牛根生-杭州中考时间

Child-sized parrot once lived in New Zealand

Scientists have found fossils that once belonged to a giant parrot. They say the fossilized bones
are from the biggest parrot that ever lived. It was probably as tall as a three-year-old child and
weighed around eight kilograms. The researchers found the fossils in New Zealand. They have
called the new parrot Hercules, after a strongman of ancient Greek mythology. The scientists
studied the fossilized leg bones they found and said Hercules was around a metre tall. This means
Hercules is twice the size of all other known parrots. The largest parrot scientists know of is the
kakapo, a flightless bird that also lives in New Zealand. The kakapo is on the critically endangered
species list.

New Zealand is famous for its flightless birds. The kiwi is a symbol of the country. Scientists say
these are vulnerable. This means they could become endangered if their environment stays the
same. Another famous New Zealand bird is the 3.6-metre-tall moa. These flightless birds were
the biggest birds that ever lived. They were overhunted to extinction early in the 15th century.
Hercules lived about 19 million years ago. A researcher said it probably ate nuts, fruit and seeds,
and
birds. Until now, no one has ever found an extinct giant parrot, anywhere. There are many more
unexpected species yet to be discovered.

材料来源：

https:20190811


生词表

fossil 化石

Hercules 大力神;赫尔克里斯

mythology 神学

kakapo 鸮鹉（新西兰的一种鹦鹉）

flightless （鸟或昆虫）不能飞的

critically 批判性地；危急地；严重地

kiwi 鹬鸵，几维鸟，新西兰特产，喙长，无翼，不能飞（也是新西兰的国鸟及象征）

vulnerable 易受攻击的

moa 恐鸟，摩亚鸟（一种新西兰无翼大鸟，现已灭绝）

overhunted 过度狩猎

extinction 熄灭

extinct 灭绝的


参考

译文

巨型鹦鹉曾生活在新西兰

科学家发现了曾经属于一只巨大鹦鹉的化石。他们说这些 骨头化石来自有史以来最大的鹦鹉。
它大概和一个三岁的孩子一样高，重约八公斤。研究人员在新西兰发 现了这些化石。他们以
古希腊神话中的大力神命名新鹦鹉为赫尔克里斯。科学家们研究了他们发现的腿骨 化石，并
说赫尔克里斯大约有一米高。这意味着它是所有其他已知鹦鹉的两倍大。科学家所知最大的鹦鹉是鸮鹉，一种不会飞的鸟，也生活在新西兰。鸮鹉被列为极度濒危物种。

新西兰以 其不会飞的鸟而闻名。几维鸟是这个国家的象征。科学家说它们是脆弱的。这意味
着，如果环境保持不变 ，它们可能会受到威胁。另一种著名的新西兰鸟是3.6米高的摩亚鸟。
这些不会飞的鸟是有史以来最大 的鸟。它们在15世纪早期被过度猎杀而灭绝。赫尔克里斯
生活在1900万年前。一位研究人员说，它 可能吃坚果、水果和种子，“甚至可能吃其他鹦鹉”。
一位研究人员说：“新西兰以其巨大的鸟类而闻名 。到目前为止，还没有人在任何地方发现
一只已经灭绝的巨型鹦鹉。还有许多意想不到的物种尚未被发现 。



EXERCISE

I TRUE FALSE 判断正误

1. Scientists found fossils from the biggest parrot in history.

2. The giant parrot weighed about eighteen kilograms.

3. The scientists used a wing bone to guess the size of the parrot.

4. The largest parrot in New Zealand today is the kea.

5. The symbol of New Zealand is a flightless bird.

6. There was once a bird in New Zealand over three-and-a-half metres tall.

7. The giant parrot became extinct around 19 million years ago.

8. A researcher said there are no more new species to discover.


II GAP FILL 选词填空

fossils flightless belonged probably

list twice bones ancient

Scientists have found fossils that once (1) ____ to a giant parrot. They say the fossilized (2) ____
are from the biggest parrot that ever lived. It was (3) ____ as tall as a three-year-old child and
weighed around eight kilograms. The researchers found the (4) ____ in New Zealand. They have
called the new parrot Hercules, after a strongman of (5) ____ Greek mythology. The scientists
studied the fossilized leg bones they found and said Hercules was around a metre tall. This means
Hercules is (6) ____ the size of all other known parrots. The largest parrot scientists know of is
the kakapo, a (7) ____ bird that also lives in New Zealand. The kakapo is on the critically
endangered species (8) ____.

