The Gabon Viper is a snake that grows to two metres in length．It is black all over and as thick as a strong man’s arm．When angry, it barks like a dog and spits poison．It is one of nature’s most dangerous gifts to the world．Most people would prefer nature to keep gifts like that to itself．
Others think differently．They think that Gabon Vipers, along with other poisonous snakes, spiders and reptiles are perfect animal friends for their children．They believe that the neighbors will be envied if they keep a lion in the backyard．And they believe that no home is complete without a monkey or a parrot in a cage．That is why the trade in unusual pets is now worth over US ＄10 billion per year in spite of being illegal in most countries．
The serious effect of the trade is the damage it does to the natural environment．Hunters catch young parrots by cutting down the trees which the birds use to make nests in．Baby monkeys always stay close to their mothers．So the hunters simply shoot the mothers．
These facts are now well known, but the trade continues．It seems that the strong desire to keep pets has deep roots in the human mind．Some psychologists say that it is a way for people to get closer to nature．People keep cats and dogs as a kind of historical echo(仿效)of the days when dogs were used to control sheep and cats were kept in the home to hunt mice and rats．As technology moves society further away from the natural world, the desire to keep in touch with it grows stronger．Dogs and cats become boring．Only snakes, bears, lions and other dangerous creatures satisfy some people’s desire to get personal control over nature．
This is why there are now more tigers kept as pets in the United States than there are living naturally in the world．One result of this is an increase in attacks on humans．According to a report, there is more chance of a child being killed by a Bengal Tiger in Texas than there is in Bengal．
(1)
Some people keep dangerous animals in their backyards for the reason that ________．
[ ]
A．
they want to protect themselves form being killed
B．
they want to show the fact that they will protect animals
C．
they want to have the feeling of respect from their neighbors
D．
they want to make a lot of money from the unusual animals
(2)
It can be concluded from this passage that ________．
[ ]
A．
keeping pets is very popular all over the world
B．
keeping pets is very popular in some poor countries
C．
keeping pets is against law in some rich countries
D．
keeping pets costs a lot of money in some countries
(3)
According to some psychologists’opinion we can find that ________．
[ ]
A．
dogs and cats used to be the most popular pets
B．
without animals human beings would feel lonely
C．
it is not right for human beings to control nature
D．
modern people should prefer dangerous animals to dogs and cats
(4)
The writer of this passage seems to show us his worry that________．
[ ]
A．
dangerous animals will kill more people over the world
B．
some animals will disappear if people destroy their living places
C．
modern technology will destroy the balance of nature
In the jungles of central African countries－Congo(刚果), Cameroon(喀麦隆), and Gabon(加蓬)are the reports of an animal with a long neck, a long tail, and rounded shape tracks(脚印)with three claws．The closest known animal that has these characteristics is a sauropod dinosaur(蜥脚类恐龙)．
When some of the local people of the Likouala region would draw in the dirt or sand a representation of Mokele-mbembe they drew the shape of a sauropod dinosaur．Then when they were shown a picture of a sauropod dinosaur they said that picture is Mokele-mbembe．
Mokele-mbembe means “One that stops the flow of rivers．”French priest(牧师)in the region called it “monstrous animal”．
Description
Body
Mokele-mbembe has been described as an animal with a long neck and tail which are characteristics of a sauropod dinosaur．
Its body size is somewhere between the size of a hippopotamus(河马)and an elephant．Its length has been reported to be between 5 to 10 meters(16 to 32 feet)．The length of the neck is between 1.6 to 3.3 meters(5 to 10 feet)．The length of the tail is between 1.6 to 3.3 meters(5 to 10 feet)．The reports out of Cameroon have reported Mokele-mbembe to be up to 75 feet in length．
There are also reports of a frill on the back of the head．The frill is like the comb found on a cock(male chicken)．There are also reports of it having a horn on its head．
Skin
The color of the skin is predominantly reddish-brown with a color range from gray to brown．There are no reports of hair on the animal．
Tracks
Rounded shape between 30 to 90 centimeters(1 to 3 feet)in diameter with three claws．The distance between tracks is about 2.1 to 2.4 meters(7 to 8 feet)．
Habitat
Mokele- mbembe lives in the pools and swamps near to the rivers of the Likouala swamp region of the People’s Republic of the Congo on the continent of Africa．It uses the lakes as a crossing path to go from one river to another．
Behavior
Mokele-mbembe lives most of the time underwater except when it eats or travels to another part of the swamp．
It has been reported that Mokele-mbembe does not like hippopotamuses and will kill them at first sight, but it does not eat them．Hippopotamuses cannot be found where Mokele-mbembe lives．
It has been reported that Mokele-mbembe will overturn boats and kill the people from the boats by biting them and hitting them with its tail, but it does not eat the people．
(1)
Which animal does Mokele-mbembe look like?
[ ]
A．
A tiger．
B．
An elephant．
C．
A hippopotamus．
D．
A sauropod dinosaur．
(2)
The word “predominantly” most probably means “________”．
[ ]
A．
completely
B．
clearly
C．
mainly
D．
undoubtedly
(3)
Which of the following is NOT RIGHT?
[ ]
A．
Sauropod dinosaurs are ancestors of Mokele-mbembe．
B．
Mokele-mbembe can be as long as 75 feet．
C．
Mokele-mbembe can leave rounded tracks with three claws．
D．
Mokele-mbembe lives in water．
(4)
The author writes this passage in a way of ________．
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