Question

【题目】For centuries, elephants have played a big role in the world's economies, culture and religion. The African elephant used to be found all over Africa and the Asian elephant moved from Syria to China to Indonesia. Nowadays, elephants are found in small groups in the south of the Sahara Desert and scarcely in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and India.

In the early twentieth century, there were close to ten million elephants, and now the elephant number is as low as 252,000 and expected to drop down to 160,000 by 2025. Between 2007 and 2014, the elephant population fell by at least 30%, or 144,000 elephants. As researchers have traveled over the African plains, they only spotted one herd of 36 elephants in an area like the size of Mexico. It is clear that these gentle mammals are disappearing right before our eyes.

There are many reasons why the elephant population has been decreasing, one of which is their habitat. Humans are competing with elephants for living space, and as more and more humans clear the land that is being used by elephants, the elephants have less space. Elephant hunting or "poaching" has been a major factor for the disappearance of this species, and they are killed only for their valuable ivory tusks. Although the trade of tusks is illegal, it is still a common practice in many places.

Often, all the local people living among elephants would be farmers, and found that they could make more money by selling the tusks of one elephant, than doing manual labor for twelve years. That alone makes it really hard to prevent them from killing the elephants.

Some places such as Botswana, have put in extra effort to protect their wildlife from poachers by founding their Botswana Defense Force, which is made up of around 700 specially-trained soldiers that are stationed in 40 different areas. You may feel worried about the present situations elephants are in, but there are ways to help. To find out how you can help elephant conservation, adopt an elephant, or donate, click here.

【1】The numbers listed in Paragraph 2 show that .

A. humans don't care for elephants B. elephants have been next to extinction

C. elephants have become gentler than before D. elephants have gained more attention

【2】What is the biggest factor for the disappearing elephants?

A. Less space. B. A lack of food.

C. Suffering from a disease. D. Elephant hunting.

【3】Why is it hard to ban killing the elephants among the farmers?

A. Their tusks are profitable.

B. Elephants are destroying their fields cruelly.

C. Farmers hope to make a living by selling their meat.

D. Farmers practice their hunting skills by killing elephants.

【4】What is the purpose of this text?

A. To persuade readers to make a donation.

B. To guide readers how to protect elephants.

C. To encourage readers to help protect elephants.

D. To introduce the decreasing number of elephants.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】D

【3】A

【4】C

【解析】本文主要讲了大象在经济，文化和宗教上都起了很重要的作用，而现在大象的数量在急剧减少，其原因是他们的栖居地被人们占据了，人们大量的捕杀大象，夺取他们的象牙来卖。作者在这里呼吁人们保护野生大象。

【1】B 推理判断题。根据第二段的数据252,000, 160,000,144,000 ,36.可知，大象的数量在不断的减少，所以他们有频临灭绝的危险。故选B。

【2】D 细节理解题。根据文中Elephant hunting or "poaching" has been a major factor for the disappearance of this species, and they are killed only for their valuable ivory tusks.可知，导致大象灭绝最主要的原因是大象的捕杀。故选D。

【3】A 推理判断题。根据文中倒数第二段的all the local people living among elephants would be farmers, and found that they could make more money by selling the tusks of one elephant, than doing manual labor for twelve years. That alone makes it really hard to prevent them from killing the elephants.可知，很难阻止农民捕杀大象的原因是象牙很值钱，诱惑大。故选A。

【4】C 主旨大意题。根据文中最后一段的You may feel worried about the present situations elephants are in, but there are ways to help. To find out how you can help elephant conservation, adopt an elephant, or donate, click here.可知，作者讲到大象频临灭绝是想鼓励人们保护大象。故选C。