[史地自然型阅读理解(一)](限时：25分钟)(一)BeesaddanestimatedeighteenbilliondollarsayeartothevalueofAmericancrops.Theypollinate(授粉)flowersthatbecomefruits,nutsandvegetables.But,inrecentyears,honeybeecoloniesintheUnitedStatesandEuropehavebeenshrinking.Scientistshaveproposeddifferenttheoriestoexplainwhatisknownascolonycollapsedisorder.Newresearchsuggeststhatacommonlyusedgroupofinsecticide(杀虫剂)couldcausebeestohaveahardtimefindingtheirwaybacktotheirhive.Thenewresearchlooksattheuseofpesticidescalledneonicotinoids.Theywerefirstusedinthe1990s.Theyarenowputontheseedsofmanymajorcropsaroundtheworld.Theseedlingsabsorbthechemicalsastheygrow.Thatmeansfarmersdonotneedtosprayawholefield.Insteadthereisalittlebitofinsecticideinsideeachplant—includingthepollen(花粉)andthenectar(花蜜)thatthebeeswant.Thereisnotenoughpesticidetokillthem.ButthenewresearchinthejournalSciencesaysitmayharmthemanyway.Researchersstuckmicrochipstothebacksofthebees.Thesechipsrecordedthebees'movementsastheycameandwentfromtheirhive.Thescientistsfedsomebeessugarwaterwithalowdoseofaneonicotinoid.Thestudyfoundthatthesebeeswereabouttwiceaslikelynottoreturnasotherbees.DaveGoulsonattheUniversityofStirlinginBritainworkedonanotherstudypublishedinScience.Hesaysthepesticidescouldhelpexplainwhybumblebeepopulationsarealsodecreasing.BayerCropSciencemakesneonicotinoidpesticides.Thecompany'sspokesmanJackBoynedisputedthefindings.Healsonotesthatresearchersarestudyingotherfactorsthatcouldaffectthebees'population.Theseincludeparasites,diseasesandstresscausedbytransportingbeehivestofarms.SomeEuropeancountrieshavebannedthepesticides.AndtherearegrowingcallstobanthemintheUnitedStatesaswell.1．Theunderlinedword“shrinking”inParagraph1mostprobablymeans“________”．A．increasingB．decreasingC．disappearingD．continuing2．Whyweremicrochipstiedtothebacksofthebees?A．Torecordhowmuchhoneythebeesproduce.B．Totesthowthebeesreacttothemicrochips.C．Tofindiftheinsecticideaffectsthebees'population.D．Tokeeptrackofthebees'movements.3．Itcanbeinferredfromthelastparagraphthat________.A．thepesticideshavebeenforbiddentouseinallEuropeancountriesB．BayerCropScienceagreesthatthepesticidesaffectthebees'populationC．transportingbeehivestofarmscansurelyhaveaneffectonbeesD．theuseofpesticidesislikelytobebannedinmorecountries4．Whatdoesthepassagemainlytalkabout?A．Therelationshipbetweenpesticidesandbees.B．Honeybeecolonycollapsedisorder.C．Newfindingsaboutthereductionofbees.D．Pesticidesthatkillbeesmustbebanned.(二)ThebrownwidowspiderbecameestablishedinSouthernCaliforniainearly2000andhasbecomepartofthelocalspiderfamilyinurbanLosAngelesandSanDiego.ThebrownwidowspideriscontinuingitsexpansioninSouthernCaliforniaandcouldpossiblymovenorthwardsintoCentralCalifornia.ThebrownwidowissuspectedtohaveevolvedinAfricaalthoughitwasfirstdescribedfromSouthAmerica,whichaddsconfusionastowhereitmighthaveoriginated.ItisatropicalandsubtropicalspiderhavingestablishedpopulationsinHawaii,Florida,partsofAustralia,SouthAfricaandJapan.InNorthAmerica,thebrownwidowwasrestrictedformanydecadestotheFloridapeninsula.However,aroundtheyear2000,itstartedshowingupinotherGulfCoaststates.BrownwidowsarenowknownfromTexastoGeorgiaandSouthCarolina.Thebrownwidowbuildsitswebinprotectedsitesaroundhomesandinwoodyvegetationwithbranches.Sometypicalsitesselectedbybrownwidowsforwebbuildingareemptycontainerss...
