An invasive species(入侵物种) of ant is changing the way lions hunt and eat in Kenya, according to a new study. Lions hide behind whistling thorn trees(哨刺金合欢) before they hunt zebras. However, since the big-headed ants arrived, the number of whistling thorn trees has fallen.
The big-headed ant is one of the world’s worst invasive species. This means it is not from the area. The ants arrived in Kenya from southern Africa about 15 years ago, and since then have been attacking the acacia ants—ants that have lived there long ago.
Acacia ants live in and look after the whistling thorn trees that spread over the landscape. In the “symbiotic relationship”(共生关系), the acacia ants feed on(以……为食) the trees and use them for cover. In return, they protect the trees from animals that might eat too much of them, like elephants or giraffes. They do this by moving and attacking together.
Big-headed ants eat acacia ants and their eggs. As a result, the number of acacia ants is falling. Big-headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either, so with fewer acacia ants, the trees are in trouble.
Professor Todd Palmer, one of the study’s writers, and his team, found that in areas where big-headed ants appear, elephants destroy(破坏) five to seven times more trees than in areas without big-headed ants. This means the landscape is more open and zebras are better able to find any lion following them. Zebras that are killed in these areas are three times lower than in tree-filled places.
The good news is that the lion population remains stable(稳定的) because lions are looking elsewhere for their lunch—they seem to be hunting buffalo(水牛) instead of zebras. This probably means that the tiny ants have caused lions to change their behaviour too, forcing them to hunt in larger groups for the bigger, heavier buffalo. Professor Palmer said, “We often find it’s the little things that rule the world.”
(
A. elephants need to eat more trees
B. big-headed ants don’t protect the trees
C. the trees are too old to survive
D. acacia ants don’t protect the trees
(
A. Both ants and trees attack elephants together.
B. The trees grow better when ants eat their eggs.
C. The ants eat the trees, and the trees provide shelter.
D. The trees feed the ants, and the ants protect the trees.
(
① The landscape is more open.
② The number of acacia ants is falling.
③ Whistling thorn trees are in trouble.
④ Fewer zebras are killed in this area.
A. ②③①④ B. ②③④① C. ③②①④ D. ③②④①
(
A. The worst big-headed ant B. Changes of the whistling thorn trees
C. Tiny ants can change lions’ diets D. Acacia ants and big-headed ants
The big-headed ant is one of the world’s worst invasive species. This means it is not from the area. The ants arrived in Kenya from southern Africa about 15 years ago, and since then have been attacking the acacia ants—ants that have lived there long ago.
Acacia ants live in and look after the whistling thorn trees that spread over the landscape. In the “symbiotic relationship”(共生关系), the acacia ants feed on(以……为食) the trees and use them for cover. In return, they protect the trees from animals that might eat too much of them, like elephants or giraffes. They do this by moving and attacking together.
Big-headed ants eat acacia ants and their eggs. As a result, the number of acacia ants is falling. Big-headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either, so with fewer acacia ants, the trees are in trouble.
Professor Todd Palmer, one of the study’s writers, and his team, found that in areas where big-headed ants appear, elephants destroy(破坏) five to seven times more trees than in areas without big-headed ants. This means the landscape is more open and zebras are better able to find any lion following them. Zebras that are killed in these areas are three times lower than in tree-filled places.
The good news is that the lion population remains stable(稳定的) because lions are looking elsewhere for their lunch—they seem to be hunting buffalo(水牛) instead of zebras. This probably means that the tiny ants have caused lions to change their behaviour too, forcing them to hunt in larger groups for the bigger, heavier buffalo. Professor Palmer said, “We often find it’s the little things that rule the world.”
(
B
) 1. The number of whistling thorn trees is becoming smaller mainly because .A. elephants need to eat more trees
B. big-headed ants don’t protect the trees
C. the trees are too old to survive
D. acacia ants don’t protect the trees
(
D
) 2. Which of the following best describes the “symbiotic relationship” between acacia ants and whistling thorn trees?A. Both ants and trees attack elephants together.
B. The trees grow better when ants eat their eggs.
C. The ants eat the trees, and the trees provide shelter.
D. The trees feed the ants, and the ants protect the trees.
(
A
) 3. According to paragraphs 4 and 5, which shows the CORRECT order of the changes?① The landscape is more open.
