题目
Imagine a world without insects.It might sound good at first without creepy-crawly bugs（爬虫） and annoying flies in your apartment.However，the consequences （结果） would be disastrous. The number of insects has dropped by more than half in the past decades，according to British biologist Dave Goulson，author of Silent Earth：Averting the Insect Apocalypse （《寂静地球》）.As insects make up most of the known species on this planet，this data is not good news，The Guardian reported on July 25，2021. Insects are indeed on the path to extinction，according to the first global scientific review of insect population reduction，which was published in the journal Biological Conservation in January 2019.The researchers say intensive agriculture（集约农业） has been the main cause of the reduction.Pesticides（杀虫剂），in particular，destroy insect habitats.Urbanization （城镇化） and climate change are also important factors. "Unless we change our ways of producing food，insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades，" the researchers wrote in the review. "The effect this will have on the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic（毁灭性的） to say the least." What would happen to Earth without insects？It's almost impossible to predict，but the consequences would be far-reaching.We need insects to pollinate （授粉） crops，recycle plant and animal material，keep the soil healthy and much more.Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance. "If insect species losses cannot be stopped，this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind，" said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo at the University of Sydney，Australia，one of the authors of the review. The first step to stopping this process is "to gender（产生） a society that values the natural world，both for what it does for us and for its own benefit"，Goulson suggests.The obvious place to start is with our children，encouraging environmental awareness from an early age." （1）What does the underlined word "disastrous" in paragraph 1 probably mean？ ____ A.Highly helpful.B.Very interesting.C.Extremely terrible.D.Impossible to predict.（2）What is paragraph 3 mainly about？ ____ A.Problems with intensive agriculture.B.Causes of the decline in the insect population.C.Factors causing insect habitat loss.D.Influence of urbanization on insects.（3）Why are insects so important to Earth？ ____ A.They help slow down climate change.B.They reduce the number of predators.C.They have a great impact on the ecosystem.D.They keep the soil dry and healthy.（4）What does Goulson believe is key to preventing insect species losses？ ____ A.Exploring the natural world often.B.Providing insects with enough food.C.Taking children to watch insects closely.D.Raising public awareness of natural protection.
Imagine a world without insects.It might sound good at first without creepy-crawly bugs（爬虫） and annoying flies in your apartment.However，the consequences （结果） would be disastrous.
The number of insects has dropped by more than half in the past decades，according to British biologist Dave Goulson，author of Silent Earth：Averting the Insect Apocalypse （《寂静地球》）.As insects make up most of the known species on this planet，this data is not good news，The Guardian reported on July 25，2021.
Insects are indeed on the path to extinction，according to the first global scientific review of insect population reduction，which was published in the journal Biological Conservation in January 2019.The researchers say intensive agriculture（集约农业） has been the main cause of the reduction.Pesticides（杀虫剂），in particular，destroy insect habitats.Urbanization （城镇化） and climate change are also important factors.
"Unless we change our ways of producing food，insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades，" the researchers wrote in the review. "The effect this will have on the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic（毁灭性的） to say the least."
What would happen to Earth without insects？It's almost impossible to predict，but the consequences would be far-reaching.We need insects to pollinate （授粉） crops，recycle plant and animal material，keep the soil healthy and much more.Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.
"If insect species losses cannot be stopped，this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind，" said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo at the University of Sydney，Australia，one of the authors of the review.
The first step to stopping this process is "to gender（产生） a society that values the natural world，both for what it does for us and for its own benefit"，Goulson suggests.The obvious place to start is with our children，encouraging environmental awareness from an early age."
（1）What does the underlined word "disastrous" in paragraph 1 probably mean？ ____
A.Highly helpful.
B.Very interesting.
C.Extremely terrible.
D.Impossible to predict.
（2）What is paragraph 3 mainly about？ ____
A.Problems with intensive agriculture.
B.Causes of the decline in the insect population.
C.Factors causing insect habitat loss.
D.Influence of urbanization on insects.
（3）Why are insects so important to Earth？ ____
A.They help slow down climate change.
B.They reduce the number of predators.
C.They have a great impact on the ecosystem.
D.They keep the soil dry and healthy.
（4）What does Goulson believe is key to preventing insect species losses？ ____
A.Exploring the natural world often.
B.Providing insects with enough food.
C.Taking children to watch insects closely.
