[解析]
(1)D.细节理解题。根据原文第一段A remarkable new study on how whales behaved when attacked by humans in the 19th century has implications for the way they react to changes caused by humans in the 21st century.(一项引人注目的关于鲸鱼在19世纪被人类攻击时的行为的新研究对它们在21世纪对人类造成的变化的反应方式产生了影响。)可知这项新研究的主要内容是鲸鱼在人类攻击下的行为。故选D。
(2)C.细节理解题。根据原文第二段that information about what was happening to them was being collectively shared among the whales,who made vital changes to their behaviour.(关于发生在它们身上的事情的信息正在鲸鱼之间集体分享,这些鲸鱼对它们的行为做出了重大改变。)可知导致鲸鱼做出改变以逃离猎人的船的原因是共享的船只攻击信息。故选C。
(3)A.写作目的题。根据原文第五段The hunters themselves realised the whales' efforts to escape.They saw that the animals appeared to communicate the threat within their attacked groups.(猎人们自己意识到了鲸鱼逃跑的努力。他们发现这些动物似乎在被攻击的群体中传达了威胁。)可知在第5段中,作者想要陈述可能的原因。故选A。
(4)D.观点态度题。根据最后一段Now,just as whales are beginning to recover from the industrial destruction by 20th﹣century whaling fleets(现在,鲸鱼正开始从20世纪捕鲸船队的工业破坏中恢复过来)可知怀特黑德对鲸鱼未来的生存的态度是乐观的。A.Pessimistic悲观的;B.Unclear不清楚的;C.Cautious谨慎的;D.Optimistic乐观的。故选D。