单选题 Some spiders hunt on the ground, others build webs to trap their food, but the grass water spider catches its prey by running along the surface of the water. This special water spider lives on the grassy banks of streams where mosquitoes, damselflies and other insects come to feed and breed.
Although it is one of the largest spiders in New Zealand, it has an unusual ability. It doesn't disturb the water as it waits for its meal, and there is barely a ripple when it skims across the surface at lightning speed to catch its prey. Grass water spiders deal swiftly with larger insects like damselflies by pulling their heads under the water and holding them there until they drown.
After a meal, the grass water spider spends up to half an hour grooming itself. It wipes its eight eyes, brushes its antennae, and takes special care to clean the hairs on its body. It is the hairs that trap tiny bubbles of air so that the spider can run down a blade of grass and stay underwater for up to an hour when it is frightened. The hairs also keep the spider dry, even underwater.
It is only when the female spider is caring for the young that she does not hunt on the water. After mating, she produces a large egg sac, which she carries around for five weeks. Once the eggs start to hatch, she attaches the sac to some blades of grass or a thistle. She then tears the sac open and releases the tiny spiders into the nursery web.

单选题 How does the grass water spider kill its prey?

A. in a web
B. by drowning
C. by poisoning
D. with its antennae

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据文章第二段描述“by pulling their heads under the water and holding them there until they drown. ”可知：水蜘蛛将它们猎物的头部拖进水里，直到猎物被淹死。故答案为B。

单选题 The writer describes the special spider as "special" because ______.

A. it walks on water
B. it has eight eyes
C. of its hairy appearance
D. of the way it produces its young

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据文章第一段中的“Some spiders hunt on the ground, others build webs to trap their food, but the grass water spider catches its prey by running along the surface of the water. ”可知：有的蜘蛛在陆地上捕食，有的靠蜘蛛网来捕食，但是水蜘蛛却在水面捕食。故答案为A。

单选题 The passage tells us that the spider ______.

A. feeds grass and thistles to its young
B. lives on blades of grass under the water
C. lives in the grass on the banks of streams
D. eats a meal once every five weeks

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据文章第一段中“This special water spider lives on the grassy banks of streams. ”可知：这种特别的水蜘蛛生活在河岸边的草丛里。故答案为C。

单选题 The purpose of the passage is to ______.

A. convince readers that spiders are dangerous
B. indicate that the grass water spider is endangered
C. list all of the spiders that can be found in New Zealand
D. describe the characteristics of the grass water spider

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 主旨题。本文主要介绍了这种水蜘蛛的生活情况，由此可知作者的目的是要读者了解水蜘蛛的特征，故答案为D。

单选题 How long will the egg be taken before the eggs start to hatch?

A. a month
B. five months
C. a year
D. not mentioned

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。从文章“After mating, she produces a large egg sac, which she carries around for five weeks. Once the eggs start to hatch, she attaches the sac to some blades of grass or a thistle. ”可知从产卵开始直到卵开始孵化，雌性水蜘蛛会带着卵囊度过大约五周的时间。故答案为A。