Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding ( 繁育 ) programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf ( 犀牛幼崽 ). When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity ( 圈养 ).
Paul Beer, head of rhino section at Port Lympne, said: “Obviously we're all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. It's still a little too cold for them to go out into the open, but as soon as the weather warms up, I have no doubt that the little one will be out and about exploring and playing every day.”
The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global black rhino population has dropped as low as 5500, giving the rhinos a “critically endangered” status.
1 ． Which of the following best describes the breeding programme?
A ． Costly. B ． Controversial. C ． Ambitious. D ． Successful.
2 ． What does Paul Beer say about the new-born rhino?
A ． She loves staying with her mother. B ． She dislikes outdoor activities.
C ． She is in good condition D ． She is sensitive to heat.
3 ． What similar experience do Solio and Kisima have?
A ． They had their first born in January. B ． They enjoyed exploring new places
C ． They lived with their grandmothers. D ． They were brought to the reserve young
4 ． What can be inferred about Porn Lympne Reserve?
A ． The rhino section will be open to the public.
B ． It aims to control the number of the animals.
C ． It will continue to work with the World Wildlife Fund.
D ． Some of its rhinos may be sent to the protected wild areas.
1 ． D
2 ． C
3 ． A
4 ． D
【分析】
本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了在 Port Lympne 保护区的部分黑犀牛现状。
1 ．推理判断题。通过文章第一段 “she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve ( 她成为该保护区出生的第 40 头黑犀牛 )” 以及文章倒数第二段 “His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there. ( 他的母亲、祖母和曾祖母都出生在保护区，至今仍住在那里 )” 可知，保护区的繁育计划使很多黑犀牛成功存活，可推知，这计划是成功的。故选 D 项。
2 ．细节理解题。通过文章第二段 “She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. ( 她很健康，很强壮，已经渴望玩耍和探索了 )” 可知， Paul Beer 认为新生的犀牛身体状况很好。故选 C 项。
3 ．细节理解题。通过文章第一段 “When the tinv creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. (1 月 31 日，当这头小犀牛来到保护区时，她成为了第 40 头在保护区出生的黑犀牛 )” 以及文章倒数第二段 “The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. (1 月 5 日，犀牛妈妈 Kisima 分娩的第一头小犀牛，同时也是第一个出生在 Port Lympne ，体重约为 32 公斤 )” 可知， Solio 和 Kisima 的第一个孩子都是在一月份出生的。故选 A 项。
4 ．推理判断题。通过文章倒数第二段 “it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild ( 要判断这些小犀牛是否会成为返回野生保护区的好的候选者还为时过早 )” 可推知， Pon Lympne 保护区的一些犀牛可能会被送到野生保护区。故选 D 项。