C.The spread of disease.

D.The ignorance of the locals.

3.What may make it hardest to prevent elephant poaching?

A.The ivory tusks' high profit.

B.The law system's faultiness.

C.Lack of protection awareness.

D.Inadequate financial investment.

4.What is the purpose of this text?

A.To teach readers how to protect elephants.

B.To explain why we should protect elephants.

C.To encourage readers to help protect elephants.

D.To introduce present living conditions of elephants.

　　All her friends were going to the baby shower，but my daughter，Kathy，wouldn't attend because she had a softball practice. Recently，there always seemed to be some reason why Kathy couldn't attend a baby shower. In my heart，I knew that something must be wrong.

　　Then I learned the sad truth. She and her husband，Kevin，desperately wanted to start a family. They had seen many doctors and undergone numerous tests，but were having no luck. With each new procedure，their hopes would build，only to end again in sad disappointment. Next they traveled to a clinic in Vancouver，British Columbia，for vitro fertilization(体外受精).After three failed attempts，Kathy and Kevin became despondent and were ready to give up. And then，out of nowhere，a dim light of hope began to shine.

　　When Kathy and Kevin returned from Vancouver，disappointed and heartbroken，Kathy's closest friend Carlene made a decision. She offered herself as a gestational surrogate mother(妊娠代孕妈妈).

　　Meanwhile，Carlene knew she couldn't make this decision on her own. Her husband，Ward，began to struggle with what might happen. He felt for Kathy and Kevin，but he also cared very much for his wife. He had concerns about the drugs she would have to take. He feared for her health and emotional well­being after the birth. He decided to ask his wife to say no.He was on his way to phone her with his decision when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. In that moment，he realized he might be preventing the only chance Kathy and Kevin would ever have of having a baby of their own.Ward then told Carlene，"Go ahead, I'll be with you all the way."

　　Finally，Ward and Carlene accompanied Kathy and Kevin to a fertility center in San Francisco.

At the clinic，both Carlene and Kathy went through the same procedure. The couples returned home hopeful and began the wait to see if either Carlene or Kathy was pregnant(怀孕的).The