deep lake that lasts a month or more. In this case, the species passes through two cycles of growth, egg-laying, and death. Thus, the species multiplies considerably, which further ensures its survival.1. What does the passage tell us about the Mojave Desert?A: No insects live there.B: There is very little rainfall.C: Its temperatures are very high all year round.D: Its plants are always in the form of inactive seeds.2. When will the eggs of the Mojave shrimps hatch?A: As soon as spring rain falls in the desert.B: As soon as the eggs are one millimeter long.C: When spring rain forms a lake in the desert.D: When the eggs have the appearance of grains of sand.3. What do the Mojave shrimps have to do when the author says “Therefore, for the shrimps, it is race against time” (Para. 3)?A: To lay as many eggs as possible each day in their life.B: To swim fast to avoid danger in the rapidly evaporating lake.C: To swim fast to catch the animal organisms on which they survive.D: To grow as much as they can and produce eggs before the lake dries up.4. What will happen when rainfall forms a lake the next year?A: The eggs laid from the year before will hatch in the lake.B: The eggs laid from the year before will remain inactive.C: The shrimps from the year before will start to hatch eggs.D: The shrimps from the year before will come back to life again.5. What is a distinctive feature of the Mojave shrimps?A: Their lives can be as long as two to five years.B: Their eggs can survive several years of drought.C: They feed on all kinds of plant and animal organisms.D: They have only one cycle of growth, egg-laying, and death.
The eggs of the Mojave shrimps are the size and have the appearance of grains of sand. When enough spring rain falls to form a lake, once every two to five years, these eggs will hatch. Then the water is soon filled with millions of tiny shrimps about one millimeter long. They feed on tiny plant and animal organisms that grow in the desert lake. Within a week, the shrimps grow from their original 1 millimeter to about 1.5 centimeters.
Throughout the time when the shrimps are rapidly growing, the water in the lake equally rapidly evaporates. Therefore, for the shrimps, it is a race against time. By the twelfth day, when they are about three centimeters long, hundreds of tiny eggs form in the bodies of the females. Usually, by this time, all that remains of the lake is a large, muddy area of wet soil. On the thirteenth day and the next, during the final hours of their brief lives, the females lay their eggs in the mud. Then, having ensured that their species will survive, the shrimps die as the last of the water evaporates.
If enough rain falls the next year to form another lake, the eggs will hatch, and once again the shrimps pass rapidly through their cycle of growth, egg-laying, and death. In some years there is not enough rain to form a lake. Then the eggs will remain inactive for another year, or even longer if necessary. Sometimes enough rain falls to form a deep lake that lasts a month or more. In this case, the species passes through two cycles of growth, egg-laying, and death. Thus, the species multiplies considerably, which further ensures its survival.
1. What does the passage tell us about the Mojave Desert?
A: No insects live there.
B: There is very little rainfall.
C: Its temperatures are very high all year round.
D: Its plants are always in the form of inactive seeds.
2. When will the eggs of the Mojave shrimps hatch?
A: As soon as spring rain falls in the desert.
B: As soon as the eggs are one millimeter long.
C: When spring rain forms a lake in the desert.
D: When the eggs have the appearance of grains of sand.
3. What do the Mojave shrimps have to do when the author says “Therefore, for the shrimps, it is race against time” (Para. 3)?
A: To lay as many eggs as possible each day in their life.
B: To swim fast to avoid danger in the rapidly evaporating lake.
C: To swim fast to catch the animal organisms on which they survive.
D: To grow as much as they can and produce eggs before the lake dries up.
4. What will happen when rainfall forms a lake the next year?
A: The eggs laid from the year before will hatch in the lake.
B: The eggs laid from the year before will remain inactive.
C: The shrimps from the year before will start to hatch eggs.
D: The shrimps from the year before will come back to life again.
5. What is a distinctive feature of the Mojave shrimps?
A: Their lives can be as long as two to five years.
B: Their eggs can survive several years of drought.
C: They feed on all kinds of plant and animal organisms.
D: They have only one cycle of growth, egg-laying, and death.