I have come to southern Florida to see how licensed local snake hunters are helping the government cope with the recent explosion of invasive Burmese pythons (缅甸蟒蛇) that is destroying the region’s wildlife by eating almost everything—from squirrels to rabbits to foxes—in their path.
Thirty years ago, there were no Burmese pythons in Florida. Now most experts agree there may be as many as 100,000 to 200,000. And they’re reproducing at an alarming rate. The government has to pay to catch and kill the powerful snakes, which can grow to be 20 feet long, as thick as a telephone pole, and weigh over 200 pounds.
I’m with Tom Rahill, a python hunter, who has caught over 500 of the snakes over the last decade and become known as “the snake whisperer” for his success. As we walk along the river bank, I watch Rahill occasionally push a stick into the thick grass. As he looks for more signs, he tells me his stories and about special living habits of snakes.
Suddenly Rahill shouts, “SNAKE! There, slowly crossing the limestone road, is a Burmese python.” He rushes to the snake. It looks like a five-to-six-footer. Its thick, full belly indicates it must have killed and eaten recently.
Expertly, Rahill moves around the snake as it strikes out at him. He then grabs it with one hand firmly behind its head. I grab its tail firmly as the snake tries hard to wrestle itself away from me. Then, just as Rahill predicted, it poops (排便) all over me.
My pants are covered with smelly Burmese python poop. But I don’t care. We’ve finally bagged our python. Rahill and I high-five each other. He asks me if I want to keep hunting. I quickly tell him, “Let’s go!” As Rahill puts it, there are a lot more pythons out there.
4. Why does the government pay to catch and kill Burmese pythons?
A.Because few people dare to catch Burmese pythons. |
B.Because Burmese pythons break the region’s ecological balance. |
C.Because Burmese pythons are difficult to catch. |
D.Because Burmese pythons are dangerous to people. |
5. What do we know about Tom Rahill?
A.He is a licensed python hunter. |
B.He is good at telling stories. |
C.He knows how to speak to snakes. |
D.He caught 500 pythons last year. |
6. How does the author feel about hunting pythons with Rahill?
A.Guilty. | B.Disappointed. |
C.Funny. | D.Excited. |
7. What does the author mainly tell us in this text?
A.The dangerous situation of the wildlife in southern Florida. |
B.The endangered Burmese python in southern Florida. |
C.An experience of hunting the ecology-threatening Burmese pythons. |
D.An experienced python hunter —Tom Rahill. |