8 . This is the story of Moyo, a rescued elephant in Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery, a local non-governmental organization called Wild Is Life. She is probably one of the ________ elephant cubs ever to be rescued. She came to the nursery when she was about three to four ________ old. Sheweighed 56 kilos, and ________ a just-born African elephant cub weighs about 90 kilos. So she was a special iconic little elephant. Under good care of the staff there, she managed to ________.

Every year, hundreds of young elephants are orphaned across the African continent and rarely have a chance of ________ in the wild and are more often than not, left to die. “We rescue babies, and we provide ________ for them. We make sure they are in good ________ here, and help them regain their ________ needed in the wild. We are trying to create a culture where people ________,” said Roxy Danckwerts, the founder of Wild Is Life.

Moyo is about four and a half years old now. She is healthy, playful, and has become some kind of ambassador to the nursery. Therefore, she’s having to take on a lot of ________ for such a young animal, almost becoming a leader at the very young age. She is gentle, calm, very very ________ to the other elephants that come into the nursery. She is also very good with people.

But unfortunately, they’re not much more than objects of money in the eyes of ivory(象牙) dealers. Zimbabwe has a ________ elephant-hunting problem. Some regions are ________ as much as 75 percent of the elephant population over the past 10 years. That is why Danckwerts feels excited at China’s decision to ________ illegal ivory sales, which he believes has become a major turning point and a signal to the world that China has made a ________.

1.

A．cleverest

B．worst

C．smallest

D．eagerest

2.

A．years

B．months

C．weeks

D．days

3.

A．normally

B．officially

C．rigidly

D．unusually

4.

A．set down

B．pop up

C．pull through

D．get away

5.

A．escape

B．survival

C．freedom

D．extinction

6.

A．shelter

B．service

C．advice

D．wealth

7.

A．eyes

B．legs

C．arms

D．hands

8.

A．habitats

B．skills

C．partners

D．parents

9.

A．tour

B．care

C．wander

D．study

10.

A．risk

B．discussion

C．work

D．responsibility

11.

A．friendly

B．well-known

C．superior

D．strange

12.

A．simple

B．tiny

C．serious

D．random

13.

A．gaining

B．supporting

C．losing

D．controlling

14.

A．allow

B．promote

C．reduce

D．ban

15.

A．move

B．deal

C．living

D．mistake

9 . Having been born along the shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, Rahmina Paulette said she has witnessed firsthand the effects of climate change leading to great difficulties like drought and floods.

The 15-year-old Kenyan teenager said East Africa is highly dependent on Lake Victoria, but high pollution has led to poisoning of the water, soil erosion and health problems in people living around the lake.

As Paulette grew older, she realized she was slowly turning from being a witness to a victim of lake degradation. So, she decided to take action and save the lake in her own little way.

“Being an Indigenous person from Lake Victoria, I would like to help restore the ecosystem for my community that has an ancestral connection to the lake and also for the future generations to enjoy the cool breeze, good smells and see the biodiversity within Lake Victoria,” Paulette said.

In her efforts to end pollution in the lake, Paulette started an environmental organization called Kisumu Environmental Champions.

The young environmental champions carry out their activities during the weekends, and the group focuses on environmental conservation, climate change awareness and wildlife conservation.

The group, with about 200 members so far, has taken up the removal of the invasive plant hyacinth from the lake to make eco-friendly products. This project has earned Paulette international recognition. The group has made furniture, paper, cards, folders, document holders, bags and carton boxes from the water hyacinth.

With help from her mother, Paulette is trying to increase activities as she urges all Kenyans to incorporate eco-friendly ways in their day-to-day lives.

Apart from activists like Paulette, other organizations are casting the net wider in their attempt to save the lake. One such group is nonprofit Osienala in western Kenya. The organization has been cooperating with international partners such as those from China to save Lake Victoria.

1. What causes the problems of Lake Victoria?

A．Soil erosion.	B．Drought and flood.
C．Poisoning water.	D．Climate change and pollution.

2. What does the underlined word “degradation” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Disappearance.

B．Expansion.

C．Damage.

D．Restoration.

3. How does Paulette help save Lake Victoria?

A．By planting more hyacinths.	B．By removing the hyacinths with her mother.
C．By building a factory to make products.	D．By setting up an organization.

4. What can we know about the Osienala?

A．It casts some nets over the lake.	B．It makes money while protecting the lake.
C．It seeks foreign cooperation to save the lake.	D．It’s another organization founded by Paulette.