阅读理解。
A snow leopard roars in the high mountains of Asia. A black rhinoceros gallops across the plains of Africa.
A grizzly bear hunts for fish in a North American river. A mother blue whale and her calf glide through the
deep waters of the ocean.
All of these animals share the Earth with us. They fascinate us with their beauty, their grace, and their
speed. We love observing their behavior, and learning more about their habits. But just loving them is not
enough. All of these animals are endangered. Many of them have died, and without special care, they may
someday disappear from the Earth.
Why is it important to care for animals like these？One reason is to protect the balance of life on Earth.
Another reason is the beauty of the animals themselves. Each species of animal is special. Africa was once
filled with an abundance of wild animals. But that is changing fast. One of these animals, the black rhinoceros,
lives on the plains of Africa. It has very poor eyesight and a very bad temper！Even though the black rhino is
powerful, and can be dangerous, its strength can't always help it to escape hunters. Some people think that the
rhino's horn has magical powers, and many hunters kill rhinos for their valuable horns. This has caused the
black rhino to be placed on the endangered species list.
The elephant seems to represent all that is strong and wild in Africa. It once had no natural enemies, but is
now endangered-killed for its ivory tusks.
The fastest land animal, the cheetah, also lives in Africa. It,too, is becoming extinct as people take over
more and more of the land that is the cheetah's natural habitat.
Imagine Africa without the powerful rhino, the gentle, intelligent elephant, or the lightning quick cheetah.
Once they are gone, they are gone forever.
1. The best title for this passage would be "______".
A. Do what we can
B. Gone forever
C. Help animals
D. Live or die
2. Why has the black rhino been placed on the endangered list according to the passage?
A. Because its eyesight is poor and its temper is bad.
B. Because it has a horn.
C. Because it is believed that its horn has magical power.
D. Because people think it is powerful and dangerous.
3. Which of the following does NOT support the main idea of the article?
A. Ocean-dwelling animals are in danger of extinction as well.
B. Beautiful birds like the great green macaw are also becoming extinct.
C. Wherever people are careless about the land, there are endangered species.
D. The elephant seems to represent all that is strong and wild in Africa.
4. How does the writer feel about the fate of endangered animals?
A. Disinterested.
B. Concerned.
C. Optimistic.
D. Confused.
