Question

Elephant Transit Home

In both Africa and Asia elephants are being threatened by changes in their natural habitats. People are moving into the elephants’ habitats and endangering their survival. In the country of Sri Lanka, there is one place where elephants are not only protected but also respected. It is called the Elephant Transit Home (ETH).

Set up in 1995, the ETH aims to protect and nurture baby elephants that are found injured or living without their mothers in the wild. Every year about 30 baby elephants in Sri Lanka need help. As many as possible are brought to the ETH. There they are given food, shelter, and medical care. Most importantly, they are given the chance to be with other elephants and become part of a herd (象群).

A day at the ETH begins early in the morning when the baby elephants are given their first feeding of milk. During the day, each baby will drink an average of 13 gallons of milk. Older elephants are fed mostly coconut leaves and other native plants. Then the elephants are allowed to walk around, eating the grass and forming a herd. The cost of caring for the baby elephants is high. The ETH spends about $125,000 each year on powdered milk for the baby elephants.

At the ETH, workers try to reduce human connection with the elephants. They also try to increase bonds (联系) between the elephants. It usually takes three years for a baby elephant to be set free into its natural habitat. The elephants are sent back to the wild together with other orphans with whom they have bonded. This program helps them return to the wild as members of a herd that will communicate with each other and take care of each other.

The ETH is considered one of the best animal protection sites in the world. Not only are the elephants cared for, they are treated with respect. Most importantly, they go back to live in the wild, where they belong.

1.What does the underlined word “nurture” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A.Set free. B.Care for.

C.Focus on. D.Relate to.

2.What do we know about the ETH?

A.It receives about $125,000 each year. B.It is the largest animal protection site.

C.It helps to keep baby elephants safe. D.It changes elephants’ habitats for the better.

3.The workers reduce human connection with the elephants to ___________.

A.train them to stay away from hunters B.provide them with more living space

C.study them better in a natural environment D.help them make it in the wild as a herd

4.What’s the purpose of the passage?

A.To show the ways of wildlife protection.

B.To explain the threat baby elephants face.

C.To introduce an animal protection project.

D.To persuade the readers to protect elephants.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了一个名为“大象中转之家（ETH）”的组织，旨在保护和培育那些在野外受伤或失去母亲的小象。介绍了项目对小象的照顾过程等情况。ETH被认为是世界上最好的动物保护基地之一。大象不仅受到照顾，而且受到尊重。最重要的是，他们回到野外生活，他们属于那里。

1.词义猜测题。根据后文baby elephants that are found injured or living without their mothers in the wild.可知那些在野外受伤或失去母亲的小象需要ETH组织的保护和照顾，故划线单词意思为“照顾”。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段中Every year about 30 baby elephants in Sri Lanka need help. As many as possible are brought to the ETH. There they are given food, shelter, and medical care.可知在斯里兰卡，每年大约有30头小象需要帮助。尽可能多的小象被送到ETH。在那里，他们得到食物、住所和医疗照顾。由此可知，ETH有助于保护小象的安全。故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据第四段中This program helps them return to the wild as members of a herd that will communicate with each other and take care of each other.可知这个项目帮助他们回到野外，作为一个群体的成员，互相交流，互相照顾。由此可知，工作人员减少了与大象之间的联系，以帮助它们作为一个群体在野外生存。故选D。

4.推理判断题。根据第一段中In the country of Sri Lanka, there is one place where elephants are not only protected but also respected. It is called the Elephant Transit Home (ETH).可知在斯里兰卡，有一个地方不仅保护大象，而且尊重大象。它被称为大象中转之家（ETH）。结合文章主要介绍了主要介绍了一个名为“大象中转之家（ETH）”的组织，旨在保护和培育那些在野外受伤或失去母亲的小象。介绍了项目对小象的照顾过程等情况。ETH被认为是世界上最好的动物保护基地之一。大象不仅受到照顾，而且受到尊重。最重要的是，他们回到野外生活，他们属于那里。由此可推知，这篇文章的目的是介绍一个动物保护项目。故选C。