新素材 跨境拯救大象 In 2023—2024, "sport" hunters legally shot and killed five elephants in northern Tanzania. The targeted elephants were among the largest, oldest bulls from the cross - border population studied by Kenya's 51 - year Amboseli Elephant Research Project, the longest study of elephants in the world. Unlike in Tanzania, hunting elephants has been banned in Kenya for 50 years. Until now, except for hunting in 1994, permitted hunters in Tanzania have not targeted this population, which is known as one of the last gene pools for enormous ivory and the source of the largest tusks (长牙) ever collected. Moving forward, Tanzania should stop issuing hunting permits that lead to the killing of these cross - border elephants.
Because it takes a male elephant about 35 years to attain the size and experience to breed annually, the majority of calves (幼崽) are fathered by the same few older males sought by hunters. These older animals also form the core structure of male society, organizing the movements and activities of every elephant connected closely. Studied since their births in the 1970s and 1980s, the bull elephants killed were not frightened by vehicles holding tourists or researchers, making them easy targets for hunters.
As conservation scientists, many of whom currently work or have worked in the past on the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, we call on Tanzania to recognize the scientific value of this cross - border population of elephants and work together with Kenya to develop a harmonized conservation strategy that formalizes a zero - elephant hunting quota (定额) and the promotion of ecotourism. Alive, these "super tuskers" have great biological, economic, and social value; once they are shot, their contribution ends.
By providing no permits for the area where the elephants live, Tanzania can join Kenya in protecting them and giving them the space to move freely.
1. What makes the Amboseli Elephant Research Project special?
A. It is the longest study of animals in the world.
B. It has studied elephants longer than the others.
C. It has banned elephant hunting for 50 years.
D. It has collected the largest elephant tusks.
2. What is the main concern over the killing of cross - border elephants?
A. It changes how male elephants feed calves.
B. It breaks Kenya and Tanzania's relationship.
C. It breaks cross - border animal protecting rules.
D. It hurts the social structure and activities of the elephant herd.
3. The elephants killed in Tanzania were ______.
A. the largest and oldest bulls
B. easily scared off by tourists
C. studied when grown to a large size
D. famous for their large ivory and tusks
4. Why was the passage written?
A. To stop elephants from crossing border.
B. To appeal to Tanzania to protect elephants.
C. To stop all elephant hunting with Tanzania.
D. To appeal to tourists to protect elephants in Kenya.
Because it takes a male elephant about 35 years to attain the size and experience to breed annually, the majority of calves (幼崽) are fathered by the same few older males sought by hunters. These older animals also form the core structure of male society, organizing the movements and activities of every elephant connected closely. Studied since their births in the 1970s and 1980s, the bull elephants killed were not frightened by vehicles holding tourists or researchers, making them easy targets for hunters.
As conservation scientists, many of whom currently work or have worked in the past on the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, we call on Tanzania to recognize the scientific value of this cross - border population of elephants and work together with Kenya to develop a harmonized conservation strategy that formalizes a zero - elephant hunting quota (定额) and the promotion of ecotourism. Alive, these "super tuskers" have great biological, economic, and social value; once they are shot, their contribution ends.
By providing no permits for the area where the elephants live, Tanzania can join Kenya in protecting them and giving them the space to move freely.
1. What makes the Amboseli Elephant Research Project special?
A. It is the longest study of animals in the world.
B. It has studied elephants longer than the others.
C. It has banned elephant hunting for 50 years.
D. It has collected the largest elephant tusks.
2. What is the main concern over the killing of cross - border elephants?
A. It changes how male elephants feed calves.
B. It breaks Kenya and Tanzania's relationship.
C. It breaks cross - border animal protecting rules.
D. It hurts the social structure and activities of the elephant herd.
3. The elephants killed in Tanzania were ______.
A. the largest and oldest bulls
B. easily scared off by tourists
C. studied when grown to a large size
D. famous for their large ivory and tusks
4. Why was the passage written?
A. To stop elephants from crossing border.
B. To appeal to Tanzania to protect elephants.
C. To stop all elephant hunting with Tanzania.
D. To appeal to tourists to protect elephants in Kenya.
答案
1. B 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“… studied by Kenya's 51-year Amboseli Elephant Research Project, the longest study of elephants in the world.”可知，肯尼亚的安博塞利大象研究项目历时 51 年，是世界上历时最长的大象研究项目，这是这个研究项目的特别之处。故选 B。
2. D 推理判断题。根据第二段中的“These older animals also form the core structure of male society, organizing the movements and activities of every elephant connected closely.”可知，年长的动物形成了雄性社会的核心结构，组织紧密联系的个体的运动和活动。由此推知，一旦跨境大象被杀，象群的社会结构和活动会被扰乱。故选 D。
3. D 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“this population, which is known as one of the last gene pools for enormous ivory and the source of the largest tusks ever collected”可知，被猎杀的大象被认为是巨大象牙的最后一个基因库之一，也是迄今为止收集到的最大象牙的来源。由此可知，坦桑尼亚被杀的大象以巨大的象牙和长牙而闻名。故选 D。
4. B 写作意图题。根据第三段“we call on Tanzania … to develop a harmonized conservation strategy that formalizes a zero-elephant hunting quota”以及最后一段“By providing no permits for the area where the elephants live, Tanzania can join Kenya in protecting them and giving them the space to move freely.”可知作者呼吁坦桑尼亚停止为跨境猎象提供许可证，和肯尼亚一起保护大象。通读全文可知，本文第一到二段在为最后的呼吁作铺垫，证明保护这片地区的大象的必要性和重要性。因此本文的写作目的是呼吁坦桑尼亚保护大象。故选 B。
Q 易错点拨 C 项“停止在坦桑尼亚的所有猎杀大象的行为”错误，本篇文章呼吁坦桑尼亚官方停止为跨境猎象提供许可证，这个举措并不能停止所有猎杀大象的行为，所以 C 不对。
2. D 推理判断题。根据第二段中的“These older animals also form the core structure of male society, organizing the movements and activities of every elephant connected closely.”可知，年长的动物形成了雄性社会的核心结构，组织紧密联系的个体的运动和活动。由此推知，一旦跨境大象被杀，象群的社会结构和活动会被扰乱。故选 D。
3. D 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“this population, which is known as one of the last gene pools for enormous ivory and the source of the largest tusks ever collected”可知，被猎杀的大象被认为是巨大象牙的最后一个基因库之一，也是迄今为止收集到的最大象牙的来源。由此可知，坦桑尼亚被杀的大象以巨大的象牙和长牙而闻名。故选 D。
4. B 写作意图题。根据第三段“we call on Tanzania … to develop a harmonized conservation strategy that formalizes a zero-elephant hunting quota”以及最后一段“By providing no permits for the area where the elephants live, Tanzania can join Kenya in protecting them and giving them the space to move freely.”可知作者呼吁坦桑尼亚停止为跨境猎象提供许可证，和肯尼亚一起保护大象。通读全文可知，本文第一到二段在为最后的呼吁作铺垫，证明保护这片地区的大象的必要性和重要性。因此本文的写作目的是呼吁坦桑尼亚保护大象。故选 B。
Q 易错点拨 C 项“停止在坦桑尼亚的所有猎杀大象的行为”错误，本篇文章呼吁坦桑尼亚官方停止为跨境猎象提供许可证，这个举措并不能停止所有猎杀大象的行为，所以 C 不对。
