河南省上蔡县2017高考英语一轮复习 阅读理解九月入学精练（三）.docVIP

河南上蔡县2017高考英语阅读理解九月入学精练（三） 【2016年沈阳市高中三年级教学质量监测（一）】阅读理解。阅读下面短文，选择最佳答案填空。C In 2013 alone at least 20,000 African elephants were killed for their teeth. In South Africa over the last two years more than 2,200 rhinos were killed for their horns. These numbers are alarming, because current rates of illegal hunting are faster than birth rates,which could lead to extinction for these ecologically important creatures in their environment. Indeed, some elephant and rhino populations are on track to be locally extinct within the next decade. If you are reading this, you may already be aware of these facts. But you might not know that wildlife trafficking(走私) not only threatens the existence of elephants and rhinos but is also leading to extinction of other species, such as tigers, tortoises, sea turtles?—?and the world’s most trafficked mammal(哺乳动物)—?pangolins. Pangolins are the only mammals that are entirely covered in tough scales(鳞)they are endangered mammals. There are eight different species of pangolins, four in Asia and four in Africa, and all are threatened with extinction. Although pangolins are protected throughout most of the countries where they live, high demand in East Asia, where the delicious pangolin meat is considered a delicacy and where their scales are used in traditional medicines, is driving an illegal trade in both live animals and pangolin parts. The number of pangolin trafficking is shocking. Experts believe that over the last 10 years more than 1 million pangolins were taken from the wild. It is estimated that between 40,000 and 81,250 pangolins were killed for the illegal trade in 2013 alone. In February, the United States released a plan to deal with wildlife trafficking, which lays out the steps we will take to fight the illegal trade in wildlife, including pangolins. We are strengthening the carrying out of the plan; building international cooperation and contribution to protect wildlife;?raising awareness to drive down the dem