Poplar Island lies about fifty-five kilometers in the south of Baltimore,in the Chesapeake Bay.People sailing on the Chesapeake Bay often talk about the beauty of the area's water and wetland birds.A large number of birds have lived in the area for centuries.

　　But by 1990,the island was sinking.Winds,water and time had reduced Poplar Island to only a few pieces of land.All the land together measured only 1.5 hectares(公顷).Sometimes,water threatened to cover all of what remained.Birds lost areas where they traditionally lived.

　　Now birds are returning to the island.The island now measures 461 hectares,about the same size as in the 1880s.The birds will have even more space in the future.The island is expected to grow by another 233 hectares.

　　Kevin Brennan leads the Poplar Island project,which began in 1998.He says the project will cost 667 million dollars.The government has paid most of the money,sharing the cost with the state.Much work has already been done.Flat-bottom boats have carried eighteen million cubic(立方) yards of materials to the island.

　　In June,volunteers planted 76,000 plants in the wetland area.They made a home for the wild birds there.The volunteers placed the plants about five centimeters into the soil to prevent rising and falling water levels from pulling them out.Volunteers also built barriers(栅栏) to keep hungry geese from eating the plants.

　　Many birds make a home on Poplar Island today.Poplar Island shows what can happen when people,organisations and the government work together.

1.Why did the birds leave Poplar Island in the early 1990s?

A.They had no food to eat.

B.The place became too wet.

C.Many people came to catch them.

D.There was not enough room for them.

提示:根据文章第二段内容可知鸟儿离开该岛是因为岛屿下沉导致它们的生存空间不足。

答案:D

2.What size is Poplar Island expected to be in the future?

A.233 hectares.　　　　　B.694 hectares.

C.461 hectares. D.667 hectares.

提示:根据第三段可知现在小岛为461公顷,再根据最后一句可知它有望再增加233公顷,合计为694公顷,故选B项。

答案:B

3.What did the volunteers mainly do for Poplar Island?

A.They carried materials to build up the island.

B.They collected money to protect the island.

C.They planted many plants for the wild birds.

D.They kept hungry geese away from the island.

提示:根据第五段内容可知志愿者主要是为小岛植树和建栅栏。

答案:C

4.What is the text mainly about?

A.A man-made island is being built for wetland birds.

B.Young volunteers join in the project to protect nature.

C.Wild birds lost their home because of water pollution.

D.An island in the Chesapeake Bay was saved from sinking.

提示:文章重点说明了一个小岛由于下沉而使小鸟的栖息地缩小,人们正试图通过努力来保护它,使它不至于下沉,故D项全面地反映了文章的主题。

答案:D