Along the Ulungur River in Altay, the northernmost area of Xinjiang, lives a species of beaver. This animal, which feeds on the shrubs (灌木) that grow near the river, has a strong sense of territory (领地) and won’t leave its surroundings easily. So if people ruin the river, the beavers’ homes will be destroyed and they will no longer survive. But fortunately for these picky animals, they have a responsible protector, Beaver Princess, Chu Wenwen.
Chu had a very different childhood. She was introduced to the wild at the age of 2 by her father who is an animal conservationist. So when the other children were reciting ancient Chinese poems and English alphabet,Chu was working hard to remember the names of different animals and plants. So instead of being a white-collar worker after graduating from Beijing Forestry University, Chu decided to return home and follow in her father’s footsteps.
In Chu’s hometown of Altay, there are 466 species of wild animals and 74 state-protected ones living in the surrounding 110,000 square kilometers. In 2018, Chu founded the Altay Natural Conservation Association which is aimed at animal protection.
The first public project Chu started was for beavers. “We took the beavers as a priority because they were greatly endangered at that time,” Chu said. “The beavers, which can build dams, are known as ‘engineers’ in the animal kingdom. Their dams can change water levels, gather fish, attract birds to nest and bring insects,” Chu explained.
Chu developed the “Beavers Canteen” program which calls on people to donate to help plant a species of shrub that is an important food resource for the beavers. The shrub is also the building material of the beavers. The clever animal makes full use of it.
4. What can we know about beavers?
A.They feed on shrubs and fish. |
B.They abandon their homes easily. |
C.They are good at finding new territory. |
D.They are particular about their surroundings. |
5. What can we infer from paragraph 2?
A.Chu had a difficult childhood. |
B.Chu dreamed of being a white-collar worker. |
C.Chu could identify different plants and animals. |
D.Chu preferred reciting poems to English words. |
6. Why did Chu start the first public project for beavers?
A.Chu likes beavers most. | B.Beavers can build dams |
C.Chu took her father’s advice. | D.Beavers will probably go extinct soon. |
7. What's the best title of the text?
A.Beaver Princess | B.Beaver Projects |
C.How to Protect Beavers? | D.How to Improve Environment |