The African elephant,the largest land animal remaining on the earth,is of great importance to African ecosystem (生态系统) .Unlike other animals,the African ele?phant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big planteater,it largely shapes the forest and sa?vanna(稀树草原) surroundings in which it lives,therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat (柄息地) .

  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 the300 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 planteaters.

  Take the rainforests 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 planteaters to move around and for small planteaters to get their food as well.

  What worries scientists now is that the African ele?phant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears,scientists say,many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna,greatlychanging and worsening the whole ecosystem.

14. What is the passage mainly about?

   A. Disappearance of African elephants.

   B. Forests and savannas as habitats for African ele?phants.

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

   D. The eating habit of African elephants.

15. 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.

16. What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?

   A. They result from the destruction of rainforests.

   B. They provide food mainly for African elephants.

   C. They are home to many endangered animals.

   D. They are attractive to planteating animals of dif?ferent kinds.

17. 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

  The Antarctic Icecap is the largest supply of fresh water,representing nearly 2% of the world's total fresh and salt water. As can be seen from the table below,the amount of water in our atmosphere is over 10 times as much as the water in all the rivers taken together. The fresh water actually available for hu?man use in lakes and rivers and the accessible ground water amount to only about one third of 1 % of the world's total water supply.

 

Surface area (m2)

Volume

(m3)

Percentage of total(%)

 

Salt water


The oceans

139,500,000

317,000,000

97. 2

 

Inland seas and lakes

270,000

25,000

0.   008

 

 

Surface area (m2)

Volume

(m3)

Percentage of total(%)

Fresh water

Freshwater lakes

330,000

30,000

0.   009

All rivers(average level)

300

0.   0001

Antarctic Icecap

6,000,000

6,300,000

1. 9

Arctic Icecap and glaciers

900,000

680,000

0. 21

Water in the atmosphere

197,000,000

3,100

0.   001

Ground water within half a mile from surface

1,000,000

0. 31

Deep-lying ground water

1,000,000

0. 31

Total (rounded)

326,000,000

100.   00

1.What's the best title of this passage?

   A. Fresh water in the world

   B.Protection of the water in the world

   C. Salt water of the earth

   D. Water supply of the world

2. The fresh water that humans can use is         ,

   A.   about 1,086,700 m3   B. about 6,300,000 m3

   C.   about 680,000 m3   D. about 2,000,000 m3

3 Where does the majority of fresh water exist?

   A. In Arctic Icecap and glaciers.

   B. In the Antarctic Icecap. 

   C. In deep ground.

   D. In the atmosphere.

4. What are the two places where equal amount of fresh water is stored?

   A. Freshwater lakes and all rivers (average level) .

   B. Antarctic Icecap and water in the atmosphere.

   C. Ground water within half a mile from surface and deeplying ground water.

   D. Deeplying ground water and Arctic Icecap and glaciers.

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