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2026年2月托福机经套卷(第2套)Read an Academic Passage / 24 道题

Dinosaur Feathers

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Dinosaur Feathers Paleontologists once thought dinosaurs were completely covered in scales. Recent discoveries have overturned this idea. Fossils found in China reveal some dinosaurs had feathers. These fossils, dating back approximately 126 million years, show traces of feathers around skeletons. The feathers were not for flight but likely for insulation or display. One significant find was the feathered dinosaur Sinosauropteryx. This small, meat-eating dinosaur had simple, hairlike feathers on its body. This discovery showed that feathers were more common among dinosaurs than previously thought. Another discovery involved the larger, more complex feathers of Caudipteryx. These feathers were similar to those of modern birds, suggesting that feathers evolved in stages, becoming more sophisticated over time. Researchers are now studying how feathered dinosaurs might have used their plumage. Some theories suggest that feathers helped regulate body temperature, while other theories propose that feathers were used for mating displays or camouflage. Understanding feather function in dinosaurs provides insights into their behavior and evolution. The idea that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs has gained support from the findings about feathers. Fossil evidence reveals that many theropod dinosaurs, such as Velociraptor, had feathers similar to those of modern birds. These similarities in feather structures, including quill knobs and complex branching patterns, strengthen the theory that birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs.
Question 1查看单题
The word "traces" in the passage is closest in meaning to
Adevelopment
Bsigns
Ccopies
Dshadows
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正确答案：B
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Question 2查看单题
The discovery of Sinosauropteryx suggested which of the following?
ANot all dinosaurs were relatively small meat-eaters.
BMany dinosaurs likely had feathers on their bodies.
CDinosaur fossils are more likely to be found in China than in other parts of the world.
DFeathered dinosaurs were generally smaller than those without feathers.
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正确答案：B
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Question 3查看单题
Why does the author provide information about Caudipteryx?
ATo show another example of a dinosaur with hairlike feathers
BTo suggest that Sinosauropteryx likely evolved from Caudipteryx
CTo make the point that dinosaur feathers likely became more complex over time
DTo show that there is less variety among types of dinosaur feathers than has been commonly assumed
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正确答案：C
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Question 4查看单题
What is the relationship between paragraphs 2 and 3?
AParagraph 3 provides an example to support the general point about feathers introduced in paragraph 2.
BParagraph 3 challenges an idea about feathers proposed in paragraph 2.
CParagraph 3 focuses on the roles played by the feathers described in paragraph 2.
DParagraph 3 summarizes the ideas about feathers presented in paragraph 2.
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正确答案：C