TPO64阅读真题+题目+答案下载：Characteristics of Pterosaurs

TPO64阅读真题+题目+答案下载：Characteristics of Pterosaurs

[ Paragraph 1 ] The extinct flying reptiles called pterosaurs were the second group of animals (after insects) to evolve flight. Most pterosaurs were about the size of modern seagulls. A few were as small as sparrows, but some of the later species were the largest flying animals that have ever lived. In 1817 Theodore Von Soemmerring published the first description of a pterosaur fossil, and thinking that it was that of an unusual bat species, he drew his reconstruction with a very batlike posture and wing. His early reconstruction of a pterosaur has haunted the publ ic and scientific perception of pterosaurs ever since Soemmerring's reconstruction is understandable given t hat he was the f irst to try to describe a pterosaur, that few naturalist s of the t ime accepted t he idea of major groups of extinct animals, and that both pterosaurs ' and bats 'wings consist of a membrane supported by enormously elongated finger bones. Soemmerring showed his pterosaur with the laterally directed legs and reoriented feet of bats and with the wing membrane stretching from the arm and finger along the sides of the body and legs all the way to the ankle. The reconstruction also included a membrane stretching between the legs, similar to that in bats. Even though other scientists developed less batlike descriptions of pterosaurs in the late 1800s, the popular literature, and even some scientific literature, continued to describe pterosaurs as batlike into the 1980s.

1. In the discussion of Soemmerring in paragraph 1. why does the author mention that "few naturalists of the time accepted the idea of major groups of extinct animals" ?

A.To support the position that Soemmerring was the first to recognize the scientific significance of pterosaur fossils

B.To suggest that Soemmerring reconstruction of the pterosaur went against a commonly accepted position of naturalists at that time

C.To help explain why it was reason able for Soemmerring to think that pterosaurs were related to today's bats

D.To indicate how little was known about pterosaurs before Soemmerring published his reconstruction

2. According to paragraph 1, Soemmerring believed that pterosaurs had all of the following features EXCEPT

A.wings that were attached to the sides of the body

B.wings without bones

C.legs that were oriented laterally

D.a membrane between the legs

[ Paragraph 2] Bats perch by hanging upside down from tree limbs and roofs of caves. Though many are surprisingly agile climbers, bats are generally awkward when crawling on level surfaces. Did pterosaurs also hang upside down and avoid landing on the ground? Until recently, some paleontologists thought they did, but most scientists now agree that pterosaurs got around on the ground reasonably well. What is still uncertain is whether pterosaurs walked on all fours or just on their hindlegs. Pterosaurs' ancestors were bipedal (two-footed) and used their tails to balance their forward -tilted trunks and heads Early pterosaurs also had long tails and probably could have run on their hindlegs, certainly handy for an animal with wings for fore limbs. These early pterosaurs, however, could have used their fore limbs for walking because their arm and hand bones were only slightly enlarged- most of the wing was supported by the gigantic fourth finger.

3. The word "awkward" in the passage is closest in meaning to

A.careful

B.clumsy

C.slow

D.helpless

4. In paragraph 2 : what evidence suggests that early pterosaurs walked on their hind legs only?

A.The arm and hand bones on early pterosaurs were enlarged

B.The tai ls of pterosaurs may have been long enough to use for balance

C.The trunks and heads of early pterosaurs may have been tilted forward.

D.The wings of early pterosaurs were largely supported by a single finger.

5. The word "slightly" in the passage is closest in meaning to

A.a little

B.in part

C.gradually

D.occasionally

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