阅读试题

Honey(蜂蜜)from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest(巢) and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper一a little bird called a honey guide.

The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax (蜂蜡) in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.

Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.

56. Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
A. It's small in size.
B. It's hidden in trees.
C. It's covered with wax.
D. It's hard to recognize.

57. What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. A bee. B. A bird.
C. A honey seeker. D. A beekeeper.

58. The honey guide is special in the way____________.
A. it gets its food
B. it goes to church
C. it sings in the forest
D. it reaches into bees' nests

59. What can be the best title for the text?
A. Wild Bees
B. Wax and Honey
C. Beekeeping in Africa
D. Honey-Lover's Helper

参考译文

来自非洲深林的蜂蜜不仅仅是一种天然的食糖，而且味道很好。大部分人、还有很多动物都很喜欢吃。然而，他们获取这种蜜的唯一方法就是要找到野生的蜂窝，然后把蜂蜜带回家。通常来说，这些蜂窝都长在高高的树上，并不容易发现。然而，在非洲的一些地方，寻找蜂蜜的人和动物拥有一个不期而遇的神奇助手，那就是被叫做“蜂蜜向导”的一种小鸟。

作为蜂导的小鸟并不喜欢蜂蜜，但是它却喜欢蜂房中的蜂蜡。然而蜂蜡藏在蜂窝的深处，它们无法够着。于是当它们找到了合适的蜂窝时，就寻求他人的帮助。蜂导大声喊叫以吸引路过的人群或动物。一旦引起了注意，它就在森林中来回飞，一边引导它们到达蜂窝，一边时不时地等待着那些好奇的人或者动物。当他们最终抵达蜂窝的时候，采蜂者就就去收获美味的蜂蜜而蜂导则耐心地等待着、观望着。有些蜂蜜和蜂蜡就掉在了地上。这就是蜂导所获的一份子。

科学家不知道为什么蜂导喜欢吃蜂蜡，但是蜂导却是坚定不移地努力获取，它们似乎从很远就能闻到蜂蜡的味道。每逢养蜂人从蜂房中去取蜂蜜，蜂导们很快就会赶到。当教堂里的蜂腊烛点燃的时候，它们也会前往。

答案解析

56. B 考查细节理解。根据第一段中的"Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them."可判断出，之所以难以发现蜂巢是因为它隐藏在高高的树上。

57. C 考查词义猜测。结合上文中的"...both passing animals and people..."以及"...the curious animal or person..."可推知，the follower指的是"寻找蜂蜜者"。

58. A 考查推理判断。这种鸟是借助他人之手最终获得自己想要的食物的，这正是它的特殊之处。

59. D 考查主旨大意。第一段最后一句点明了本文的中心话题，下文都围绕这种小鸟展开叙述，所以D项最能概括文章大意。