D.Raising public awareness of natural protection.
The number of insects has dropped by more than half in the past decades，according to British biologist Dave Goulson，author of Silent Earth：Averting the Insect Apocalypse （《寂静地球》）.As insects make up most of the known species on this planet，this data is not good news，The Guardian reported on July 25，2021.
Insects are indeed on the path to extinction，according to the first global scientific review of insect population reduction，which was published in the journal Biological Conservation in January 2019.The researchers say intensive agriculture（集约农业） has been the main cause of the reduction.Pesticides（杀虫剂），in particular，destroy insect habitats.Urbanization （城镇化） and climate change are also important factors.
"Unless we change our ways of producing food，insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades，" the researchers wrote in the review. "The effect this will have on the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic（毁灭性的） to say the least."
What would happen to Earth without insects？It's almost impossible to predict，but the consequences would be far-reaching.We need insects to pollinate （授粉） crops，recycle plant and animal material，keep the soil healthy and much more.Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.
"If insect species losses cannot be stopped，this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet's ecosystems and for the survival of mankind，" said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo at the University of Sydney，Australia，one of the authors of the review.
The first step to stopping this process is "to gender（产生） a society that values the natural world，both for what it does for us and for its own benefit"，Goulson suggests.The obvious place to start is with our children，encouraging environmental awareness from an early age."
（1）What does the underlined word "disastrous" in paragraph 1 probably mean？ ____
A.Highly helpful.
B.Very interesting.
C.Extremely terrible.
D.Impossible to predict.
（2）What is paragraph 3 mainly about？ ____
A.Problems with intensive agriculture.
B.Causes of the decline in the insect population.
C.Factors causing insect habitat loss.
D.Influence of urbanization on insects.
（3）Why are insects so important to Earth？ ____
A.They help slow down climate change.
B.They reduce the number of predators.
C.They have a great impact on the ecosystem.
D.They keep the soil dry and healthy.
（4）What does Goulson believe is key to preventing insect species losses？ ____
A.Exploring the natural world often.
B.Providing insects with enough food.
C.Taking children to watch insects closely.
D.Raising public awareness of natural protection.
题目解答
答案
（1）C.词义猜测题。根据倒数第三段Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.如果没有昆虫，许多动物将没有食物，这些动物的捕食者也会挨饿。生态系统将失去平衡。可知，如果世界上没有昆虫，后果将是灾难性的。由此可知，"disastrous" 意为"非常严重的"。结合选项：A.Highly helpful非常有帮助的；B.Very interesting非常有趣的；C.Extremely terrible非常可怕的；D.Impossible to predict无法预测的。故选C。
（2）B.段落大意题。根据第三段中的The researchers say intensive agriculture（集约农业） has been the main cause of the reduction.Pesticides（杀虫剂），in particular，destroy insect habitats.Urbanization （城镇化） and climate change are also important factors.研究人员说，密集的农业一直是昆虫数量下降的主要原因。尤其是杀虫剂会破坏昆虫的栖息地。城市化和气候变化也是重要因素。可知，本段内容主要介绍的是导致昆虫数量下降的原因，例如密集的农业、杀虫剂的使用、城市化和气候变化等，由此可知，第三段的主要内容是导致昆虫数量下降的原因。故选B。
