「2025 四川巴中中考」
Lots of wild animals often do babysitting duty. Young female elephants who haven’t had babies yet like to help guide and take care of baby elephants.
Recently, a team of researchers at the Southwest Forestry University in China noticed that during the breeding（繁殖） season, black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys passed around their babies a lot. The monkeys would take turns to carry or even feed the newborns.
This behaviour reminded the team of the way humans babysit for each other. So they decided to watch the monkeys more closely. They followed the group for six months and recorded more than 400 scenes in which a female monkey interacted（互动） with a mother and newborn or gently pulled them closer.
Once the newborns had grown up a bit, the mothers would allow other females to take care of them. They made their decision according to who has the most parenting experience. After a more experienced monkey had given up her babysitting duty, the younger females with less experience would still be allowed to look after the babies.
Cui Chunyan, one of the researchers in the study, mentioned that this helps the younger females to learn more about parenting to prepare them for having their own babies in the future. She also said that more research needs to be done to find out if
mothers make their choices based on the social status of other monkeys or on whether they are related to each other.
1. What have the researchers noticed in the study?
A. Monkeys babysit others’ babies.
B. Monkeys are too busy to babysit.
C. Elephants would take babysitting duty.
D. Elephants would guide baby elephants.
2. How did the researchers study the monkeys?
A. By interacting with mother monkeys.
B. By watching them from time to time.
C. By recording and studying their behaviours.
D. By looking after the mother and baby monkeys.
3. Which of the following can be a perfect babysitter?
A. A monkey that has no children.
B. A monkey that cares for its parents.
C. A female monkey with rich parenting experience.
D. A female monkey with less parenting experience.
4. What can we learn from Cui Chunyan’s words in the last paragraph?
A. They will continue their research.
B. They are satisfied with the results.
C. They have found out monkeys’ social status.
D. They have completely understood monkeys’ babysitting choices.
5. What can we find out from the study of monkeys’ babysitting choices?
A. Monkeys like human behaviours.
B. People should protect the monkeys.
C. Researchers compared elephants with monkeys.
D. Younger monkeys will be better mothers by caring for babies.

[语篇解读] 本文介绍了多种野生动物存在的“照看幼崽”行为,重点聚焦中国西南林业大学研究团队对黑白仰鼻猴在繁殖季节照看幼崽行为的研究发现。
1.A 细节理解题。根据第二段可知,最近,中国西南林业大学的一组研究人员注意到,在繁殖季节,黑白仰鼻猴会频繁地传递它们的宝宝。猴子们会轮流抱着甚至喂养新生儿。故选 A。
2.C 推理判断题。根据第三段中的“They followed the group for six months...newborn or gently pulled them closer.”可知,研究人员是通过记录和研究它们的行为来研究猴子的。故选 C。
3.C 推理判断题。根据第四段中的“Once the newborns had grown up...who has the most parenting experience.”可知,一旦新生儿长大一点,母亲们就会允许其他雌性照顾它们。它们会根据谁有最多的育儿经验来做决定。因此,一个有丰富育儿经验的雌性猴子会是一个完美的保姆。故选 C。
4.A 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“She also said that more research needs to be done...on whether they are related to each other.”可知,崔春燕说还需要做更多的研究,以查明母亲们是否根据其他猴子的社会地位或它们之间是否有亲缘关系来做出选择。这表明他们将继续他们的研究。故选 A。
5.D 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Cui Chunyan, one of the researchers in the study...having their own babies in the future.”可知,年轻的猴子通过照顾宝宝会成为更好的母亲。故选 D。