阅读理解。
Do you think animals can predict (预报) the weather or other natural events? Farmers living in the
countryside think so. For hundreds of years, they have observed animals. They think animals' behavior
(行为) can be connected to future weather conditions or events. For example, if swans fly into the wind,
a hurricane is coming. Or, if cows lie down, a rainstorm is coming. There are many traditional stories
connecting animals and natural events. Many people think that these stories are just folklore, traditional
stories and beliefs without scientific evidence (证据). Scientists, however, are beginning to take another
look at some of these ideas.
Kiyoshi Shimamura is a Japanese earthquake researcher. He noticed an increase in dog bites a short
time before earthquakes hit. Then, he did an investigation (调查) of twelve public health centers in Kobe,
Japan. These health centers treated people after the 1995 earthquake. He noticed some interesting
information about the month before the big earthquake. Treatment for animal bites had increased. In fact,
aggressive (冒犯的; 侵略的) behavior in dogs, such as biting and barking loudly, jumped (猛增) 60
percent!
People noticed other changes in animal behavior before the earthquake as well. For example, fish began
swimming together in large groups, only in the middle of the water and not near the edges. Also, birds flew
away from their nests for many days, leaving their eggs unprotected. The animal behavior suggests that
animals may be able to predict natural events better than people.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. What animals do during earthquakes
B. Many earthquakes of Japan
C. Effect (影响) of natural events on animals' actions
D. Folklore and other stories about animals
2. How do dogs begin to behave just before an earthquake?
A. They lie down in grass.
B. They stay together in large groups.
C. They leave their homes.
D. They hurt people.
3. What other animals behave strangely before an earthquake?
A. Pigs
B. Birds
C. Cows
D. All of the above
4. What did Kiyoshi Shimamura look at during his investigation?
A. Animal clinics treating dogs
B. The number of patients with bites
C. The number of earthquakes a year
D. Places dogs go during earthquakes
