The San Diego Zoo has been a lovely home for giant
pandas since two of the black-and-white bears came to visit in 1987. This week
there was snow in San Diego—well, at least for a lucky group of giant pandas.
Over 15 tons of snow was blown into the San Diego
Zoo's panda area on Tuesday morning to give the endangered bears a chance to
play. They would experience the snow just like living in their natural habitat.
The snow day was a first for Xiao Liwu whose name
means "Little Gift." He was the sixth baby panda born to Bai Yun.
Xiao Liwu was jumping on Mom, playing with her and getting used to being thrown
in the snow by mama bear. Jennifer Becerra, San Diego Zoo keeper said, "He
was really enjoying the snow and running around. I've never seen him so
happy."
All the San Diego Zoo’s giant pandas are from China,
as part of a long-term captive breeding(人工養(yǎng)殖) program.
Four of Xiao Liwu's brothers have already been moved from California to China.
Today there are 44 giant pandas living in zoos outside
of China, where the bears' only natural home is. As just 1,600 pandas are
thought to be left in the wild, researchers insist that captive breeding is an
important way to study and protect the endangered pandas. Not only because of
the habitat loss from human activities and low reproductive rates(繁殖率), giant pandas' survival is also affected by climate
change. A study showed that global warming could kill much of the bears' main
food, bamboo, over the next century.
1.Why was the snow blown into the San Diego Zoo's
panda area?
A．To stop the
bamboos from dying.
B．To give the
pandas a chance to play.
C．To help the
pandas live in their natural habitat.
D．To make Xiao
Liwu happy.
2.What’s the relationship between Bai Yun and Xiao
Liwu?
A．Wife and
husband.
B．Father and
daughter.
C．Sister and
brother.
D．Mother and
son.
3.What is NOT the factor that influences the giant
pandas' number?
A．The loss of
habitat.
B．Low
reproductive rates.
C．Human
research.
D．Climate
change.
4.Which of the following is the best title of this
passage?
A．Giant pandas
in San Diego Zoo
B．Giant pandas
in danger
C．Xiao Liwu’s happy time
D．How to
protect giant pandas
5.Which of the following is true according to the
passage?
A．Captive
breeding is the most useful way to protect giant pandas.
B．More than 44
giant pandas live in zoos outside of China now.
C．China is the
only natural home of giant pandas.
D．Xiao Liwu was
afraid of being thrown in the snow by mama.