Recent studies of the Philippine fruit bat fauna have confirmed some previous hypotheses regarding bats on oceanic islands: for example, species richness [the number of different species in a particular area] and abundance are generally highest in the lowlands and decrease with increasing elevation. With few exceptions, each endemic species [species native to a particular place] is restricted to the modern islands that made up a single island during periods of low sea level, and genetic differentiation has been influenced by the ecology of the species and the current and past geographic and geological conditions. However, far more previous hypotheses have been overturned than supported. Some endemic Philippine species use disturbed habitat as extensively as nonendemic species that are widespread in Southeast Asia. Levels of genetic variation within all species are high, not low, and rather than showing evidence of an intrinsic vulnerability to extinction from natural causes, independent lineages of these bats have persisted in rather small areas for very long periods of time (often millions of years) in spite of frequent typhoons and volcanic eruptions. While colonization from outside areas has clearly contributed to the high species richness, speciation within the archipelago has contributed at least a quarter of the total species richness, including many of the most abundant species.
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. draw on studies of the Philippine fruit bat in proposing a new theory regarding bats on oceanic islands
B. show how recent research on the Philippine fruit bat reflects debates about bats on oceanic islands
C. argue for the relevance of certain new evidence pertaining to the Philippine fruit bat or the study of bats on oceanic islands
D. discuss recent investigations of Philippines fruit bat in light of conventional wisdom regarding bats on oceanic islands
E. explain why the Philippine fruit bat is atypical among bats on oceanic islands in terms of genetic variation
答案：D
2. The primary function of the highlighted text is to
A. identify a finding from the Philippine fruit bat studies that will have a significant impact on how oceanic bats generally are viewed
B. point out a hypothesis that has been the subject of considerable disagreement among researchers studying oceanic bats
C. present evidence that is difficult to reconcile with other recent findings regarding the Philippine fruit bat
D. illustrate a widely held view about oceanic bats generally that was confirmed by the Philippine fruit bat studies
E. identify a feature of the Philippine fruit bat that does not appear to apply to oceanic bats generally
答案：D
3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the “recent studies”?
A. They point to the need for a significantly revised perspective on oceanic island bats generally.
B. They were undertaken with the assumption that Philippine fruit bats were somewhat atypical among oceanic bats.
C. They remain some what controversial among researchers because of the number of standard hypotheses that they tested.
D. They have largely confirmed what scientists thought about the Philippine fruit bat.
E. They suggest that bats on oceanic islands are more vulnerable to extinction than previously thought.
答案：A
解析見下。
Recent studies of the Philippine fruit bat fauna have confirmed some previous hypotheses regarding bats on oceanic islands: for example, species richness [the number of different species in a particular area] and abundance are generally highest in the lowlands and decrease with increasing elevation.
第1句：最近對菲律賓果蝠動物群的研究證實了以前有關大洋島嶼上的蝙蝠的一些假設：例如，物種豐富度（特定地區不同物種的數量）和（數量的）豐富程度一般在低地最高，並隨著海拔的升高而降低。
通過此句，我們知道：有關大洋島嶼上的蝙蝠，存在不少舊假設。其中的一些舊假設因最近的研究而被證實。被證實的舊假設中的一個是：蝙蝠的種類和數量一般在低地最高，並隨著海拔的升高而降低。
另外要注意，既然通過對菲律賓果蝠動物群的研究能證實有關大洋島嶼上的蝙蝠的一些假設，那就說明菲律賓果蝠屬於大洋蝙蝠。
With few exceptions, each endemic species [species native to a particular place] is restricted to the modern islands that made up a single island during periods of low sea level, and genetic differentiation has been influenced by the ecology of the species and the current and past geographic and geological conditions.
第2句：幾乎沒有例外情況，每種特有物種（特定地點的原生物種）都限於在低海平面期間構成單個島嶼的現代島嶼，並且遺傳分化受到物種生態和當前及過去的地理和地質條件的影響。
Few單獨使用，表示少到幾乎沒有。“幾乎沒有例外情況”就意味著幾乎所有蝙蝠都符合本句要講的情況。
現代島嶼的定義：在低海平面期間能構成單個島嶼的島嶼。啥意思？為什麼這麼定義？我們需要想明白。首先我們要知道，島嶼看起來是露出水面的孤零零的一個土堆；但並不真的是這樣。島嶼其實是一串島鏈中比較高的尖尖，而島鏈就像群山一樣——島與山本質上是一回事。只不過島嶼所在的這串山脈大部分泡在了水裡，只有山脈中比較高的山峰才能露出水面，成為我們看得見的島嶼。
接著我們要知道，隨著氣候變化，海平面是有升有降的。海平面降的時候，一串島鏈露出水面的部分就會比較多，就可能會有本來隔絕的島嶼互相之間連成一片，變成一個大島。但如果海平面上升，島鏈很多部分會被淹沒，就形成了一個個孤零零的小島，互不相通。
那什麼才算現代島嶼？就算海平面下降，這個島依然和其他島嶼不相通的才算島嶼。這樣才能保證這個島和其他島沒有交流，不會出現物種的遷徙、互通。這樣的島嶼才可能產生“特有物種”。因為但凡一個島嶼不是“現代島嶼”，就意味著有時候它是和其他地方相通的，那它上面的物種就會跑到其他地方去生活，這種物種也就不算是原先島上特有的了。
第二句描述的可能也是被證實的舊假設之一：特有物種幾乎只會分佈在一個現代島嶼上面（不會生活在其他島嶼上，就是這個現代島嶼所特有的），並且特有物種的遺傳分化受到物種生態和當前及過去的地理和地質條件的影響（這是很容易理解的，這特有物種進化成什麼樣子，肯定是被當地的獨特條件所影響的）。
However, far more previous hypotheses have been overturned than supported.
