How did the sea horse get its name? It’s not hard to guess. The top half of this fish looks like a small horse. But looking at the sea horse’s tail, you might think “sea monkey” is a better name. Then there’s the sea horse’s pouch (袋). “Sea kangaroo” might also be a good name for this fish.
Sea horses live in warm ocean waters all over the world. They keep safe from other fish by hiding in plants and grasses that grow under the sea. They can also change colors to match their surroundings (环境). A sea horse remains in one place for hours at a time by winding (缠绕) its tail around a plant. It feeds on live food, such as small shrimp. For a fish that doesn’t move around much, the sea horse eats a lot — in just one day, a sea horse can eat 3,000 shrimp!
A sea horse keeps the same mate for its whole life, and it’s the male (雄的) sea horse that gives birth to baby sea horses. How does this happen? Baby sea horses start out as eggs, which come from the female’s body. The male carries the eggs in its pouch for about three weeks until they hatch (孵化). Soon after the babies are born, the female gives her mate a new set of eggs. The male sea horse spends most of its life carrying eggs.
Sadly, the number of sea horses is becoming smaller. Why is this happening? Some places where sea horses once lived have been filled in to make new land. Also, many sea horses are caught and sold as aquarium fish. This really is not a good idea because most sea horses don’t live long in aquariums. The best place for a sea horse is the ocean.
41．The sea horse got its name because of its ________.
A．head B．tail
C．skin D．pouch
42．How does a sea horse keep safe from other fish?
A．It hides in plants and grasses.
B．It runs away quickly.
C．It remains still.
D．It rolls up.
43．We can learn from the text that sea horses ________.
A．like to move around
B．live in cold ocean waters
C．feed on small sea animals
D．change colors with the temperature
44．What does a female sea horse do with her eggs?
A．She puts them in the male’s pouch.
B．She hides them in sea grasses.
C．She carries them around.
D．She hatches them.
45．Why is the number of sea horses becoming smaller?
A．They grow at a very low speed.
B．Their homes are being destroyed.
C．They are killed by people for food.
D．Their food is becoming less and less.