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A new species of lizard has been discovered inside the stomach of a 120 million-year-old dinosaur. Researchers in China found the near-complete specimen inside a Microraptor zhaoianus—a small dinosaur that lived in what is now northeastern China.

Microraptors were four-winged dinosaurs that are believed to have been capable of flight. They were among the smallest dinosaurs to live, measuring just a few feet in length. It is thought that they were fed on mammals, birds, fish and lizards. Previously, four other microraptor fossils have been discovered with other species preserved inside their stomach.

Researchers at the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature identified another example of this, but after examining the lizard they realized it was an entirely new species. The lizard was found to be "largely complete" and had been swallowed head first. It had unusual, widely spaced teeth unlike anything else found in this part of China. It appears to have been related to Liushusaurus—an extinct species of lizard that lived in the same region.

The species has been named Indrasaurus wangi. This was after Chinese paleontologist Wang Yuan and Indra, a Vedic god. In the legend, Indra was swallowed by the dragon Vritra during a battle. Discovering a lizard swallowed whole inside the microraptor's stomach confirms previous suggestions that the dinosaur would swallow prey whole, similar to reptiles and birds living today. From the microraptor and lizard remains, the researchers were able to create a food web of the ecosystem in this part of China at the time.

Professor Mike Benton said, “A key job for paleontologists is to understand the life of the past, and this includes ancient food webs. Just what did dinosaurs eat? The new find gives clear evidence that on one day in the Cretaceous, a particular Microraptor ate a lizard. Not only that, this little dinosaur swallowed the lizard whole and head-first."

1.How did people know microraptors live on other animals?

A They were able to fly high.

B They were four-winged dinosaurs.

C They were a few feet long.

D They had eaten other animals.

解析：选D。推理判断题。根据文章第二段最后一句our other microraptor fossils have been discovered with other species preserved inside their stomach可以得知在这种恐龙的胃部发现了其他动物，因此能推知赵氏小盗龙是以其他动物为食的，故选D。

2.Why did the research believe the lizard was a new species?

A It had many wings.

B It had a complete head.

C It had widely spaced teeth.

D It was named Liushusaurus wangi.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据文章第三段第三句It had unusual, widely spaced teeth unlike anything else found in this part of China.可以通过这种蜥蜴宽的牙齿研究者断定这是一种新的蜥蜴品种，故选C。

3.What conclusion did the research draw from the discovery?

A They knew the food chain at that time.

B Many lizards would die out soon.

C Some legends were believable.

D Microraptors were very gentle.

解析：选A。推理判断题。根据文章第四段最后一句的the researchers were able to create a food web of the ecosystem in this part of China at the time可以得知研究者弄清了当时食物链，故选A。

4.What did Mike Benton think of the new find?

A It was important.

B It was interesting.

C It was confusing.

D It was dangerous.

解析：选A。观点态度题。根据文章最后一段第三句的The new find gives clear evidence that on one day in the Cretaceous可以得知Mike Benton认为该发现很重要，故选A。