Little Things Can Rule The World

地球是個精密的生態系統，每一個微小的變化都可能打破這個系統，引起連鎖反應。各種生物在這個系統中相互依存，共同演繹著生命的奇跡。下面我們一起來閱讀本文，了解一下由于大頭螞蟻的入侵，導致獅子改變了它們的捕食習慣。

An invasive species （入侵物種） of ant， called “big?headed ant”， is changing the way lions hunt （捕獵） and eat in Kenya， according to a new study. The ants spread because of human activities like trade and travel. They arrived in Kenya from southern Africa about 15 years ago. Since then they have been killing the local acacia ant.

Acacia ants live in and take care of the whistling thorn trees in Kenya. In a “symbiotic relationship”， acacia ants get food from the trees and use them for home. In return， they protect the trees from animals like elephants or giraffes， which might eat too much of the trees. Acacia ants do this through a tacking （攻擊） these animals in group.

However， big?headed ants eat acacia ants and their eggs. As a result， the number of acacia ants is falling. What’s more， big?headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either. So with fewer acacia ants to save them， the trees are in trouble.

Professor Palmer’s team found that in areas with big?headed ants， elephants destroyed （破壞） more trees. This means the place is more open and zebras can easily find lions following them. So lions kill much fewer zebras in these areas than in tree?filled places.

The good news is that the lion population remains unchanged because the lions turn to hunt buffalo for food instead of zebras. This probably means that the tiny ants have caused lions to change their habits， too. They have to hunt the bigger， heavier buffalo. Professor Palmer said， “We often find it’s the little things that rule the world.”

跟蹤練習：

1. Picture best shows the underlined words “symbiotic relationship”.

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2. In Paragraph 4， elephants destroyed more trees so that .

A. buffalo run out of food " " B. lions have trouble hunting zebras

C. invasive ants lose homes " " D. zebras leave tree?filled places

3. Big?headed ants have caused the number of to fall.

①acacia ants ②whistling thorn trees ③zebras ④lions

A. ①② " B. ①④ C. ②③ " D. ②④

4. Lions to deal with the changes.

A. have kept the elephants from tree?filled places

B. have spent much more time following zebras

C. have moved elsewhere without big?headed ants

D. have looked for other larger animals for food

答案解析：

1.B.圖片匹配題。根據“Acacia ants get food from the trees and use them for home. In return， they protect the trees from animals like elephants or giraffes， which might eat too much of the trees. ”可知，金合歡蟻從樹上獲取食物并在樹上安家，同時它們可以保護動物吃太多樹上的樹葉，所以金合歡蟻和樹木是一種共生關系。故選B。

2.B.細節理解題。根據“This means the place is more open and zebras can easily find lions following them. So lions kill much fewer zebras in these areas than in tree?filled places.”可知，大象破壞更多的樹木，導致斑馬很容易發現獅子在跟蹤它們，這樣就導致獅子捕食斑馬比較困難。故選B。

3.A.細節理解題。根據“However， big?headed ants eat acacia ants and their eggs. As a result， the number of acacia ants is falling. What’s more， big?headed ants don’t protect whistling thorn trees either. So with fewer acacia ants to save them， the trees are in trouble.”可知，大頭螞蟻吃金合歡蟻和它們的卵，這樣會導致金合歡蟻數量減少；同時大頭螞蟻不會保護荊棘樹，其數量也會下降。故選A。

4. D.細節理解題。根據“This probably means that the tiny ants have caused lions to change their habits， too. They have to hunt the bigger， heavier buffalo.”可知，獅子轉向捕食更大的動物。故選D。