result, abalone fisheries worldwide are very restricted. Until recently, there was a three­year official order against abalone fishing in Oman and now fishing is only allowed from October 20 to November 15 each year.

　　The coast of Dhofar in Oman is one of the friendly environments that support abalone populations. The southern coast of Oman experiences monsoon (季风) winds across the surface of the sea from April to September. As these winds blow across the surface, the rich cold water from the depths of the Arabian Sea can easily rise and move towards the coast.

　　After the monsoon period, fishermen jump into the sea, reaching a depth of 10 meters. Groups of up to ten men search for abalone living on rocks and remove the shells using a knife, before coming up for air. A good fisherman searches for large adults and will get up to 600 abalone a day.

　　语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了阿曼的鲍鱼产业。

　　5．Why do Omani fishermen catch abalone nowadays?

　　A．They are good pets.

　　B．They are very delicious.

　　C．There are pearls in their bodies.

　　D．Their shells are beautiful and useful.

　　解析：选B　细节理解题。根据第一段中的"Today, the shellfish are caught for a different reason - restaurant menus！"可知，如今阿曼的渔民采集鲍鱼是因为它味道鲜美。

　　6．What do we know about abalone?

　　A．They prefer the darkness.

　　B．They live under the sea bed.

　　C．They face bad rocky conditions.

　　D．They need special environments.

　　解析：选D　推理判断题。根据第二段中的"They can only survive successfully in areas where cold, rich water rises from the sea bed."可知，鲍鱼的生长需要特殊的环境。

　　7．What does the underlined word "restricted" in Paragraph 3 mean?

　　A．Strange. B．Controlled.

　　C．Unpopular. D．Underdeveloped.

　　解析：选B　词义猜测题。根据画线词下一句中的"there was a three­year official order against ... November 15 each year"可知，鲍鱼的捕捉受到严格的"限制"。

　　8．What influence do monsoon winds have on abalone?

A．They are helpful for abalone's survival.