The first birds appeared during late Jurassic times. These birds are known from
' ~2 Y2 D/ v7 _; c- cfour very good skeletons, two incomplete skeletons, and an isolated feather, all from ' \6 H9 S" j7 l% Z8 |" \2 h. G+ b5 k
the Solnhofen limestone of Bavaria, Germany. This fine-grained rock, which is % s( o' d% h4 {5 H1 S3 k" b/ y
extensively quarried for lithographic stone, was evidently deposited in a shallow ; y: Z. F# }) U/ V5 |9 V. Q
(5) coral lagoon of a tropical sea, and flying vertebrates occasionally fell into the water
+ t0 @2 z& \$ S2 p2 [and were buried by the fine limy mud, to be preserved with remarkable detail In this 6 s( g: t9 u7 C9 ^$ N0 T. t' Q
way, the late Jurassic bird skeletons, which have been named Archaeopteryx, were
; ]7 T+ H( e6 hfossilized. And not only were the bones preserved in these skeletons, but so also $ P7 b! S% O+ x* N# B
were imprints of the feathers. If the indications of feathers had not been preserved in # j& F+ D6 ]* I" g+ g
(10)association with Archaeopteryx, it is likely that these fossils would have been
$ }; \" h* X1 ]9 ] @( bclassified among the dinosaurs, for they show numerous theropod characteristics. ' d! ?: W4 _) ]* A6 t3 z% t! S
Archaeopteryx were animals about the size of a crow, with an archeosaurian type of , b: T* v! Z5 Y+ }0 ~- N; |
skull, a long neck, a compact body balanced on a pair of strong hind limbs, and a ( j) }( q; |1 c) a3 Q6 w J
long tail. The forelimbs were enlarged and obviously functioned as wings. ~0 ], c3 I9 X2 L
(15) Modern birds, who are the descendants of these early birds, are highly ( w2 \( l7 W+ d5 F
organized animals, with a constant body temperature and a very high rate of 5 m/ m8 n* s$ `2 d" x6 ~/ N
metabolism. In addition, they are remarkable for having evolved extraordinarily
2 s: k, @8 ]3 Y. a/ q: k' ?6 Rcomplex behavior patterns such as those of nesting and song, and the habit among 2 `! f8 U. y, @: y( {& \0 M
many species of making long migrations from one continent to another and back
1 Z7 ?% K, u+ j(20)each year. , d9 |0 G- C* ]" y
Most birds also have very strong legs, which allows them to run or walk on the 1 w Y( z' {1 ~$ Y8 _
ground as well as to fly in the air. Indeed, some of the waterbirds, such as ducks and : P% T. \3 T' }; q8 `
geese, have the distinction of being able to move around proficiently in the water, on
6 F1 e- \5 l5 |' ~" Dland, and in the air, a range in natural locomotor ability that has never been attained . p& [# Z9 i8 Y* X" n5 t
(25)by any other vertebrate.
2 |+ O, M8 Q& K" D! c+ M& ~. Y
/ [7 s) s2 R% }7 I
% b' U# {" n7 ?+ t* y
& m4 K- Y$ ~! x. a2 P) U1. According to the author, all of-the following evidence relating to the first birds was found EXCEPT " t' K4 ?' |) c
(A) nesting materials, p& C9 l( v6 D' e# E
(B) four skeletons in good condition
: S1 ^+ @! j Z1 `) K' N(C) two fragmented skeletons : b- G/ S: e9 I
(D) a single feather 6 q. G! G0 R9 [% |1 G; x
1 C% b% u% ]% L% U! A7 H2. The word "preserved" in line 8 is closest in meaning to 4 \* I5 E# j' c. G" P5 P" `
(A) confused with others 6 x7 O: Z5 `% G( m0 L
(B) gradually weakened v b! d% k8 {! x
(C) protected from destruction ! h4 X8 P* H7 g8 t2 d2 P
(D) lost permanently
0 o4 o f9 K) A I& u% O 2 T+ Q! g( i8 f* |' @ I
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the Archaeopteryx were classified as birds on the basis of
) ^ v& J0 M) i7 E(A) imprints of bones
6 W8 s- Q5 p' N2 K k( }5 b' K9 J# R8 M(B) imprints of feathers 3 e1 l' t' v6 A3 a0 }5 E: y
(C) the neck structure
9 B; x! Y" s6 k9 d(D) skeletons |