（3）C.推理判断题。根据倒数第三段的We need insects to pollinate （授粉） crops，recycle plant and animal material，keep the soil healthy and much more.Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.我们需要昆虫为作物授粉，回收动植物材料，保持土壤健康等等。如果没有昆虫，许多动物将没有东西吃，这些动物的捕食者也会挨饿。生态系统将失去平衡。可知，昆虫对生态系统的平衡至关重要，因为我们需要昆虫为作物授粉，回收动植物材料，保持土壤健康等等。如果没有昆虫，许多动物将没有东西吃，这些动物的捕食者也会挨饿。由此可知，昆虫对地球如此重要是因为它们对生态系统有很大的影响。故选C。
（4）D.推理判断题。根据最后一段的The first step to stopping this process is "to gender（产生） a society that values the natural world，both for what it does for us and for its own benefit"，Goulson suggests.The obvious place to start is with our children，encouraging environmental awareness from an early age."古尔森建议，阻止这一过程的第一步是"建立一个重视自然世界的社会，无论是为了我们做什么，还是为了它自身的利益"。显而易见，我们应该从我们的孩子开始，从小就鼓励环保意识。"可知，Goulson认为阻止昆虫物种损失的关键是建立一个重视自然世界的社会，提高公众对自然保护的认识，这一点需要从我们的孩子开始，从小就培养他们的环保意识。由此可知，Goulson认为阻止昆虫物种损失的关键是提高公众对自然保护的认识。故选D。
（2）B.段落大意题。根据第三段中的The researchers say intensive agriculture（集约农业） has been the main cause of the reduction.Pesticides（杀虫剂），in particular，destroy insect habitats.Urbanization （城镇化） and climate change are also important factors.研究人员说，密集的农业一直是昆虫数量下降的主要原因。尤其是杀虫剂会破坏昆虫的栖息地。城市化和气候变化也是重要因素。可知，本段内容主要介绍的是导致昆虫数量下降的原因，例如密集的农业、杀虫剂的使用、城市化和气候变化等，由此可知，第三段的主要内容是导致昆虫数量下降的原因。故选B。
（3）C.推理判断题。根据倒数第三段的We need insects to pollinate （授粉） crops，recycle plant and animal material，keep the soil healthy and much more.Without insects，many animals would have nothing to eat，and the predators （捕食者） of those animals would go hungry as well.The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.我们需要昆虫为作物授粉，回收动植物材料，保持土壤健康等等。如果没有昆虫，许多动物将没有东西吃，这些动物的捕食者也会挨饿。生态系统将失去平衡。可知，昆虫对生态系统的平衡至关重要，因为我们需要昆虫为作物授粉，回收动植物材料，保持土壤健康等等。如果没有昆虫，许多动物将没有东西吃，这些动物的捕食者也会挨饿。由此可知，昆虫对地球如此重要是因为它们对生态系统有很大的影响。故选C。
（4）D.推理判断题。根据最后一段的The first step to stopping this process is "to gender（产生） a society that values the natural world，both for what it does for us and for its own benefit"，Goulson suggests.The obvious place to start is with our children，encouraging environmental awareness from an early age."古尔森建议，阻止这一过程的第一步是"建立一个重视自然世界的社会，无论是为了我们做什么，还是为了它自身的利益"。显而易见，我们应该从我们的孩子开始，从小就鼓励环保意识。"可知，Goulson认为阻止昆虫物种损失的关键是建立一个重视自然世界的社会，提高公众对自然保护的认识，这一点需要从我们的孩子开始，从小就培养他们的环保意识。由此可知，Goulson认为阻止昆虫物种损失的关键是提高公众对自然保护的认识。故选D。
解析
- 词义猜测题：通过上下文的语境（如“后果会很严重”）推断“disastrous”的含义，需结合选项中“非常可怕的”进行匹配。
- 段落大意题：需抓住第三段的核心内容，即列举昆虫数量减少的主要原因（集约农业、杀虫剂、城市化、气候变化）。
- 推理判断题：需综合文章多处信息（如授粉、生态平衡）推断昆虫对地球的重要性，关键点在于生态系统的影响。
- 细节理解题：需定位Goulson的建议，明确其核心是提高公众自然保护意识，而非具体措施。
（1）What does the underlined word "disastrous" in paragraph 1 probably mean？
上下文分析
第一段提到“没有昆虫的世界后果会很严重”，后文进一步说明昆虫减少对生态系统的灾难性影响（如食物链断裂、生态失衡）。
选项匹配
“disastrous”意为“灾难性的”，对应选项 C. Extremely terrible。
（2）What is paragraph 3 mainly about？
核心内容提取
第三段明确指出昆虫减少的主要原因：
- 集约农业（intensive agriculture）为主因，杀虫剂破坏栖息地
- 城市化和气候变化为次要因素
对应选项 B. Causes of the decline in the insect population。
（3）Why are insects so important to Earth？
关键信息整合
文章多处强调昆虫的作用：
- 授粉、回收物质、保持土壤健康（直接影响食物链）
- 生态失衡（若昆虫消失，动物挨饿，捕食者减少）
综上，昆虫对生态系统整体影响深远，选 C. They have a great impact on the ecosystem。
（4）What does Goulson believe is key to preventing insect species losses？
直接引用原文
Goulson建议：“建立重视自然世界的社会，提高公众自然保护意识”，并强调从儿童抓起。
对应选项 D. Raising public awareness of natural protection。