Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions
or complete the statements in the fewest possible words.
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee’s new epic “Life of Pi”
reveals the relationship between a teenage Indian boy and a Bengal tiger. But
in reality, the predators(食肉动物) are under increasing threat from
humans. Animal rights group PETA is hoping to use the popularity of the film to
focus people’s attention on the real life of Bengal tigers.
With the rising demand for tiger parts from East Asia,
illegal hunting remains a tremendous danger for the remaining cat population.
Back in 1947, there were 40,000 tigers in India, but the number is
experiencing a sharp decline to 1,706 despite campaigns to protect the animal.
Rising man-animal conflict is also one of the leading
causes of decline in tiger numbers. In one of numerous reported attacks on the
endangered big cats, villagers near the Bangladesh-India border, armed with
sticks and boat oars, set upon the animal suspected to have attacked a local
fisherman and beat it to death earlier this month. So far this year, 58 tiger
deaths have been reported in the country.
“The first instinct when a tiger is spotted is to just
kill it,” grieved Gurmeet Sapal, a wildlife filmmaker. “The feeling of fear and
revenge is so strong that it shuts out any other emotion. What we don’t realize
is that the tiger never attacks humans until it is forced to.”
India has been struggling to stop the tiger's
decline in the face of the loss of habitat as well that encourages the animals
to leave the forest for food. “The tiger’s rapidly exhausted prey base causes
the predator to go all out to get its food. Consequently, livestock and human
beings become easy prey, which leads inevitably to conflict,” says a wildlife
conservationist.
Filmmaker Sapal says it is only normal for people to
think of the tiger as a dangerous animal, but its image as a human killer bears
some injustice. “Tigers never kill for sport nor store meat. They kill their prey
only in case of hunger. ”
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements
in no more than ten words)
1.PETA hopes “Life of Pi” can
__________________________________.
2.Why did the villagers beat the tiger to death?
3.As a result of the loss of habitat,
__________________________________ are more likely to be the big cat’s
victims.
4.When will tigers attack and kill people according to
the article?