1 . Mont Kilimaniaro is among Africa’s most breathtaking sites, but hard times have come to the plains below. Death is all around and it’s tragic to behold. The cause is a lack of rainfall in a land where on the contrary there is still plenty of water. Underground springs fed by snowmelt from the mountain, still create swamps(沼泽). The problem is that the absence of rain means grasses and other essential plants are not growing, and the animals that depend on them are dying from a lack of nutrition.
The elephant herds here are among the most successful in the continent. They’re closely monitored and conservationists have given them names. But even these great beasts are dying too, what is for the smaller ones?
A drought induced hunger. Since the start of June almost 60 elephant deaths have been recorded. More than half calves were killed by starvation due to their mothers’ failure to produce milk. Tolstoy, a male, was named after Russian. He was 5-year-old at the time of his death. And he was one of the greatest tuskers like one of the greatest alive.
Very sad story. There are some of the last relatively undisturbed elephants in Africa. While poaching(偷猎)has been destructive elsewhere，these animals have been largely spared. Right now, however, the problem they face here is a drier climate which poses the greatest threat to their survival.
There are plenty of people here who care deeply about these elephants, but the sad truth is that conservationists are powerless to stop the dying. Only fresh rainfall and new plant growth can do that. We are waiting for the rains. If the rains don’t come before the end of the year, the death rate will only increase.
1. What do we know about Mont Kilimaniaro from the passage?| A．Mount Kilimaniaro is the most exciting site in Africa. |
| B．Due to a lack of rainfall, grasses can’t grow well there. |
| C．All the animals there are dying from a lack of nutrition. |
| D．There is little water on the plains of Mont Kilimaniaro. |
| A．Caused. | B．Distinguished. | C．Guaranteed. | D．Determined. |
| A．Elephants all died from poaching. |
| B．Tolstoy was named after Russian. |
| C．Animals suffered a lot from hunger. |
| D．Tolstoy was one of the greatest tuskers alive. |
| A．Poaching: A Danger to Animals |
| B．Elephants: Great Beasts Facing Death |
| C．Mont Kilimaniaro: A Death Place for Animals |
| D．Dry Climate: A Great Threat to Plants and Animals |
