When people talk about a "north-south divide" in Britain, they usually refer to house prices, employment and the ratio of private-sector to public-sector jobs. The south scores higher on all such measures. But new data from the British Trust for Ornithology(BTO), a research charity, implies the growth of another north-south divide—this time to the north"s benefit. Every 20 years the BTO produces a detailed picture of bird life in Britain and Ireland. The 2007 to 2011 edition is cheery: more species are recorded than in previous pictures, and many birds are increasing in number. Compared with two decades ago, 45% of regular native species are ranging more widely while 32% are living in smaller areas; the rest have stayed put. But the most striking news comes from the north. The overall populations of woodland, farmland and migrant perching birds are up in northern England and Scotland but down in the south. The same is true of individual species such as the garden warbler, bullfinch and swallow. The number of cuckoos, a closely-watched species, declined by 63% in England between 1995 and 2010 but by only 5% in Scotland. Raptors are faring especially well in the south, but their numbers are rising in most parts of Britain. Partly this reflects climate change, suggests Simon Gillings of the BTO. Some birds are drawn to warmer winters in Scotland and northern England; visiting migrants may stick around for longer. Hard though it may be to believe during a week of rain, the south is becoming drier, pushing snipe northward. More efficient farming has squeezed some farmland species. Some birds find it harder to make homes in the south, too. Pressure on housing means deserted buildings and barns, handy for nesting, have been converted into human dwellings. Between 2006 and 2012 the number of vacant dwellings fell by 17% in London and by 12% in Kent. Over the same period the number of empty houses increased by 16% in Derbyshire and by 10% in Lancashire. Northern mining villages once full of workers are now sparsely populated, points out Ian Bart-lett, a birdwatcher in Hartlepool, in north-east England. They have become hot spots for birds and the people who watch them. Cultural difference also plays a part, thinks Mark Cocker, an expert on birds. The "obsession with tidiness" is stronger in the south, he says. Fewer people cultivate gardens; they prefer to cover them in decking and remove weeds from between concrete slabs. Village greens are mowed short. In contrast, Scotland and northern England have more trees, grassland and wind-swept moors. Less popular with humans, rugged parts of the countryside are filling up with a winged population instead.
单选题
Which of the following is true about the BTO?
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】解析：根据BTO定位到第一段，根据选项[D]中的every 20 years定位到第二段，由此得知该题答案来自一、二两段。选项[A]对应第一段最后一句：But new data from the British Trustfor Ornithology(BTO)，a research charity…．其中出现了两个难词，一是“ornithology鸟类学”，即使不认识这个词，根据下文BTO produces a detailed picture of bird life…可以得知BTO和鸟类有关系；二是“charity慈善机构”。所以[A]项中的non-profit organization(非营利机构)=charity(慈善机构)；research on birds对应ornithology，research这两个信息，故[A]项正确。选项[B]中protects and offers shelters to birds是原文未提到的，属于无中生有。选项[C]对应原文的BTO…implies the growth of another north．south divide—this time to the north’s benefit．从中我们知道，英国北部的鸟类更多，故[C]项表述与原文相反。选项[D]对应第二段首句：Every20 years the BTO produces a detailed picture of bird life in Britain and Ireland．该项前半部分都对，最后的in the world是明显错误，原文说的是in Britain and Ireland，故该项是错误的。
单选题
The number of species like garden warbler, bullfinch and swallow______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】解析：根据题干的garden warbler，bullfinch and swallow这几个陌生词可以迅速定位到第三段第一、二句：The overall populations of woodland，farmland and migrant perching birds are upin northern England and Scotland but down in the south．The same is true of individual species suchas the garden warbler，bullfinch and swallow．根据这两句话我们可以得知：许多鸟类的数量在北方呈现上涨趋势，在南方却处于下降趋势，包括题干所问的garden warbler等鸟类，故选项[D]正确。
单选题
The following reasons may drive birds away EXCEPT______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】解析：第四段首句提到：Partly this reflects climate change(这从某种程度上反映出气候的变化)，其中this指代上文提到的鸟类数量变化，也就是说“气候变化”可以影响鸟类数量，即climate change是该题的答案之一。第二句提到：Some birds are drawn to warmer winters in Scotland and northern England．其中are drawn to warmer winters意为“被吸引到冬天更暖的地方去”，可见warmer winter是吸引鸟类的因素，而不是“drive away驱赶”它们的因素，故warmerwinter不是使鸟类离开的原因，符合该题的答案要求。第三句提到：Hard though it may be tobelieve during a week of rain，the south is becoming drier，pushing snipe northward．(很难相信，在持续一周的降雨之后，南方变得更加干燥，使得沙锥鸟飞往北方。)所以“continuous rainfall持续的降雨”也是驱赶鸟类的因素之一。第四句提到：More efficient farming has squeezed somefarmland species．(高效的农耕逼走了一些在农场生活的鸟类。)因此可以知道efficient farming也是一个因素。综上所述，只有选项[A]是符合该题的答案。
单选题
Some birds can hardly find shelters in the south because______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】解析：根据题干信息定位到第五段首句：Some birds find it harder to make homes in thesouth，too．其中can hardly find shelters=find it harder to make homes；shelters=homes。故答案来自下一句：Pressure on housing means deserted buildings and barns，handy for nesting，have beenconverted into human dwellings．而该句内容相当于选项[C]places suitable for nesting have beenoccupied by human beings。其中，deserted buildings and barns，handy for nesting(适合筑巢的废弃建筑和仓库)对应places suitable for nesting(适合筑巢的地点)；converted into human dwell—ings(被改造成人类住所)对应occupied by human beings(被人类占据)。故选项[C]为答案。
单选题
We know from the last paragraph that______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】解析：选项[A]对应第六段第二句：The“obsession with tidiness”is stronger in the south．从而我们知道该项表述是错误的。选项[B]对应最后一句：Less popular with humans，ruggedparts of the countryside are filling up with a winged population instead．该句比较难理解：郊外一些破旧不堪的地方鲜有人类居住，这里反而成为鸟类的居所。其中，winged population指的是鸟类。由此可见，选项[B]“人类越少的地方鸟类就越多”的表述是正确的。选项[C]对应该段第一、二句，而通过这两句我们可以知道该项是错误的。其中not clear与原文中cultural differ—ence，stronger等信息明显相悖。选项[D]对应原文以下内容：…in the south，he says．Fewerpeople cultivate gardens；they prefer to cover them in decking and remove weeds from between con-crete slabs．由此可见南方人很少有种植花草的习惯，从而判断该项是错误的。