Q33 to Q36:
Until recently, zoologists believed that
all species of phocids (true seals), a pin-
niped family, use a different maternal
Line strategy than do otariids (fur seals and
(5) sea lions), another pinniped family. Mother
otariids use a foraging strategy. They
acquire moderate energy stores in the
form of blubber before arriving at breeding
sites and then fast for 5 to 11 days after
(10) birth. Throughout the rest of the lactation
(milk production) period, which lasts from
4 months to 3 years depending on the
species, mother otariids alternately for-
age at sea, where they replenish their fat
(15) stores, and nurse their young at breed-
ing sites. Zoologists had assumed that
females of all phocid species, by contrast,
use a fasting strategy in which mother
phocids, having accumulated large energy
(20) stores before they arrive at breeding sites,
fast throughout the entire lactation period,
which lasts from 4 to 50 days depending on
the species. However, recent studies on
harbor seals, a phocid species, found that
(25) lactating females commenced foraging
approximately 6 days after giving birth and
on average made 7 foraging trips during

the remainder of their 24-day lactation
period.
The maternal strategy evolved by
harbor seals may have to do with their
small size and the large proportion of their
fat stores depleted in lactation. Harbor
seals are small compared with other phocid
species such as grey seals, northern ele-
phant seals, and hooded seals, all of which
are known to fast for the entire lactation
period. Studies show that mother seals of
these species use respectively 84 percent,
58 percent, and 33 percent of their fat
stores during lactation. By comparison,
harbor seals use 80 percent of their fat
stores in just the first 19 days of lactation,
even though they occasionally feed during
this period. Since such a large proportion
of their fat stores is exhausted despite
feeding, mother harbor seals clearly cannot
support all of lactation using only energy
stored before giving birth. Though smaller
than many other phocids, harbor seals are
similar in size to most otariids. In addition,
there is already some evidence suggesting
that the ringed seal, a phocid species that
is similar in size to the harbor seal, may
also use a maternal foraging strategy.

Q33:
It can be inferred from the passage that the females of all phocid species differ from the
females of all otariid species in that the female phocids

A. have shorter lactation periods
B. consume more food during lactation
C. consume a higher proportion of fat stores
D. forage for food occasionally during their lactation periods
E. deplete a smaller percentage of their fat stores during their lactation periods

正确答案选a, 我选c. 请问从文章中哪里看出选a