Question

It’s been a hard time for rhinos (犀牛) lately. Recently the International Union for Conservation announced the western black rhinos had died out in the wild. It was last seen in western Africa in 2006. Now, those who work to protect the animals are trying to make sure that won’t happen to other rhinos.

19 south-central black rhinos in South Africa were driven to an area nearly 1,000 miles away, which was said to be the gentlest and quickest way to transport the animals. They were taken to a new home that would keep them safe from hunters.

Though it is not allowed to hunt rhinos, many are still killed for their horns. which can sell for as much as $ 30,000 each. Most of them are used to make drugs as traditional medicines in Asian countries. Some people believe that the horns work well in treating pain, fever and even cancer. However, there is no medical evidence yet.

Black rhino population began falling rapidly in the second half of the 1900s because of poaching. In fact, some people still hunt the animals at the risk of being put into prison. And many of the places where the animals used to live in were destroyed when people started building farms on the grasslands. Until the 1960s, about 65,000 black rhinos lived throughout most of Africa. Today, fewer than 5,000 are left—most of them in zoos and wildlife reserves.

South Africa has the largest population of rhinos in the world. Poaching is an especially big problem in that country. So far, more than 340 rhinos have been killed there. Since 2003, the Black Rhino Expansion Project has been helping the south-central black rhinos in South Africa. The group works with landowners to find areas where rhinos can live safely away from hunters.

So far, the group has successfully saved about 120 rhinos. Leaders of the project say the south-central black rhinos have seen a rise in numbers. It is hoped that, with continued support, these rhinos can escape the unfortunate result of the western black rhinos.

1.According to the text, the western black rhinos .

A. cannot be seen in the wild at present

B. once lived in most parts of Africa

C. were killed in a natural disaster

D. disappeared in the early 1990s

2.Rhinos are hunted mainly because .

A. they often come to attack people

B. they take up too much farmland

C. their horns can be made into drugs

D. their blood helps people prevent disease

3.The underlined word “poaching” in Paragraph 4 refers to the fact that black rhinos .

A. lost the places where they lived

B. were hunted without permission

C. were killed without control

D. died of a strange disease

4.What would be the best title of the text?

A. The rhinos in South Africa

B. The habits of black rhinos

C. The death of rhinos

D. Saving black rhinos

Answer 1