The Giant Panda

余晓

The World Wildlife Fund protects animals all over the world. The symbol of the World Wildlife Fund is giant panda.

Giant pandas are famous for their black and white coats. They are almost 2 meters long and can weigh 160 kilograms. They live high up on mountains， and only in China. About 98 percent of their diet is bamboo （竹子）， but they also eat small animals. Because they eat bamboo， they have very strong mouths. In the wild they live for about fifteen years， but in zoos they can live for twenty years. There are only about a thousand giant pandas left in the world.

The panda is endangered for two reasons. Firstly， people have destroyed the giant panda's habitat （棲息地）. People have cut down many bamboos forests， and built roads and towns where giant pandas like to live. Secondly， people used to kill giant pandas because their famous black and white coats are very valuable （有价值的）. But there is also good news. Giant pandas are now protected animals. In China there are many special places for giant pandas to live. Many people around the world want to help giant pandas. So perhaps their story will have a happy ending！

I. 为每段选择正确的段落大意。

1. Paragraph One      A. Facts about the giant panda.

2. Paragraph Two      B. The World Wildlife Fund.

3. Paragraph Three      C. Reasons why the number of giant panda is getting smaller.

II. 判断正（T）误（F）。

1. The pandas have a shorter life in the wild than in the zoo.

2. Giant pandas eat only bamboo.

III. 回答问题。

1. What is the main purpose of the passage？

A. To describe pandas and why there aren't many left.

B. To describe what the World Wildlife Fund does.

C. To explain why people like pandas so much.

D. To explain what pandas eat.