Question

The African elephant,the largest land animal remaining on earth,is of great importance to African ecosystem(生態系統).Unlike other animals,the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment.As a big plant-eater,it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna(大草原) surroundings in which it lives,therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat(棲息地).
It is the elephant’s great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat.In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day,it kills small trees and underbushes,and pulls branches off big trees.This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas.In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example.In their natural state,the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor.By pulling down trees and eating plants,elephants make open spaces,allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor.In such situations,the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species.If the elephant disappears,scientists say,many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna,greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Disappearance of African elephants.

B．Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants.

C．The effect of African elephants’ search for food.

D．The eating habit of African elephants.

【小題2】What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?

A．Fixing the time.

B．Worsening the state.

C．Improving the quality.

D．Deciding the conditions.

【小題3】What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?

A．They result from the destruction of rain forests.

B．They provide food mainly for African elephants.

C．They are home to many endangered animals.

D．They are attractive to plant-eating animals of different kinds.

【小題4】The passage is developed mainly by______.

A．showing the effect and then explaining the causes

B．pointing out similarities and differences

C．describing the changes in spare order

D．giving examples

Answer 1

【小題1】C
【小題2】D
【小題3】D
【小題4】A

解析【小題1】這是一道主旨題。本文主要介紹了非洲象對于非洲生態系統的重要作用,主要是它們覓食的習慣為其他物種的生存創造了條件。
【小題2】這是一道詞義推斷題。從上下文可以看出非洲象很大程度上塑造了它們的生存環境,為其他物種在這個棲息地創造了生存環境。
【小題3】這是一道推斷題。根據第二段“In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.”可以推斷出開闊的空地吸引了很多其他的以植物為食的動物。
【小題4】這是一道歸納題。第一段先提到了非洲象對環境的作用,然后具體解釋他如何為其他動物創造生存環境。