世界上岁数最大的老鼠

蓝利霞

A tiny mouse at the San Diego Zoo has set a newworld record for the oldest known living mouse. Themouse， named Pat， turned nine years and 209 days oldwhen breaking the record. Pat is a Pacific pocket mouse，which is the smallest kind of mouse in North America.He weighs about as much as three pennies.

Pacific pocket mice are endangered. They live inSouthern California， usually within 3.2 kilometers of thesea. They used to be found all along the coast， from LosAngeles down to the US border with Mexico.

The mice are a vital part of the environment becausethey help spread the seeds of the plants that grow naturallyin this sandy area. Their digging underground also helpsthe plants grow.

But starting in the early 1930s， humans begantaking up more and more of the area where the micenormally lived. Pacific pocket mice began disappearing.By the 1970s， scientists believed that the Pacific pocketmouse had become extinct. But in 1994， scientists founda small group of Pacific pocket mice in Orange County，California. Later， they were able to find two other smallgroups of the mice. But these groups were a long wayaway from each other， and were often separated bythings like roads and buildings.

Starting in 2012， the San Diego Zoo WildlifeAlliance （SDZWA） began working to help the mice byraising them in captivity. Animals raised in captivityface fewer threats and often live longer. Pat， whosebirthday is July 14， 2013， was born in the first year ofthat program.

In 2016， the SDZWA and several other groupshelped get a group of Pacific pocket mice started in aprotected area called Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. In2017， the numbers of mice in the park began growingwithout any help from humans. In 2022， 31 litters （groupsof baby mice） were born at the zoo， and there were 117pups in all. SDZWA says that many of these mice willbe released into the wild. But Pat wont be joining them.Now hes extremely old for a mouse.

（材料出自News For Kids 網站，有删改）

1. What makes Pacific pocket mouse special？

A. Its age.B. Its size.

C. Its weight. D. Its pocket.

2. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3？

A. The living Pacific pocket mice.

B. The underground Pacific pocket mice.

C. The importance of Pacific pocket mice.

D. The endangerment of Pacific pocket mice.

3. Why did Pacific pocket mice disappear？

A. Humans occupied their living areas.

B. They had no enough food to survive.

C. They suffered from severe disease.

D. The disasters hit the areas where they live.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph？

A. Pat will be released into the wild.

B. Humans help mice survive greatly.

C. Many mice will live by themselves.

D. The park grew bigger because of mice.

参考答案

1. B。解析：细节理解题。根据材料第一段第三句“Pat is a Pacific pocket mouse， which is the smallestkind of mouse in North America.”，我们可知，太平洋袖珍鼠是北美洲最小的一种老鼠。故选B。

2. C。解析：主旨大意题。根据材料第三段的内容，我们可知，太平洋袖珍鼠有助于传播种子，且它们挖地也促进了植物的生长。故选C。

3. A。解析：细节理解题。根据材料第四段第一句“But starting in the early 1930s， humans began takingup more and more of the area where the mice normallylived.”，我们可知，太平洋袖珍鼠一度消失是因为人类占据了它们居住的地方。故选A。

4. C。解析：推理判断题。根据材料最后一段倒数第三句中的“many of these mice will be releasedinto the wild”，我们可知，许多老鼠将被放归野外，这意味着它们以后要独立生活。故选C。