Question

The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth , is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统). 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(栖息地).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 space order

D. giving examples

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要介绍了非洲象对于非洲生态系统的重要作用,主要是它们觅食的习惯为其他物种的生存创造了条件。

1.这是一道主旨题。本文主要介绍了非洲象对于非洲生态系统的重要作用,主要是它们觅食的习惯为其他物种的生存创造了条件。故选C。

2.这是一道词义推断题。从上下文可以看出非洲象很大程度上塑造了它们的生存环境,为其他物种在这个栖息地创造了生存环境。故选D。

3.这是一道推断题。根据第二段“In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.”可以推断出开阔的空地吸引了很多其他的以植物为食的动物。故选D。

4.故选A。

【名师点睛】

抓住文章主线和关键词语，归纳文章中心

要注意不是所有的段落都有主题句，有时主题句暗含在句中。阅读这样的文章，就需要自己根据文章的细节来分析，概括出段落的主题，从而推导出文章的主旨。分析的方法是：先弄清该段落主要讲了哪几方面的内容，这些内容在逻辑上有什么联系，然后加以归纳形成主题。5.

考点：考查科普类短文阅读