Question

In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated（馴化）. The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty (皇室)to its rulers，and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was“ Land of the White Elephant".

Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage.

How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country.

In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated（估計）that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen.

This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants.

By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation（采伐森林）is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased.

1.What can we know about African elephants from the passage?

A. It is of little value to domesticate them.

B. It is hard to domesticate them.

C. They are living a better life than Asian elephants.

D. Their fate is quite similar to that of Asian elephants.

2.Thailand was once called "Land of the White Elephant" because ________.

A. white elephant was a national symbol until the 1920s

B. white elephant is rarely seen and thus very special

C. white elephant has helped kings to gain the ruling authority

D. this name was so romantic that it was popular among visitors

3.Why is the Thai elephant "out of work", according to the author?

A. Because there are too many elephants but too few jobs.

B. Because the elephants can't do labor work any longer.

C. Because the government pays little attention to the problem.

D. Because the elephants are no longer useful to their owners.

4.The passage is most probably from ________.

A. a travel guide

B. a history book

C. a popular science magazine

D. an official announcement

Answer 1

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.C

【解析】

試題分析：這是一篇關于泰國大象的文章。文章通過對泰國大象目前現狀的描寫，呼吁人們重視生態環境，保護大象。

1.Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated（馴化）. ”可知，不像非洲象那樣，亞洲象很容易馴化。因此，可以得知，非洲象很難馴化。故選 。B

2.In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand.”可知，在南亞和東南亞國家，長達幾個世紀以來大象在文化、經濟和宗教領域都是很重要的一部分。尤其是泰國。泰國也擁有著稀有的白象。“To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was“ Land of the White Elephant".” 所以對早期的西方游客來說，泰國就是“白象之國”。故選A。

3.3】細節理解題。由第二段第二句“Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners ”可知，失業和失去住所，泰國大象在一個不再需要它的國家為了幸存而斗爭。這些大象發現它們或多或少的都被先前的主人拋棄了。所以大象失業是因為它們不再被人們需要。故選D。

4.4】文章來源題。文章主要是寫目前泰國大象的處境堪憂，呼吁人們停止對大象殘忍做法。所以文章應該是來源于流行科學雜志。故選C。

考點：考查生態環境類閱讀。