lived symbol endangered even

vulnerable extinct discovered century

New Zealand is famous for its flightless birds. The kiwi is a (9) ____ of the country. Scientists say
these are (10) ____. This means they could become (11) ____ if their environment stays the same.
Another famous New Zealand bird is the 3.6-metre-tall moa. These flightless birds were the
biggest birds that ever (12) ____. They were overhunted to extinction early in the 15th (13) ____.
Hercules lived about 19 million years ago. A researcher said it probably ate nuts, fruit and seeds,
and (14) ____ other parrotsA researcher said: Zealand is well known for its
giant birds. Until now, no one has ever found an (15) ____ giant parrot, anywhere. There are
many more unexpected species yet to be (16) ____.


III MULTIPLE CHOICE 阅读理解

1) What did fossils once belong to?

A. a fossil exhibition

B. a museum

C. a bone collector

D. a giant parrot

2) How much did scientists say Hercules weighed?

A. 18kg

B. eight kilograms

C. ten kilograms

D. 80kg

3) What bone did scientists use to find the size of Hercules?

A. a wish bone

B. a breast bone

C. a skull

D. a leg bone

4) How much bigger was Hercules than other parrots?

A. five times the size

B. three times the size

C. twice the size

D. ten times the size

5) What list did the article say the kakapo was on?

A. a watch list

B. a to-do list

C. a top ten list

D. a critically endangered list

6) What is a symbol of New Zealand?

A. a hobbit

B. a cloud

C. a kiwi

D. a rugby ball

7) How tall was a bird called the moa?

A. 3.6 metres

B. 3.8 metres

C. 2.6 metres

D. 2.8 metres

8) When did the moa become extinct?

A. millions of years ago

B. late in the 18th century

C. early in the 15th century

D. over 1,000 years ago

9) When did Hercules the parrot live?

A. 300 years ago

B. 19 million years ago

C. 100 thousand years ago

D. half a million years ago

10) What did a researcher say there would be more discoveries of?

A. unexpected species

B. giant parrots

C. innovations

D. inventions


IV CLOZE 完形填空


Scientists have found fossils that once (1) ____ to a giant parrot. They say the fossilized bones are
from the biggest parrot that (2) ____ lived. It was probably as tall as a three-year-old child and (3)
____ around eight kilograms. The researchers found the fossils in New Zealand. They have called
the new parrot Hercules, after a strongman of (4) ____ Greek mythology. The scientists studied
the fossilized leg bones they found and said Hercules was around a metre tall. This means
Hercules is (5) ____ the size of all other known parrots. The largest parrot scientists know of is
the kakapo, a flightless bird that also lives in New Zealand. The kakapo is on the critically
endangered species (6) ____.

New Zealand is famous for its flightless birds. The kiwi is a symbol (7) ____ the country. Scientists
say these are vulnerable. This means they could become endangered (8) ____ their environment
stays the same. Another famous New Zealand bird is the 3.6-metre-tall moa. These flightless
birds were the biggest birds that ever lived. They were (9) ____ to extinction early in the 15th
century. Hercules lived about 19 million years ago. A researcher said it probably ate nuts, fruit
and seeds, and
for its giant birds. (11) ____ now, no one has ever found an extinct giant parrot, anywhere. There
are many more unexpected species (12) ____ to be discovered.

1.A. possessed B. belonged

C. owned D. member

2. A. never B. ever C. even D. every

3. A. whey B. waylaid C. weight D. weighed

4. A. elderly B. ancient

C. history D. out-of-date

5. A. two B. twice C. duplicate D. paired

6. A. lost B. last C. list D. lest

7. A. at B. as C. of D. by

8. A. that B. so C. if D. and

9. A. overly B. overturned

C. overhauled D. overhunted

10. A. ether B. another C. others D. other

11. A. Until B. Through C. Prior D. Earlier

12. A. soon B. besides C. yet D. already


习题

答案

I 判断正误

1. T 2. F 3. F 4. F

5. T 6. T 7. T 8. F

II 选词填空

1. belonged ly s

t less

able ered

y t

III 阅读理解

1. D 2. B3. D4. C 5. D

6. C7. A8. C 9. B10.A

IV 完形填空

1.B 2.B 3.D 4.B 5.B 6.C

7.C 8.C 9.D 10.D 11.A 12.C
ered