Scientists in New Zealand are developing drones(无人机) and small radars to follow insects to try to protect threatened species. The new technology involves attaching radars to the insects to follow their movements. The devices connect electronically to drones that will track the insects in real-time. The scientists are with the University of Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island. The team says it hopes the technology will lead to a deeper understanding of the country’s troubled insect populations.

The research builds on years of experience in the area of bird conservation, in which radio tracking methods have helped to protect many threatened species. But that technology had to be made much smaller for use on insects. The researchers have now made about 20 small “harmonic” devices that can be attached to insects. The insects can then be tracked over wide areas by drones.

Steve Pawson, from the university’s College of Engineering, said that bird-tracking technology is what made the researchers start looking for a similar solution to follow insects. The information from tagged birds, Pawson said, “really informs conservation management.”

The same system can help scientists learn more about many different insect behaviors, he added, like how far they move, where they look for food, and even, how long they live. “If we have that knowledge, then we can incorporate it into our decision making and our planning for conservation management operations,” Pawson added.

The researchers plan to begin tests of the system on ground-based insects before moving to the greater complexities of tracking insects in flight. They hope to begin field testing by 2023. The team says the research could possibly be useful in other scientific fields as well, such as biosecurity or medical imaging.

Among New Zealand’s endangered insects is the widely recognized Wētā. The creatures— native to the South Pacific—have large bodies, legs with sharp points and rounded tusks. Several species of Wētā are under threat from animals that eat them and destruction of the places where they live.

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1.Which of the following description is about the new technology?

A Drones are used to track the insects in the wild.

B Radars are used to detect the insect population.

C Electronic devices are operated to watch the insects.

D Radars and drones work together to follow the insects.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第一段The new technology involves attaching radars to the insects to follow their movements. The devices connect electronically to drones that will track the insects in real-time.可知，这项新技术需要在昆虫身上安装雷达来跟踪它们的活动。这些设备通过电子装置与无人机相连，无人机将实时跟踪昆虫。故选D。

2.What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A The insects can be widely monitored by drones.

B The researchers improved the technology in details.

C The researchers borrow experience in bird conservation.

D The species of birds face the same threat as the insects.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据第二段Steve Pawson, from the university’s College of Engineering, said that bird-tracking technology is what made the researchers start looking for a similar solution to follow insects.可知，大学工程学院的史蒂夫·帕森（Steve Pawson）表示，鸟类追踪技术让研究者开始寻找一种类似的方法来追踪昆虫。由此推断研究人员借鉴鸟类的研究方法。故选C。

3.Which information about insects mentioned is crucial to the researchers? a. Feeding sites. b. Moving distance. c. The life span. d. Environmental changes.

A a;b;d

B a;c;d

C a;b;c

D b;c;d

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第三段可知，同样的系统可以帮助科学家更多地了解许多不同的昆虫行为，比如它们移动多远，在哪里寻找食物，甚至它们能活多久。如果有这方面的知识，那么科学家就可以把它纳入决策和保护管理行动的规划中。故选C。

4.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A Wētā was once widely distributed in New Zealand.

B The research of insects has a great impact on other areas of science.

C Wētā is in a difficult situation mainly affected by human activities.

D Researchers are making steady progress in insect research as planned.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第四段The researchers plan to begin tests of the system on ground-based insects before moving to the greater complexities of tracking insects in flight.可知，研究人员计划先在地面昆虫身上测试该系统，然后再转向更复杂的追踪飞行中的昆虫。由此说明研究人员正在按计划稳步推进昆虫研究。故选D。