A
(2020·全国卷Ⅱ)When you were trying to figure out what to buy for the environmentalist on your holiday list,fur probably didn't cross your mind.But some ecologists and fashion(时装)enthusiasts are trying to bring back the market for fur made from nutria(海狸鼠).
Unusual fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn have showcased nutria fur made into clothes in different styles.“It sounds crazy to talk about guiltfree fur—unless you understand that the nutria are destroying vast wetlands every year,”says Cree McCree,project director of Righteous Fur.
Scientists in Louisiana were so concerned that they decided to pay hunters $5 a tail.Some of the fur ends up in the fashion shows like the one in Brooklyn last month.
Nutria were brought there from Argentina by fur farmers and let go into the wild.“The ecosystem down there can't handle this nonnative species(物种).It's destroying the environment.It's them or us,”says Michael Massimi,an expert in this field.
The fur trade kept nutria in check for decades,but when the market for nutria collapsed in the late 1980s,the catsized animals multiplied like crazy.
Biologist Edmond Mouton runs the nutria control program for Louisiana.He says it's not easy to convince people that nutria fur is green,but he has no doubt about it.Hunters bring in more than 300,000 nutria tails a year,so part of Mouton's job these days is trying to promote fur.
Then there's Righteous Fur and its unusual fashions.Model Paige Morgan says,“To give people a guiltfree option that they can wear without someone throwing paint on them—I think that's going to be a massive thing,at least here in New York.”Designer Jennifer Anderson admits it took her a while to come around to the opinion that using nutria fur for her creations is morally acceptable.She's trying to come up with a label to attach to nutria fashions to show it is ecofriendly.
【语篇解读】 本文介绍了海狸鼠破坏了生态系统,穿海狸鼠皮毛制成的衣服并不会对环境造成威胁,而且人们也不会有负罪感。
1.What is the purpose of the fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn?
A.To promote guiltfree fur.
B.To expand the fashion market.
C.To introduce a new brand.
D.To celebrate a winter holiday.
A [细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Unusual fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn have showcased nutria fur”“It sounds crazy to talk about guiltfree fur...every year”可知,时装秀的意图是推销无罪恶感的毛皮衣服。故选A。]
2.Why are scientists concerned about nutria?
A.Nutria damage the ecosystem seriously.
B.Nutria are an endangered species.
C.Nutria hurt local catsized animals.
D.Nutria are illegally hunted.
A [细节理解题。根据第二段中的“the nutria are destroying vast wetlands every year”以及第四段中的“The ecosystem...It's destroying the environment.” 可知,因为海狸鼠破坏湿地进而破坏了环境,所以科学家对它们很担心。故选A。]
3.What does the underlined word“collapsed”in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A.Boomed. B.Became mature.
C.Remained stable. D.Crashed.
D [词义猜测题。根据画线词前的“The fur trade kept nutria in check for decades”可知,几十年来,毛皮贸易使海狸鼠(的数量)处于控制之下。根据画线词后的“the catsized animals multiplied like crazy.”可知,这种猫大小的动物疯狂地繁殖。由此可推知,20世纪80年代末海狸鼠市场瘫痪了。collapse的意思应是“崩溃”,故选D。]
4.What can we infer about wearing fur in New York according to Morgan?
A.It's formal. B.It's risky.
C.It's harmful. D.It's traditional.
B [推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“To give people a guiltfree option...a massive thing,at least here in New York.”可知,在纽约,穿毛皮衣服具有风险性。故选B。]