What does the word ecology mean? It was 16 by Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist. He joined two Greek words: oikos , meaning “house”, and logie , meaning “the study of”. Together they mean “the study of the house”. The “house” Haeckel had in mind is our 17 , Earth. Earth is home for all living things—humans, animals, plants, and even tiny microbes.

To study a house is to learn how its residents （居民） use it. An ecologist is a scientist who studies the 18 between organisms （生物） and their environment. The environment is an organism’s surroundings. It may 19 water, gases, rocks, and temperature.

Ecologists also study the balance of using the environment while protecting it.

An ecologist once asked a boy 20 he thought it meant to protect the environment.

The boy said, “You go into the forest and look for somebody who wants to cut down a tree. You take away his axe. You tell him about how 21 trees are. You say they are good for natural beauty, saving soil, and giving shelter to birds and other animals. ”

“ Good answer,” said the ecologist, “ 22 it may not be easy to find a woodcutter to talk to. Also, remember that sometimes it’s 23 to cut down a tree. If we cut down too many trees, the forest will disappear. If we don’t cut down any trees, we won’t get any resources from the forest. We have to find the right 24 . ”

“I get it,” the boy said. “We need the forest’s 25 for wood and paper or we might not have desks or notebooks for school.”

“Exactly—and school is a good place to learn about ecology,” added the ecologist. “Then you will know how to protect the natural environment.”

16 ． A ． proved B ． invented C ． marked D ． accepted

17 ． A ． planet B ． building C ． project D ． surface

18 ． A ． feeling B ． relationships C ． distance D ． competitions

19 ． A ． pollute B ． control C ． include D ． reduce

20 ． A ． who B ． whose C ． why D ． what

21 ． A ． wild B ． common C ． wealthy D ． important

22 ． A ． but B ． and C ． so D ． or

23 ． A ． comfortable B ． tiring C ． impossible D ． necessary

24 ． A ． mystery B ． temperature C ． balance D ． symbol

25 ． A ． soil B ． resources C ． landscape D ． wildlife

答案

16 ． B

17 ． A

18 ． B

19 ． C

20 ． D

21 ． D

22 ． A

23 ． D

24 ． C

25 ． B

【分析】

本文介绍了单词 “ecology” 的来源，生态学家主要研究生物与其环境之间关系以及在保护环境的同时利用环境的平衡。

16 ．

句意：它是由德国生物学家恩斯特 · 海克尔发明的。

proved 证明； invented 发明； marked 标记； accepted 接受。根据 “He joined two Greek words...” 可知， “ecology” 是由德国生物学家恩斯特 · 海克尔发明的。故选 B 。

17 ．

句意：海克尔心目中的 “ 房子 ” 是我们的行星，地球。

planet 行星； building 房子； project 项目； surface 表面。根据空后的 “Earth” 可知，地球是行星。故选 A 。

18 ．

句意：生态学家是研究生物与其环境之间关系的科学家。

feeling 感觉； relationships 关系； distance 距离； competitions 比赛。根据 “between organisms and their environment.” 以及常识可知，生态学家是研究生物与其环境之间关系的科学家。故选 B 。

19 ．

句意：它可能包括水、气体、岩石和温度。

pollute 污染； control 控制； include 包括； reduce 减少。根据 “The environment is an organism’s surroundings.” 可知，环境有机体的环境，可能包括水、气体、岩石和温度。故选 C 。

20 ．

句意：一位生态学家曾经问一个男孩，他认为这对保护环境意味着什么。

who 谁； whose 谁的； why 为什么； what 什么。此处为生态学家问男孩认为是什么，应用 what 。故选 D 。

21 ．

句意：你告诉他树有多重要。

wild 野外的； common 普遍的； wealthy 富有的； important 重要的。根据 “You say they are good for natural beauty, saving soil, and giving shelter to birds and other animals.” 可知，此处是指告诉他树木的重要性。故选 D 。

22 ．

句意：但要找一个樵夫谈话可能并不容易。

but 但是； and 并且； so 所以； or 或者。根据 “Good answer” 以及 “it may not be easy to find a woodcutter to talk to” 可知，此处表示转折关系，应用连词 but 。故选 A 。

23 ．

句意：另外，请记住，有时有必要砍倒一棵树。

comfortable 舒服的； tiring 累的； impossible 不可能的； necessary 必要的。根据 “If we don’t cut down any trees, we won’t get any resources from the forest.” 可知，有时候砍树也是必要的。故选 D 。

24 ．

句意：我们必须找到正确的平衡。

mystery 秘密； temperature 温度； balance 平衡； symbol 标志。根据 “If we cut down too many trees, the forest will disappear. If we don’t cut down any trees, we won’t get any resources from the forest.” 可知，我们必须在不能砍太多树和不砍树之间找到平衡。故选 C 。

25 ．

句意：我们需要森林的木材和纸张资源，否则我们可能没有课桌或笔记本供学校使用。

soil 土壤； resources 资源； landscape 风景； wildlife 野生动物。根据 “If we don’t cut down any trees, we won’t get any resources from the forest.” 以及 “We need the forest’s...for wood and paper or we might not have desks or notebooks for school.” 可知，我们需要森林的资源。故选 B 。