We have learned much about survival from 32 forms of animal life.
答案:(D) lower
【句型】lower forms of animal life 是生物學固定用語「低等生物」;better(更好的)、fewer(修飾可數名詞數量)、less(修飾不可數名詞數量)都不符合這裡表達「等級較低」的語意。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率,以下不談數據,只談觀念。
四個選項都與「比較」有關,而 fewer 與 less 是你最熟的一組,很容易反射性地在它們之間挑。但這一句比的不是數量,是等級。
先看空格後面接什麼:forms of animal life(動物的生命形式)。再看整句:We have learned much about survival from ___ forms of animal life.(我們從……的動物身上學到很多關於生存的事。)人類會向哪一種動物學習生存?後面舉的例子是蜥蜴——生物學上稱為「低等生物」,英文的固定說法是 lower forms of life,相對的是 higher forms of life(高等生物)。所以填 lower,講的是生物在演化階序上的位置,不是數量多寡。
fewer(較少的):修飾可數名詞的數量,但本句不是在比動物種類的多寡。less(較少的):修飾不可數名詞的數量,同樣不是這一句的重點。better(更好的):語意不通——「從更好的動物身上學習」既沒有依據,也與後面舉蜥蜴為例對不起來。
lower forms of life(低等生物)、higher forms of life(高等生物)、learn about(了解、學到)、fewer + 可數名詞(較少的)、less + 不可數名詞(較少的)、animal life(動物界、動物的生命)。
All forms of life have an instinctive urge to survive. Nature provides 31 with the means of survival. We have learned much about survival from 32 forms of animal life.
Lizards, 33 can change the color of their skin and 34 the trees and leaves around them. 35 , they cannot be detected by other animals that threaten them. Nature provides other forms of protection 36 environmental dangers.
Human beings, too, 37 special devices to protect 38 . Their skin is very 39 to temperature changes. 40 warm weather, sweating helps humans regulate their body temperature.