② The number of acacia ants is falling.
③ Whistling thorn trees are in trouble.
④ Fewer zebras are killed in this area.
A. ②③①④ B. ②③④① C. ③②①④ D. ③②④①
(
C
) 4. What’s the best title for the text?A. The worst big-headed ant B. Changes of the whistling thorn trees
C. Tiny ants can change lions’ diets D. Acacia ants and big-headed ants
答案：1. B 2. D 3. A 4. C
解析：
【分析】
本题为英语阅读理解题，需先通读全文把握主旨，再针对每道题的关键词定位原文对应内容，逐一分析选项排除错误答案，选出正确选项。具体各题思路：1. 定位哨刺金合欢树数量减少的原因，查找原文相关语句；2. 定位金合欢蚁与哨刺金合欢树的共生关系描述，对比选项匹配；3. 梳理第4、5段的事件发展顺序，匹配对应选项；4. 归纳全文核心内容，确定最佳标题。
【解析】
1. 定位原文第4段：“Big-headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either, so with fewer acacia ants, the trees are in trouble.”可知，大头蚁不保护哨刺金合欢树是树数量减少的主要原因，对应选项B。
2. 定位原文第3段：“In the ‘symbiotic relationship’, the acacia ants feed on the trees and use them for cover. In return, they protect the trees from animals that might eat too much of them...”可知，金合欢蚁以树为食、利用树作庇护，作为回报保护树，符合选项D的描述。
3. 梳理原文逻辑：第4段提到大头蚁吃金合欢蚁→金合欢蚁数量下降（②），进而哨刺金合欢树陷入困境（③）；第5段指出树减少后景观更开阔（①），最终斑马被猎杀数量降低（④），顺序为②③①④，对应选项A。
4. 全文围绕大头蚁入侵引发连锁反应，最终导致狮子改变捕猎对象（从斑马转向水牛）展开，核心是小蚂蚁改变了狮子的饮食，对应选项C。
【答案】
1.B 2.D 3.A 4.C
【知识点】
英语阅读理解，细节理解，主旨归纳
【点评】
本文为科普类英语阅读材料，考查学生的信息定位、逻辑梳理和主旨概括能力，题目设置贴合初中英语阅读考点，需学生仔细研读原文关键语句，理清事件发展脉络。
【难度系数】
0.5
本题为英语阅读理解题，需先通读全文把握主旨，再针对每道题的关键词定位原文对应内容，逐一分析选项排除错误答案，选出正确选项。具体各题思路：1. 定位哨刺金合欢树数量减少的原因，查找原文相关语句；2. 定位金合欢蚁与哨刺金合欢树的共生关系描述，对比选项匹配；3. 梳理第4、5段的事件发展顺序，匹配对应选项；4. 归纳全文核心内容，确定最佳标题。
【解析】
1. 定位原文第4段：“Big-headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either, so with fewer acacia ants, the trees are in trouble.”可知，大头蚁不保护哨刺金合欢树是树数量减少的主要原因，对应选项B。
2. 定位原文第3段：“In the ‘symbiotic relationship’, the acacia ants feed on the trees and use them for cover. In return, they protect the trees from animals that might eat too much of them...”可知，金合欢蚁以树为食、利用树作庇护，作为回报保护树，符合选项D的描述。
3. 梳理原文逻辑：第4段提到大头蚁吃金合欢蚁→金合欢蚁数量下降（②），进而哨刺金合欢树陷入困境（③）；第5段指出树减少后景观更开阔（①），最终斑马被猎杀数量降低（④），顺序为②③①④，对应选项A。
4. 全文围绕大头蚁入侵引发连锁反应，最终导致狮子改变捕猎对象（从斑马转向水牛）展开，核心是小蚂蚁改变了狮子的饮食，对应选项C。
【答案】
1.B 2.D 3.A 4.C
【知识点】
英语阅读理解，细节理解，主旨归纳
【点评】
本文为科普类英语阅读材料，考查学生的信息定位、逻辑梳理和主旨概括能力，题目设置贴合初中英语阅读考点，需学生仔细研读原文关键语句，理清事件发展脉络。
【难度系数】
0.5