本节为一篇阅读材料,根据语篇内容回答语篇后面的4个问题。
The
white rhino is the largest species of rhinos. It has a wide mouth and is known
to be sociable. Its eyesight is not very good though. For these reasons,
poachers (偷猎者) have found it easier to
hunt the white rhino for its horns. There are now serious concerns that the
white rhino may soon become extinct.
In
the large national parks in Africa where white rhinos live, it is very hard to
protect them. The rhino horn these days is more expensive than gold, so
poachers are very determined to hunt them. It is said that about three rhinos
are killed by poachers every day. If this continues they will be extinct with
in the next ten years.
Three
years ago, an organization in Adelaide, Australia, began planning The
Australian Rhino Project. Its purpose is to create what they call the insurance
population. The idea is to create a 120 acre park in Australia where white
rhinos from Africa can be kept and protected. They can also breed so over time
their numbers will grow. If anything happens to the white rhinos in Africa,
they can be replaced with the rhinos in Australia.
It
sounds like a good idea, but it's expensive! White rhinos first have to be
taken to Australia. Each one weights about 3,000 kilos and the cost of flying
them on the 13-hour flight is US $70,000 per rhino! To make sure that the
selected rhinos are healthy, they will have to be kept in quarantine before
they leave Africa and when they arrive in Australia. This too, is expensive.
Some people have said that the money would be better spent on education people
in Africa to stop poaching rhinos.
As
long as poachers continue to kill rhinos and people want to buy rhino horns, it's
probably a wise decision to help protect some of the species in Australia. It
would be a tragedy if these huge animals disappeared for ever.
(1)
What
do the poachers hunt the white rhino for?
(2)
What
will probably happen to the white rhinos in Africa in the future?
(3)
Why
did an organization in Adelaide plan The Australian Rhino Project?
(4)
How
does the author think of The Australian Rhino Project?
答案: Making more money.
The white rhinos will be extinct within the next ten years.
To create what they call the insurance population.
The Australian Rhino Project is expensive, but it is worthwhile.