第3句：然而，多得多的從前的假設是被推翻，而不是被支持。
然而，上面說的這些被證實的舊假設數量有限。被推翻的舊假設相比被證實的，數量多得多。也就意味著，大多數舊假設其實是被推翻了。
Some endemic Philippine species use disturbed habitat as extensively as nonendemic species that are widespread in Southeast Asia.
第4句：一些菲律賓特有的物種與東南亞普遍存在的非特有物種一樣廣泛地使用受到干擾的棲息地。
這句話說的是某老觀點被推翻之後，人們產生的新認識。
反推，這個從前的老假設估計是：菲律賓特有的物種不會和全東南亞到處都有的普通物種一樣廣泛使用受到干擾的棲息地，而是可能不廣泛使用，甚至不怎麼使用受到干擾的棲息地。
Levels of genetic variation within all species are high, not low, and rather than showing evidence of an intrinsic vulnerability to extinction from natural causes, independent lineages of these bats have persisted in rather small areas for very long periods of time (often millions of years) in spite of frequent typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
第5句：所有物種的遺傳變異水平都很高，並不低，而且不但沒有證據顯示因為自然原因而滅絕的內在脆弱性，反而這些蝙蝠的獨立譜系於相當小的地方存在相當長的一段時間（通常是數百萬年），儘管面臨著頻繁的颱風和火山噴發。
這句話裡有兩個老假設/新認識。
1、“所有物種的遺傳變異水平都很高，並不低”是人們推翻了老假設之後的新認識。說明老假設可能是：有些物種的遺傳變異水平很低。
2、第二個新認識：不但沒有證據顯示因為自然原因而滅絕的內在脆弱性，反而這些蝙蝠的獨立譜系於相當小的地方存在相當長的一段時間（通常是數百萬年），儘管面臨著頻繁的颱風和火山噴發。
這說明老假設是：大洋島嶼上的蝙蝠存在“內在脆弱性”，也就是容易因為自然原因（比如颱風和火山噴發等自然災害）而滅亡。——這種老想法很容易理解，畢竟特有的蝙蝠只存在於一個獨立島嶼上，而一個島嶼的地方又那麼小，發生大災害了逃難的地方都沒有。人們自然覺得這樣的物種所處的生存條件很不牢靠，可能有點什麼外界環境變化就會在這島上絕種。這就叫物種的內在脆弱性。
結果，研究表明，這種老觀點是錯的。儘管獨立島嶼上有頻繁的颱風和火山噴發，特有蝙蝠們居然仍然在一個個小島上活得特別堅挺特別久，有的種類都存在了幾百萬年了。
While colonization from outside areas has clearly contributed to the high species richness, speciation within the archipelago has contributed at least a quarter of the total species richness, including many of the most abundant species.
第6句：雖然來自外地的殖民化顯然有助於豐富的物種豐富，但群島內的物種分化至少佔物種豐富度的四分之一，其中包括許多數量最多的物種。
很顯然，老觀點是：群島上的物種數量主要靠外來殖民。也就是說，島內的物種分化對物種多樣性的貢獻不大，主要是外來物種的豐富多樣，造成了島內物種的豐富多樣。
老觀點被推翻，新認識是：外來物種的豐富多樣確實有幫助，但沒之前想的那麼重要。群島內的物種分化比我們之前想的重要，貢獻了物種數量的至少四分之一。並且，許多數量最多，也就是最繁盛的物種，都是由群島內的物種分化產生的。進一步說明，群島內的物種分化真的很重要。
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
這段文章的主要目的是為了
A. draw on studies of the Philippine fruit bat in proposing a new theory regarding bats on oceanic islands
A.吸取菲律賓果蝠的研究，提出有關大洋島嶼蝙蝠的一個新理論
文章全部是在評論以前的舊理論，並未提出一個新理論。A錯。
B. show how recent research on the Philippine fruit bat reflects debates about bats on oceanic islands
B.展示最近對菲律賓果蝠的研究如何反映關於大洋島嶼上蝙蝠的爭論
其實不存在什麼爭論。觀點之間是不相干的，並沒有就同一個問題/觀點吵架。B錯。
C. argue for the relevance of certain new evidence pertaining to the Philippine fruit bat or the study of bats on oceanic islands
C.支持某些新證據與菲律賓果蝠或對大洋島嶼的蝙蝠的研究的相關性
從來也沒人質疑過新證據和蝙蝠（研究）不相關啊。作者根本無需支持這種相關性，相關性是默認存在的。C錯。
D. discuss recent investigations of Philippines fruit bat in light of conventional wisdom regarding bats on oceanic islands
D.根據有關大洋島上蝙蝠的傳統觀點，討論菲律賓果蝠最近的調查
文章所做的，就是從傳統觀點出發，來討論最近的研究，看它們是證實了還是推翻了傳統觀點。D對。
E. explain why the Philippine fruit bat is atypical among bats on oceanic islands in terms of genetic variation
E.解釋為什麼菲律賓果蝠在遺傳變異方面在大洋島嶼上的蝙蝠中是非典型的
Atypical，a作為前綴加在單詞之前，表示“非”的意思。
文章沒說菲律賓果蝠非典型呀。E錯。
第2、3題解析略，需要請留言。
