Researchers believe they have found an unknown kind of whale in waters off Mexico's western coast.If others prove the finding，the new whale will be an important discovery among giant animals.
    The team of researchers came upon three unusual whales while following a rare group of beaked whales（突吻鯨）.The whales were near Mexico's distant San Benito Islands，about 500 km south of the U.S.border.Beaked whales usually avoid meeting humans.
    Jay Barlow studies sea animals.He noted that it was a very unusual meeting. "It's very rare to even see a beaked whale，and to find a group of friendly beaked whales，it's even rarer，" he said.
    Barlow said he and other researchers did not realize they were seeing a possible new kind of whale until later.The group saw something different about the whales' teeth when they studied the photos they took of the animals.The underwater recordings of the whales' calls also suggested they were different from all the others.
    The researchers are now waiting for test results on water they collected near the whales.There could be skin cells in the water from the whales.If so，they will examine the DNA to make sure whether the whales are a new species.
    Though up to 5 meters long，the whales can be hard for scientists to see.That is because they usually swim and eat at depths of around 914 meters.They only come up at times for air.In the deep water，the animals can stay away from their main enemy-killer whales.
    Barlow said that finding a new species is a rare event.His team has proof about the whales that looks like a new discovery.He said the DNA testing would help determine it and he hoped the whales could be determined as a new species.That would bring the number of known beaked whale species to 24.

（1）What do the scientists say about the possible new species？

C

C

A．They are very fierce sea animals.
B．They frequently come up for air.
C．They belong to the beaked whale species.
D．They only live near Mexico's distant San Benito Islands.
（2）Which part of the unusual whale differs from that of others？

B

B

A．Its ears.
B．Its teeth.
C．Its eyes.
D．Its mouth.
（3）Why did the scientists study water they collected near the whales？

A

A

A．To get the whales' skin cells.
B．To study the quality of the water.
C．To learn about the whales' living habit.
D．To know what kind of food the whales eat.
（4）What were the scientists eager to know？

D

D

A．The reliability of the DNA testing.
B．The aim of the DNA testing.
C．The process of the DNA testing.
D．The result of the DNA testing.