文化探索
Amazing Plants and Animals Around the World
Do you know what amazing plants and animals there are in the world? Let's discover how nature and human cultures help each other!
1. Koalas' Magic Trees (Australia)
Koalas only eat eucalyptus(桉树) leaves, and these leaves are poisonous(有毒的) to others! How do koalas stay safe? Scientists have found that their stomachs contain special bacteria(细菌).
Cultural fact: Aboriginal(土著的) people's old stories say koalas are wise because Koalas found the secret of these trees.
2. Giant Water Lily(Amazon)
The Victoria water lily has leaves bigger than a bathtub(澡盆)! Its flowers only open at night.
Cultural fact: Long ago, British engineers used this plant's shape to design beautiful glass buildings. Many cultures have night festivals to celebrate the charm of moonlight, just like this flower's night-time beauty.
Questions:
1. What "strange" animal do you know?
2. What can we do if we see an unusual plant or animal in our lives?

1. I know the platypus is a very strange animal. It has a duck-like bill, lays eggs to give birth to babies, but it is also a mammal that feeds its babies with milk.
2. First, we should not touch, hurt or take the unusual plant or animal randomly to avoid getting hurt by possible poison or special defense features of them, and also avoid disrupting their living state. Then we can take photos to record its appearance, and ask professional biology workers or related institutions for help to identify the species, so as to better protect these special creatures.

【分析】本题为文化探索类英语开放性问答题，第一问要求列举一种奇特动物，需说明其独特特征；第二问要求说明遇到不寻常动植物的正确做法，需从安全、保护、求助等角度思考，结合生活常识和生物保护意识作答。
【解析】1. 选择鸭嘴兽这种奇特动物，说明其独特之处：拥有鸭状喙，卵生但属于哺乳动物，会用乳汁哺育幼崽，符合“奇怪”的描述；2. 遇到不寻常动植物时，首先要避免随意触碰、伤害或带走，防止被其特殊防御机制（如毒性）伤害，同时不破坏它们的生存环境；其次可拍照记录其外观，再向专业生物工作者或相关机构求助，以准确识别物种并进行保护。
【答案】1. I know the platypus is a very strange animal. It has a duck-like bill, lays eggs to give birth to babies, but it is also a mammal that feeds its babies with milk.
2. First, we should not touch, hurt or take the unusual plant or animal randomly to avoid getting hurt by possible poison or special defense features of them, and also avoid disrupting their living state. Then we can take photos to record its appearance, and ask professional biology workers or related institutions for help to identify the species, so as to better protect these special creatures.
【知识点】英语开放性阅读理解、奇特动植物常识、生物保护意识
【点评】本题结合文化探索与英语应用，既考查学生对相关知识的积累，又引导学生树立生物保护意识，题目贴近生活，难度适中。
【难度系数】0.6

1. —What’s amazing about the blue whale?
蓝鲸的奇妙之处是什么？
—It is the largest/biggest animal in the world. 它是世界上最大的动物。
【感知】（1）He jumps (the) highest of the three boys. 他在三个男孩中跳得最高。
（2）I’m the best player in our class. 我是班上最好的球员。
（3）She looks the most lively of the girls in Class 2. 在2班的女生中，她看起来最活泼。
【思考】通过观察可知，形容词或副词的最高级形式表示“最……”之意，它一般与表示范围的介词短语连用。其中形容词最高级前面一般应加，而最高级前面的the可以省略。
【运用】用括号内单词的正确形式填空。
（1）Cheetahs runs(fast) among all the animals.
（2）Giraffes are(tall) than any other animal.
（3）Shanghai is one of(big) cit-
ies in the world.
（4）The sequoia(红杉) is the second(tall) tree.

【思考】the；副词
【运用】1. (the) fastest 2. taller 3. the biggest 4. tallest

【分析】首先观察例句，总结形容词和副词最高级的冠词使用规则：形容词最高级前通常加定冠词the，副词最高级前的the可省略。运用部分需根据句子中的范围词（如among all、one of、second）或比较级标志（than），判断使用比较级还是最高级，再正确变形。
【解析】【思考】观察例句可知：形容词最高级（如best、most lively）前一般加定冠词the；副词最高级（如highest）前的the可省略，故依次填the、副词。
【运用】（1）由范围词among all the animals可知，需用fast的最高级，副词最高级前the可省略，故填(the) fastest；（2）由比较级标志词than可知，需用tall的比较级，故填taller；（3）one of后接“the+形容词最高级+名词复数”结构，故填the biggest；（4）序数词second后需接形容词最高级，故填tallest。
【答案】【思考】the；副词 【运用】1. (the) fastest 2. taller 3. the biggest 4. tallest
【知识点】形容词最高级、副词最高级、形容词比较级
【点评】本题考查形容词和副词最高级的基础用法，涵盖最高级前冠词规则、比较级标志than的使用、one of及序数词后最高级的结构，是初中英语核心基础语法题，需熟练掌握最高级的变形及搭配规则。
【难度系数】0.8