When you were trying to figure out what to buy for the environmentalist on your holiday list, fur probably didn't cross your mind. But some ecologists and fashion(时装)enthusiasts are trying to bring back the market for fur made from nutria(海狸鼠).
Unusual fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn have showcased nutria fur made into clothes in different styles. “It sounds crazy to talk about guilt-free fur—unless you understand that the nutria are destroying vast wetlands every year,”says Cree McCree, project director of Righteous Fur.
Scientists in Louisiana were so concerned that they decided to pay hunters $5 a tail. Some of the fur ends up in the fashion shows like the one in Brooklyn last month.
Nutria were brought there from Argentina by fur farmers and let go into the wild. “The ecosystem down there can't handle this non-native species(物种). It's destroying the environment. It's them or us,”says Michael Massimi, an expert in this field.
The fur trade kept nutria in check for decades, but when the market for nutria collapsed in the late 1980s, the cat-sized animals multiplied like crazy.
Biologist Edmond Mouton runs the nutria control program for Louisiana. He says it's not easy to convince people that nutria fur is green, but he has no doubt about it. Hunters bring in more than 300,000 nutria tails a year, so part of Mouton's job these days is trying to promote fur.
Then there's Righteous Fur and its unusual fashions. Model Paige Morgan says, “To give people a guilt-free option that they can wear without someone throwing paint on them—I think that's going to be a massive thing, at least here in New York.” Designer Jennifer Anderson admits it took her a while to come around to the opinion that using nutria fur for her creations is morally acceptable. She's trying to come up with a label to attach to nutria fashions to show it is eco-friendly.
5.What is the purpose of the fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn?
A.To promote guilt-free fur.
B.To expand the fashion market.
C.To introduce a new brand.
D.To celebrate a winter holiday.
6.Why are scientists concerned about nutria?
A.Nutria damage the ecosystem seriously.
B.Nutria are an endangered species.
C.Nutria hurt local cat-sized animals.
D.Nutria are illegally hunted.
7.What does the underlined word “collapsed” in paragraph 5 probably mean?
A.Boomed.　　      B.Became mature.　　
C.Remained stable.　　D.Crashed.
8.What can we infer about wearing fur in New York according to Morgan?
A.It's formal.　　     B.It's risky.
C.It's harmful.　　    D.It's traditional.
（B）
5.A　 本题题干意为:新奥尔良和布鲁克林时装秀的目的是什么?根据第一段第二句(不过,一些生态学家和时装爱好者正试图让海狸鼠毛皮市场复苏),以及第二段Cree McCree所说的话(除非你了解海狸鼠每年都在破坏大片的湿地,否则毫无愧疚地谈论毛皮听起来很不理智)可推断出A项(毫无愧疚地销售毛皮)正确。B:拓展时装市场;C:介绍新的品牌;D:庆祝寒假。
6.A　本题题干意为:为什么科学家很担心海狸鼠?根据第四段第一句可知海狸鼠是由阿根廷引进的非本地物种,再结合Michael Massimi所说的话(那里的生态系统无法处理这个非本地物种。它正在破坏环境)可知A项(海狸鼠严重破坏了生态系统)正确。B:海狸鼠是濒危物种;C:海狸鼠危害了当地体型如猫般大小的动物;D:海狸鼠被非法捕猎。
7.D　本题题干意为:第五段中的画线单词“collapsed”可能是什么意思?根据第五段中的but可知,上文(毛皮贸易控制了海狸鼠几十年)与下文(当海狸鼠市场在20世纪80年代末　　　,这种猫般大小的动物疯狂地繁殖)存在转折关系,可推断出市场应该是“垮掉”了。故选D。A:繁荣;B:变得成熟;C:保持稳定。 
8.B　本题题干意为:根据Morgan关于在纽约穿皮草,我们能推断出什么?根据最后一段第二句Morgan说的话(给人们一个没有负罪感的选择,他们穿着皮草,却没有人朝他们泼油漆——我觉得那将是一件大事,至少在纽约是这样)可推断出B项(它是有危险的)正确。A:它是正式的;C:它是有害的;D:它是传统的。