Passage 64【2020 •贵州省安顺市中考】
In the town of Lampang in northern Thailand, there is an unusual group of musicians. They play many different kinds of music—from traditional Thai songs to music by Beethoven. Both children and adults love this group. What makes them so popular? Is it their music? Their looks? Yes, it's both of these things, but it's also something else：they're elephants.
These musical elephants are from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center （TECC）in Lampang. The TECC protects elephants. It teaches people to understand and care for these huge, but gentle, animals. And, like many zoos around the world, the TECC encourages elephants to paint.
Richard Lair works with the TECC. He knew that elephants hear better than they see. So he had an idea：if elephants are intelligent and they have good hearing, maybe they can play music. To test his idea, Lair and a friend started the Thai Elephant Orchestra. During a performance, the elephants play a variety of instruments, including the drums and the xylophone. The animals also use their voices and trunks to make sounds.
But can elephants really make music properly? Yes, says Lair. they’re very creative. Humans may encourage the animals to play instruments, but the elephants make their own songs；they don't just copy their trainers or other people. There are now CDs of the group's music, which make money for the TECC. And the music these artists create is pretty amazing.
46. What can be the best title for the passage?
A. Musical Elephants
B. An Introduction to the TECC
C. Richard Lair's Achievements
47. What does the underlined word "them" refer to in the passage?
A. Musicians. B. Children. C. Adults.
48. What can be inferred（推断） from the passage the passage ?
A. Richard Lair started the Thai Elephant Orchestra by himself.
B. The elephants in the TECC can only play traditional Thai songs.
C. The CDs of the Thai Elephant Orchestra are popular with people.
49. The writer wrote this passage to _______.
A. ask people to save the elephants
B. invite more people to join the TECC
C. introduce the elephants' special talents to people
50. Where can we most probably read this passage?
A. A medical newspaper.
B. An animal magazine
C. A story book
【文章大意】本文介绍了在泰国北部一个非常受欢迎的大象乐队。它们演奏不同种类的音乐。大象非常聪明，它们也会画画。它们非常有创造性，会创作自己的音乐。
46.A【解析】最佳标题。根据第一段最后一句“they're elephants.”以及第二段到第四段对大象乐队的介绍可知，本文主要介绍的是大象乐队，因此A选项最符合本文标题。故选A。
47.A【解析】词义推断题。them指代的复数人称，them以及第一段第二句中的they指代内容相同，指代的是文章第一句“In the town of Lampang in northern Thailand, there is an unusual group of musicians.”中的musicians“音乐人”。故选A。
48.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“There are now CDs of the group's music, which make money for the TECC.”可知大象乐队有自己的CD，这些CD让TECC赚钱，因此可推测，它们的CD是很受欢迎的。故选C。
49.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“…there is an unusual group of musicians.”和“And the music these artists create is pretty amazing.”可知全文围绕大象的音乐才能展开的，因此文章主要是向人们介绍大象在音乐方面的特殊才能。故选C。
50.B【解析】推理判断题。A医学报纸；B动物杂志；C故事书。本文介绍的是大象特殊的音乐才能，因此B选项最符合。故选B。
In the town of Lampang in northern Thailand, there is an unusual group of musicians. They play many different kinds of music—from traditional Thai songs to music by Beethoven. Both children and adults love this group. What makes them so popular? Is it their music? Their looks? Yes, it's both of these things, but it's also something else：they're elephants.
These musical elephants are from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center （TECC）in Lampang. The TECC protects elephants. It teaches people to understand and care for these huge, but gentle, animals. And, like many zoos around the world, the TECC encourages elephants to paint.
Richard Lair works with the TECC. He knew that elephants hear better than they see. So he had an idea：if elephants are intelligent and they have good hearing, maybe they can play music. To test his idea, Lair and a friend started the Thai Elephant Orchestra. During a performance, the elephants play a variety of instruments, including the drums and the xylophone. The animals also use their voices and trunks to make sounds.
But can elephants really make music properly? Yes, says Lair. they’re very creative. Humans may encourage the animals to play instruments, but the elephants make their own songs；they don't just copy their trainers or other people. There are now CDs of the group's music, which make money for the TECC. And the music these artists create is pretty amazing.
46. What can be the best title for the passage?
A. Musical Elephants
B. An Introduction to the TECC
C. Richard Lair's Achievements
47. What does the underlined word "them" refer to in the passage?
A. Musicians. B. Children. C. Adults.
48. What can be inferred（推断） from the passage the passage ?
A. Richard Lair started the Thai Elephant Orchestra by himself.
B. The elephants in the TECC can only play traditional Thai songs.
C. The CDs of the Thai Elephant Orchestra are popular with people.
49. The writer wrote this passage to _______.
A. ask people to save the elephants
B. invite more people to join the TECC
C. introduce the elephants' special talents to people
50. Where can we most probably read this passage?
A. A medical newspaper.
B. An animal magazine
C. A story book
【文章大意】本文介绍了在泰国北部一个非常受欢迎的大象乐队。它们演奏不同种类的音乐。大象非常聪明，它们也会画画。它们非常有创造性，会创作自己的音乐。
46.A【解析】最佳标题。根据第一段最后一句“they're elephants.”以及第二段到第四段对大象乐队的介绍可知，本文主要介绍的是大象乐队，因此A选项最符合本文标题。故选A。
47.A【解析】词义推断题。them指代的复数人称，them以及第一段第二句中的they指代内容相同，指代的是文章第一句“In the town of Lampang in northern Thailand, there is an unusual group of musicians.”中的musicians“音乐人”。故选A。
48.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“There are now CDs of the group's music, which make money for the TECC.”可知大象乐队有自己的CD，这些CD让TECC赚钱，因此可推测，它们的CD是很受欢迎的。故选C。
49.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“…there is an unusual group of musicians.”和“And the music these artists create is pretty amazing.”可知全文围绕大象的音乐才能展开的，因此文章主要是向人们介绍大象在音乐方面的特殊才能。故选C。
50.B【解析】推理判断题。A医学报纸；B动物杂志；C故事书。本文介绍的是大象特殊的音乐才能，因此B选项最符合。故选B。
