阅读理解。
Monarch butterflies (黑脉金斑蝶) are a common summer sight in the northern United States and Canada.
These large orange and black insects (昆虫) brighten parks and gardens as they fly lightly among the flowers.
What makes monarchs particularly interesting is that they migrate (迁飞)-all the way to California or Mexico
and back. They are thought to be the only insect that does this.
Every year in the late summer monarchs begin their journey to the south. Those heading for Mexico go first
for the Louisiana-Mississippi area, then fly across the Gulf of Mexico into Texas. Once in Mexico, they settle
themselves in one of about fifteen places in a mountain forest filled with fir trees. Each place provides a winter
home for millions of monarchs. The butterflies are so many that they often cover entire trees. When spring
comes, they begin their long journey north.
The question is often asked whether every butterfly makes the round-trip journey every year. And the answer
is no. The average monarch lives about nine months. So one flying north might lay eggs in Louisiana and then
die. The eggs of that generation may be found in Kentucky; the eggs of the next generation may end up in
Wisconsin or Michigan. The last generation of the season, about the fourth, will make their way back to Mexico
and restart the journey.
Scientists learn about monarchs' migration by catching and making marks on the insects. By recatching a
monarch with such a mark and noticing where it came from, the next scientist can get to know things like the
butterfly's age and its routing (路线).
1. One of the places where monarchs spend the winter is _____. [ ]
A. the Gulf of Mexico
B. an area in Mississippi
C. a forest in Mexico
D. a plain in Texas
2. The routing of monarchs' migration can be learned _____. [ ]
A. by collecting their eggs in the mountains
B. by examining the marks made on them
C. by comparing their different ages
D. by counting the dead ones in the forests
3. What is the subject discussed in the passage? [ ]
A. Life and death of monarchs.
B. Scientists' interest in monarchs.
C. Winter home of monarchs.
D. Migration of monarchs.
