Crested ibises (朱鹮) are one of the oldest bird species on Earth. It is believed that they have been around for 60 million years. They were once common in Asia. But in the 1960s they began to disappear because of pollution and other human activities. In 1981, Chinese scientists found seven of them in the wild in Yangxian county in Hanzhong, they have been saved from extinction (灭绝).
Researchers said its population has risen to more than 5,000 worldwide. There are 3,000 crested ibises in Yangxian alone. The bird’s survival (幸存) is because of China’s early protection efforts, according to Zhang Yueming, an expert who helps protect the birds in Yangxian.
On the fourth day after finding the ibises, the local government put up a series of notices to protect the birds. For example, it stopped people from hunting, it set up the Qinling No. 1 protection station and sent four people to look after the birds day and night. During the daytime, they watched and recorded the birds’ habits and conditions. At night, their job was to keep them safe.
To help the ibises have more babies, a rescue and breeding center (救助和繁殖中心) was set up in 1990. At the center, crested ibises are fed by people and can receive timely help when they are sick or hurt. “China’s protection of crested ibises is an example in the world’s history of protecting endangered wildlife.” Zhang told China Daily.
12. What do we know about crested ibises?
A.They only live in China. | B.They can live for 60 million years. |
C.They were endangered in the early 1980s. | D.They are the oldest bird species on Earth. |
13. The number of crested ibises increased by ________ in Yangxian county since 1981.
A.2,000 | B.2,993 | C.3,000 | D.3,007 |
14. To save the birds, people ________.
a. learned about the birds’ habits and conditions
b. helped the birds have more babies artificially
c. set the birds free after they grew up
d. helped the birds when they were sick or hurt
15. What can we infer (推断) from the passage?
A.China has successfully prevented the crested ibises from dying out. |
B.Crested ibises are endangered in other countries. |
C.China is the best place to live for crested ibises. |
D.China will teach other countries how to breed ibises. |