Question

【题目】JOHANNESBURG—They say cats have nine lives. Now a Chinese toad(蟾蜍) has joined that club of clever survivors.

South Africans are shocked at the endurance of a toad that got trapped in a cargo shipment from China to Cape Town, after jumping into a porcelain(瓷器) candlestick（烛台） that was made there. South African officials reportedly planned to put down the creature, fearing it would cause harm as an invasive species if it were let go in the wild.

But the toad got a last-minute pardon. Mango Airlines, a South African airline, transported the toad on Friday to Johannesburg for delivery to an animal shelter, after officials decided to find a way to let the toad live. The two-hour fight was a breeze compared to the trip from China, a long way of many weeks and thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean.

Airline spokesman Hein Kaiser said the toad got “first-class treatment”, sitting in a transparent plastic container with escort Brett Glasby, an animal welfare inspector. There was even a ceremony, in which the toad’s boarding pass was handed to Glasby.

“He was the star of the show on the flight,” Kaiser said of the amphibious(两栖的) passenger. “I think every passenger stopped to have a look.”

On landing in Johannesburg, the toad was brought out of its container for a celebrity-style photo shoot. Observers said the brown toad seemed like a cool customer. It belongs to the Asian Toad species, which breeds during the monsoon(季风) season. It is believed to have survived the trip from China by hardening its skin to prevent it from drying out, and also by slowing its breathing and heart rate—methods that help the species survive in times of drought.

“We’ve had snakes in imported timber and scorpions(蝎子) in fruit. We were called because the toad was right inside the candlestick, and we had to break it to get it out” Glasby, the inspector, told The Star, a South African newspaper.

【1】What is the passage mainly about

A. An Asian toad gets a new home in South Africa.

B. Asian toads can’t get used to the life in South Africa.

C. Workers shipped a toad to South Africa on purpose.

D. South Africa ignores the protection of animals.

【2】What would/might happen if the toad were released into the wild?

A. It would make the locals feel shocked

B. It might harm the native species

C. It would lose its life in the wild

D. It might flee into another country

【3】Why was the toad able to arrive in South Africa alive?

A. Because it escaped all attacks and hunts

B. Because it used to stop its breath in winter

C. Because it formed hard skin to protect itself

D. Because it was lucky to be given a chance

【4】What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Sometimes animal are transported accidentally

B. No one has seen such a big toad in Africa

C. A candlestick is the best place for a toad

D. Droughts make toads live longer.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】B

【3】C

【4】A

【解析】本文讲的是一只亚洲蟾蜍在从中国飞往开普敦的飞机上因为自己的硬皮肤能防止干燥，并减缓其呼吸和心率则顽强的生存下来，加入了聪明的幸存者的俱乐部，并且在南非有了自己的新家。

【1】主旨大意题。中国的一只蟾蜍被困在一个从中国飞往开普敦的飞机上，在这趟“免费旅途”中它展示了自己非凡的生命力，并找到了自己的新家。故选A。

【2】 细节理解题。根据第二段中“South African officials reportedly planned to put down the creature, fearing it would cause harm as an invasive species if it were let go in the wild.”可知，南非官员计划将这种生物放生，但是担心如果它被放在野外会对当地物种造成伤害。故选B。

【3】 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中“It belongs to the Asian Toad species, which breeds during the monsoon(季风) season. It is believed to have survived the trip from China by hardening its skin to prevent it from drying out, and also by slowing its breathing and heart rate—methods that help the species survive in times of drought.”可知，这只蟾蜍之所以能够在长途中存活，主要是因为其硬化皮肤能防止干燥，并减缓其呼吸和心率有助于生存。故选C。

【4】 推理判断题。根据第一段中“South Africans are shocked at the endurance of a toad that got trapped in a cargo shipment from China to Cape Town, after jumping into a porcelain candlestick(烛台) that was made there.”可知，这只蟾蜍被困在一个从中国飞往开普敦的飞机上，所以动物有时候也会得到“免费旅游”的机会。故选A。