A
A new report shows that there are just 7，100 of the world's fastest land animals now left in the wild.Cheetahs(猎豹)are in trouble now.
According to the study，more than half the world's surviving cheetahs live in one population that ranges across six countries in southern Africa.Cheetahs in Asia have been nearly wiped out.It's thought that a group with fewer than 50 cheetahs lives on in Iran.
Because the cheetah is one of the widestranging animals，it runs across lands far outside protected areas.Some 77% of their habitat falls outside these protected areas.As a result，the animal struggles because these lands are increasingly being developed by farmers and the cheetah's food is decreasing because of human hunting.
In Zimbabwe，the cheetah population has fallen from around 1，200 to just 170 animals in 16 years，with the main cause being major changes in land tenure.
Researchers say that the threats facing the world's fastest animals have gone unnoticed for far too long.“Given the secret nature of the cheetah，it has been difficult to gather hard information on them.” said Dr. Sarah Durant，the report's leader.“Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetahs and various threats faced by them in the wild mean that they are likely to be in danger of dying out.”
Another of the big concerns about cheetahs has been the illegal trafficking(非法交易)of young cheetahs.The young cheetath can fetch up to $10，000 on the black market.Some 1，200 young cheetahs are known to have been trafficked out of Africa over the past 10 years but around 85% of them died during the journey.
If the cheetah is to survive long term，then urgent efforts must be made to solve the question of protected areas and ranges.
【语篇解读】 人类活动造成猎豹活动范围的缩小、猎物的减少都是导致猎豹灭绝的原因，另外，猎豹幼兽的非法交易也是原因之一。
1．Where do most of the cheetahs live now?
A．In Asia. B．In Africa.
C．In Europe. D．In America.
B [细节理解题。根据第二段中的“more than half the world's surviving cheetahs live in one population that ranges across six countries in southern Africa”可知，世界上现存的猎豹中，超过一半遍布非洲南部的六个国家。]
2．What is the main reason of cheetahs in trouble?
A．Serious illnesses. B．Poor health.
C．Climate changes. D．Human activities.
D [推理判断题。根据第三段可知，土地越来越多地被农民开发利用，同时猎豹的猎物由于被人类捕杀而数量急剧减少。由此可判断出是人类活动导致猎豹处于灭绝的危险中。]
3．What has happened to young cheetahs?
A．Their population has increased in Zimbabwe.
B．They are getting along very well with people.
C．Many of them are sold on the black market.
D．They have survived longer term than before.
C [细节判断题。根据倒数第二段可知，猎豹幼兽的非法交易非常严重，在黑市上猎豹幼崽价值高达10 000美金，许多幼崽在运送过程中死亡。故正确答案为C。]
4．What's the best title for the text?
A．Cheetahs are dying out.
B．Cheetahs' protected areas.
C．The secret nature of the cheetah.
D．Cheetahs mostly live in Africa.
A [标题归纳题。文章第一段点明文章的主旨：在野外的猎豹只有7 100只，它们处于灭绝的危险中。故正确答案为A。]
