D
Interactions between people and elephants have a long history. Elephants have been trained and used by human beings for thousands of years, for everything from transportation to construction to logging to war.
In more recent times, Asian elephants have been used in entertainment and as a living ''machine'' to help move logs through the jungle as part of the logging industry. The latter changed in Thailand in 1989, when the Thai government banned the use of elephants in the logging industry. Owners of elephants had very little choice but to turn to tourism to earn enough to care for themselves and their elephants by offering elephant riding to tourists.
Mahouts (象夫) are the elephant handlers who you will see riding or managing the elephants at any camp you visit. The traditional mahout life isn't easy. They are bonded to their elephant and they rarely have time off or time for family.
These years, younger mahouts in Thailand have been more likely to leave the mahout life to find jobs in the city, resulting in elephants having to get used to multiple mahouts. This can lead to additional stress on the elephant, or result in abuse by a mahout trying to manage an elephant that hasn’t built any level of trust with him.
Opponents of elephant riding may suggest that elephant rides be illegal. My worry is that an immediate ban could lead to another massive change in how elephants are treated, similar to ending elephant logging in 1989. How will mahouts that are currently making a living and supporting their elephants through rides be able to continue to do so? The average lifespan of an elephant is 60 years. Any solution needs to take into account the long-term effects on the elephants currently employed giving rides.
12. What happened in 1989 in Thailand?
A. Elephants lost their jobs. B. Elephants joined in tourism.
C. Entertainment was forbidden. D. The government banned logging.
13. What will cause the ill treatment of some elephants?
A. The great stress to make money.
B. The former masters’ leaving them.
C. The heavy load on the elephants.
D. The owners' mistrust of the elephants.
14. What's the best title for the passage?
A. Will You Go to Thailand?
B. Why are Elephants Trained?
C. How do Mahouts Train Elephants?
D. Should You Ride Elephants in Thailand?
15. Why does the author write this passage?
A. To present a problem. B. To criticize mahouts.
C. To introduce Thailand. D. To record his experience.
【答案】12. B 13. B 14. D 15. A
