英语阅读，在线等

The African elephant,the largest land animal remaining on earth,is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统).Unlike other animals,the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment.As a big planteater,it largely shapes the forestandsavanna(大草原) surroundings in which it lives,therefore setting the termsof existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat(栖息地).
It is the elephants great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat.In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day,it kills smalltrees and underbushes,and pulls branches off big trees.This results in numerous open spacesin both deep tropical forests andin the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas.In these open spaces are numerousplants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other planteaters.
Take the rain forests for example.In their natural state,the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants onthe forest floor.By pulling down trees and eating plants,elephants make open spaces,allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor.In suchsituations,the forests become suitable for large hoofed planteaters to move around and for small planteaters to gettheir food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species.If the elephant disappears,scientists say,many other animals will also disappearfrom vast areas of forest and savanna,greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem.
（）5.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Disappearance of African elephants.
B.Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants.
C.The effect of African elephants search for food.
D.The eating habit of African elephants.
（）6.What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?
　A.Fixing the time.
B.Worsening the state.
　C.Improving the quality.
D.Deciding the conditions.
（）7.What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?
A.They result from the destruction of rain forests.
B.They provide food mainly for African elephants.
C.They are home to many endangered animals.
D.They are attractive to planteating animals of different kinds.
（）8.The passage is developed mainly by.
A.showing the effects and then explaining the causes
B.pointing out similarities and differences
C.describing the changes in space order
D.giving examples

相关了解……