More than 1,000 elephants face     1     (starve) in Thailand because of the coronavirus crisis. An almost total absence of visitors     2     (mean) that many caretakers are struggling to afford food for Thailand’s 4,000 captive elephants. The animals can eat up     3     200kg of food a day.

Lek Chailert,       4     (found) of the Save Elephant Foundation, told the BBC:   “If there is no support     5     (keep) them safe, these elephants, some of whom are pregnant, will     6     starve to death or may be put on to the streets to beg.” Some elephants may be sold to zoos or they may     7     (return) to the illegal logging business, which     8     (official) banned the use of elephants in 1989.

“It’s a very hopeless outlook     9     some financial help is received immediately,” Lek Chailert adds. It’s a challenge to keep the animals fed and healthy at     10     best of times but now it’s the dry season, which make the situation even worse.

The panda population in the wild     1    (rise) in the last 20 years, which reflects the pandas’ improved living conditions and China’s efforts in keeping their habitats integrated. Now, it’s time     2    (release) the cubs into the wild. 

A gene exchange between captive (被圈养的) and wild pandas aimed at     3    (protect) genetic diversity is a major project at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, according to He Shengshan, a guardian and expert at the center. He said wild pandas live in     4     wide range of areas, so the population is divided into 33 groups     5    (base) on their location. 

“This is similar     6     human villages or tribes. Some large groups in the wild may have     7    (hundred) of pandas, while smaller groups may have just a few dozen. After investigation, we found that of the 33 communities, 22 communities had     8    (few) than 30 giant pandas,” said He Shengshan. “Because pandas have a poor ability to travel and there are mountains, human activities, highways and railway tracks, giant panda groups can’t communicate with each other, and those with small populations are still at risk of     9    (extinct) over time.” 

The training for release is a long process     10     starts before a cub is born. And usually it is divided into two stages. The first lasts from the mother’s pregnancy till the cub is about 1 year old, while the second stage runs from the cub to a panda about 1 to 2 years old.

Amsterdam has decided to remove gas vehicles from the roads. By 2030 only non-polluting vehicles will be allowed in the streets.

The Netherlands, along with many other European countries    1     (make) great efforts to protect the environment since the 90s. The Clean Air Action Plan, which is aimed at removing polluting vehicles from the city, is    2     newest measure. The new policy is important because air    3     (pollute) in the Netherlands is above European standards, thus causing significant risks for respiratory illnesses (呼吸疾病). “Pollution is often a    4     (silence) killer,” said Ms. Sharon Dijksma, who is responsible    5     the city’s traffic.

The city will stop    6     (use) gas vehicles gradually and increase the use of cleaner vehicles. Charging stations    7     (offer) to those who buy electric vehicles. Fund and special parking permits will    8     (probable) be provided to encourage the use of environmentally friendly cars.

Actually the Netherlands is already one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. 30 percent of Dutch commuters (通勤者) travel by bike.     9    , cars are still major sources of nitrogen dioxide and particle matter pollution. That    10     (be) why they plan to ban all polluting cars.

Hopefully, this policy will encourage other cities to ban polluting vehicles as well. In fact, Brussels is already considering adopting the policy.

Another example is a 2011 proposal for a tall "Birdscraper" building in New York. The building is intended     1    (protect) birds and fight pollution at the same time. It would be in the middle of a lake, birds would sit on it, and their droppings would fall into the water. The droppings would feed water plants    2    would then create oxygen through photosynthesis(光合作用).

If we learn to share our space, we can become better neighbours to the wildlife around us. If we do not, more species will become extinct and our own future will     3    (endanger).