CALCUTTA, India Mar 24, 2006 (AP) — One of the world’s oldest creatures, a giant tortoise believed to have been about 250 years old, has died in the Calcutta zoo where it spent more than half its long life.
Addwaita, which means “the one and only” in the local Bengali language, was one of four Aldabra tortoises brought to India by British sailors in the 18th century. Zoo officials say he was a gift for Lord Robert Clive of the East India Company, who was instrumental in establishing British colonial① rule in India, before he returned to England in 1767. Long after the other three tortoises died, Addwaita continued to thrive②, living in Clive’s garden before being moved to the zoo in 1875.
“According to records in the zoo, the age of the giant tortoise, Addwaita, who died on Wednesday, would be about 250 years,” said zoo director Subir Chowdhury. That would have made him much older than the world’s oldest documented③ living animal: Harriet, a 176-year-old Galapagos tortoise who lives at the Australia Zoo north of Brisbane, according to the zoo’s Web site. She was taken from the island of Isla Santa Cruz by Charles Darwin in the 19th century.
Aldabra tortoises e from the Aldabra atoll④in the Seychelle islands in the Indian Ocean, and often live to more than 100 years of age. Males can weigh up to 550 pounds. Addwaita, the zoo’s biggest attraction, had been unwell for the last few days, said local Forest Minister Jogesh Burman.
“We were keeping a watch on him. When the zoo keepers went to his enclosure on Wednesday they found him dead,” Burman said.
Notes:
① colonial adj. 殖民的
② thrive v. 茁壮成长
③ documented adj. 备有证明文件的
④ atoll n. 环礁
Choose the best answers according to the above:
【小题1】According to the passage, Addwaita .A．was sent to India as a gift by British governmentB．was sent to India by British sailors in 1767C．lived together with three other Aldabra tortoises in IndiaD．belonged to Lord Robert Clive for some time【小题2】 By now, the oldest animal in the world is about at .A．176 years oldB．100 years oldC．250 years oldD．200 years old【小题3】 In the last few days before Addwaita died, he .A．had been sent to hospital for treatmentB．had been playing with travelersC．had been found not better than beforeD．had stayed in his enclosure for days【小题4】What would be the best title for the passage?A．An Old Aldabra Tortoise Died in IndiaB．A Remarkable Life: Tortoise Dies at 250C．A Special Kind of Tortoise — AddwaitaD．The Oldest Animal Aldabra Tortoise DiedD
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(答案→)D
解析：
【小题1】细节理解题。由文章的第二段可知，Addwaita在1767后的某段时间属于Lord Robert Clive。
【小题2】数字计算题。由文章的第三段可知。目前时间是上最新的活着的动物，应该是Harriet, a 176-year-old Galapagos tortoise。而不是现年250多岁的乌龟。
【小题3】细节理解题。由文章的第四段的“Addwaita, the zoo’s biggest attraction, had been unwell for the last few days”可知。
【小题4】主旨概括题。本文第一段就是主题段落，讲述年龄最大的乌龟已经死去，这正是这篇文章所要表达的主要信息，因此答案选B。