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This
spring Steve Stuttard reunited with an unusual friend: Mrs. Mallard, a duck
that nested in the flowerpot on his ninth-story apartment balcony in Manchester,
UK, last year. Upon her return, she laid 11 eggs in the same flowerpot filled
with grass.
"I
know ducks have strange routines when it comes to nesting, and if they have a
successful site, they will return to it," says Stuttard, a bird lover since
childhood.
Stottard
used skills learned in the Navy to create a jackstay (稳定锁) with a red rope and a bucket. Those skills came in handy last year
when he quickly and safely transported Mrs. Mallard's seven ducklings (小鸭子) down once they hatched.
"Getting
the ducklings down isn't as simple as a ride in the elevator. It's crucial not
to hurt the bond between the ducklings and Mrs. Mallard," Stuttard says.
However,
Stuttard faced more of a challenge this year. He had four additional eggs and
high winds. He also had a new global audience heavily invested in the fate of
the ducklings.
Emma
Newman, Stuttard's daughter, updates about his preparation for this year's
nesting, which took off on Twitter. "I've been absolutely bombarded
with messages,'' Newman says. "I actually can't keep up because thousands
of people are following the story. Whenever I tweet about it, I get several
hundred replies a second sometimes."
On
Tuesday morning when two ducklings poked (探出)
their heads out of the flowerpot, the wind was awful. Stuttard waited and kept
watching. Fortunately, late in the afternoon, Mrs. Mallard finally made her
move. This was Stuttard's clue to get to work.
Stuttard
picked Mrs. Mallard up and threw her off the balcony, and she flew off.
Immediately, he placed the ducklings in the bucket one by one. Then, he used
his jackstay to carefully lower the bucket. "Within two, three minutes
from when I walked out on the balcony, Mrs. Mallard was swimming away with her
family," Stuttard says.
(1)
Why did Mrs. Mallard choose the same flowerpot?
A . She wanted to be protected by Stuttard.
B . She liked to lay her eggs in high places.
C . She nested there successfully last year.
D . She remembered Stuttard and his family.
(2)
What's important in taking the ducklings downstairs?
A . Staying with them all along.
B . Creating a professional jackstay.
C . Transporting without using the elevator.
D . Keeping their connection with the mother.
(3)
What does the underlined word "bombarded" in paragraph 6 probably mean?
A . Coated.
B . Rewarded.
C . Linked.
D . Flooded.
(4)
Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A . Ducklings Succeeding in Going Downstairs.
B . Ducklings Overcoming Survival Challenges.
C . Man Helping Ducklings Down His Apartment.
D . Man Welcoming an Unusual Duck Back Home.
答案: C
D
D
C