完形填空(共15小题;每題2分，共30分。)

通读下面的短文，掌握其大意。从每小题的四个选项中选出可填入相应空白处的最佳选择，并把它前面的大写字母填入右边括号里。

Scientists in the UK have announced that the piranhafish's reputation 1 ____a fearsome 2 ____may well not be deserved. The fish, which is found in the Amazon in Brazil, have been 3 ____as

deadly carnivores(食肉动物) that work in shoals to overwhelm their prey and strip it of its flesh in seconds.

However, experts 4 ____ St Andrews University say that piranhas are omnivores(杂食动物) that

mainly eat fish, plants and insects. They form big groups not to hunt but to defend 5 ____against

other predators, according to the team.

"Previously it was thought piranhas shoaled as it6 ____them to form a cooperative hunting group," said Professor Anne Magurran. " 7 ____ , we have found that it is primarily a defensive behavior. "

Piranhas can be attacked by animals 8 ____ dolphins, caimans and large fish, so forming a shoal is a good way of 9 ____being killed. Piranhas of 10 ____age stay in the middle of the group for

11 ____and the 12 ____ of the shoal differs according to the level of 13 ____When the water level is

14 ____ , the fish form small groups as there is space to escape, but when the water level drops, they form large groups as protection 15 ____ predators.

1.{} [单选题] *

A. as

B. as if

C. as though

D. since

2. () [单选题] *

A. kill

B. killer

C. murderer

D. murder

3. () [单选题] *

A. told

B. saying

C. describing

D. portrayed

4.() [单选题] *

A. out

B. with

C. from

D. by

5.() [单选题] *

A. them

B. themselves

C. it

D. itself

6.() [单选题] *

A. able

B. is able

C. enable

D. enabled(正确答案)

7.() [单选题] *

A. Thus

B. However

C. Suddenly

D. Therefore

8.() [单选题] *

A. such

B. example

C. like

D. as such

9. () [单选题] *

A. prevent

B. preventing

C. avoid

D. avoiding

10. () [单选题] *

A. reproduce

B. reproductive

C. reproduction

D. reproductively

11. () [单选题] *

A. protection

B. protecting

C. protect

D. protective

12. () [单选题] *

A. rate

B. size

C. amount

D. percentage

13. () [单选题] *

A. fate

B. destiny

C. risk

D. chance

14. () [单选题] *

A. high

B. low

C. peaceful

D. chaotic

15. () [单选题] *

A. for

B. against

C. without

D. towards

参考答案：

1.A 答案解析：看第2题的四个选项可以断定这里指食人鱼是什么样的杀手。应当选择具有“作为”含义的词。选项A是正确的:作为可怕的杀手。

2.B答案解析：Killer杀手,murderer凶手。二者的区别在于前者泛指杀人,后者强调有预谋的行凶。故，B答案正确

3.D答案解析：Tell告诉,say说,describe描述,portray描绘。文中have been表明是被动语态,应选择过去分词;根据上下文,这种鱼已被描绘成致命的食肉动物。选项D是正确的。

4.C答案解析：表示“来自于哪儿”应用介词from。此处意为来自圣安德鲁斯大学的专家。选项c是正确的

5.B答案解析：解析：根据上下文：食人鱼组成巨大的群体并不是为了猎取，而是为了自我保护以抵御其他的捕猎者。因此，这里应选用具有“它们自己”含义的词。选项B是正确的。

6.D答案解析：Able能够,应与be连用;be able能;enable使能够;enabled是enable的过去式。根据上下文,这里讲的是以前人们对食人鱼的看法,应用过去时。食人鱼的群体活动可以赋予它们合作捕猎的能力。选项D

7.B答案解析：从“我们发现……”一句看出,与以前人们的看法不同,食人鱼的群体活动只是为了保护自己。应选择表示与前句意义相反的转折词。选项B

8.C答案解析：食人鱼会受到其他动物的攻击。这里列举几种动物,应用like,或such as。选项C是正确的。

9.D答案解析：食人鱼群体活动的目的是避免被杀戮(being killed)。Prevent sb.from doing sth.防止某人做某事，该词通常与from连用，排除选项A和B。of是介词，后跟名词性的词。所以，选项D是正确的。

10.B答案解析：由此往后连起来看,大意是食人鱼的群体组合是根据所面临的危险,根据水的深浅。并且,处于繁殖期的鱼处于鱼群的中央,以获得保护。of后应跟名词性词组,age前应有形容词修饰。Reproduce是动词,reproductive是形容词,reproduction是名词,reproductively是副词。选项B是正确的。Reproductive age繁殖期。

11.A答案解析：把处于繁殖期的鱼围在中间的目的是为了保护它们。For是介词,后用名词形式。选项A是正确的。For protection为了保护。

12.B答案解析：把处于繁殖期的鱼围在中间的目的是为了保护它们。For是介词,后用名词形式。选项A是正确的。For protection为了保护。

13.C解析:鱼群的大小组合肯定是根据可能面临危险的大小。Fate命运,destiny命运,risk危险,chance机会。选项C是正确的。

14.A答案解析：根据下一句:如果水位下降。说明这里应该是指水位比较高的时候。选项A是正确的。

15.B答案解析：For支持,against反对,without没有,towards朝、关于。根据原文,食人鱼组成大的鱼群作为保护以抵御捕食者。选项B是正确的。

答案解析：For支持,against反对,without没有,towards朝、关于。根据原文,食人鱼组成大的鱼群作为保护以抵御捕食者。选项B是正确的。