unit 1 friendship Learning about language课时作业

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Animal Conservation

　　Many animal and plant species have become extinct and many more are in critical danger.Finding ways to protect the earth's wildlife and conserve the natural world they inhabit(居住) is now more important than ever.

　　The Dodo

　　The Dodo is a classic example of how human caused damage to the earth's biology.The flightless Dodo was native to the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.The easily controlled bird became a source of food for sailors and was attacked by animals introduced to the island by humans such as pigs, monkeys and rats.The population of Dodos rapidly decreased and the last one was killed in 1681.

　　Rhinos(犀牛)

　　The Rhino horn is a highly prized item for Asian medicine.This has led to the animal being hunted in its natural habitat.Once widespread in Africa and Eurasia，most rhinos now live in protected natural parks and reserves.Their numbers have rapidly decreased in the last 50 years, and the animals remain under constant threat from poachers.

　　The Giant Panda

　　The future of the WWF's symbol is far from certain.As few as 1，000 remain in the wild.The Chinese government has set up 33 panda reserves to protect these beautiful animals.However，the panda's distinct black and white patched coat fetches a high price on the black market and determined poachers still pose(造成) one of the most serious threats to the animals.

　　Whales

　　Despite the fact that one third of the world's oceans have been declared whale sanctuaries(保护区)，7 out of 13 whale species remain endangered.Hunted for their rich supply of oil，their numbers have decreased to just 300.Collisions(碰撞) with ships，poisonous pollution and being caught in fishing nets are other major causes of whale deaths.

　　Tigers

The last 100 years has seen a 95% reduction in the numbers of remaining tigers to between 5，000 and 7，000 and the Bali，Javan，and Caspian tigers are already extinct.The South China tiger is precariously close to disappearing，with only 20 to 30 still alive.Like the Rhino horn，tigers'