The koala, one of Australia’s most treasured
creatures, is in trouble.

Affected by habitat (栖居地) loss and climate change, like many
other uniquely Australian animals, koalas are being squeezed into smaller
regions. But at present, it is a deadly disease, a somewhat silent killer that
causes a further decline in the koala population, that is worrying many
scientists about the fate of the koala.
The killer is Chlamydia, which has
caused symptoms in up to 50 percent of the wild koalas, with probably even more
infected (感染) but not
showing symptoms. It has been particularly severe in Queensland, where nearly
all koalas are infected. The disease causes many symptoms including eye
infections, which can lead to blindness, making it difficult for them to find
their primary food.
Treating Chlamydia in wild koalas is
a challenge. There is no treatment available for it. Only a small percentage of
the animals can be treated successfully and returned to the wild. Besides,
there is no national plan in Australia to save the koala; it is up to each
region to make management plans for its koala population.
The good news is that researchers are
working to test a vaccine (疫苗) that would help prevent further spread. If all goes well, plans
can be carried out to distribute the vaccine more widely. But it’s impossible
to vaccinate (给注射疫苗) all wild koalas.
Another possibility would be to make vaccine
distribution a routine part of treatment for the thousands of koalas brought
into care centers every year after they are injured by cars or dogs.
While it is a combination of problems that
are affecting the wild koala population, many experts believe this vaccine
would be an important step in helping koalas survive longer. It may be enough
time to give researchers a chance to solve some of the other problems facing Austalia’s
koalas.
1.Which isn’t considered the main cause of
koala’s population decline?
A. A deadly disease.
B. Injuries from cars and dogs.
C. Climate change.
D. Habitat loss.
2.The third paragraph
mainly tells us .
A. the serious result Chlamydia has
caused to the koala
B. Chlamydia affected the koala only
in particular regions
C. the most serious symptom of
Chlamydia is eye infections
D. Chlamydia can seriously affect
koala’s primary food
3.We can learn from
the text that the vaccine .
A. would cure the killer Chlamydia
quite effectively
B. would only be distributed in koala
care centers
C. has already been put into
practical use in Australia
D. cannot be distributed to all the
infected koalas
4.It can be inferred
from the text that .
A. a national plan for saving koalas
will be made soon in Australia
B. koala population is declining only
in a few regions
C. researchers need enough time to
solve the koala problems
D. experts have lost the best chance to save
the infected koalas