In the Ituri rain forest of Central Africa live many different tribes, one of which is the Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies in the tribe are not taller than four feet. They weigh only about eighty pounds each. In spite of their small size, they are the best hunters among all the jungle people. Even the GREat elephant can be caught by them. They can shoot three or four arrows so rapidly that often the last one leaves the bow before the first has hit its mark. If an arrow should miss its aim, the impatient Pygmy may become very angry, breaking his arrows and stepping on them.
Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are constantly moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is no furniture at all except for some weapons such as spears, bows and arrow. There are no cooking pots either. Food is eaten uncooked or smoked over a fire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is nothing to carry except these weapons and babies too small to walk.
Pygmies can move on the tree tops almost as skillfully as monkeys. Often they travel GREat distances through the branches without touching the ground.
One of the surprising facts about these small men and women is their GREat appetite. A Pygmy can eat up many many bananas at a single meal besides quantities of meat. After eating, they will lie on their hard earth bed and groan(呻吟) all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food all over again.
In spite of the hard life, Pygmies are almost always good-natured and helpful. They seldom lie, steal or fight among themselves.
(295 words)
Choose the best answer:
1. Pygmies are small in size, but they are brave in ________ .
A. hunting B. shooting C. eating D. catching animals
2. Why do Pygmies move from place to place continuously?
A. They want to look after wild animals.
B. They have no furniture.
C. They have no crops.
D. Their crops are easy to move.
3. The word “appetite” in the fourth paragraph means ________ .
A. stomach B. arm C. mouth D. appearance
4. Pygmies are so skillful that ________ .
A. they never walk on the ground
B. they always walk with sticks
C. they can hang from the branches
D. they can move on the top of trees
5. The writer wrote this article so as to ________ .
A. ask people to learn from Pygmies
B. help Pygmies go out of the forests
C. tell us the world is big and wide
D. let us know the local conditions and customs of the world
参考答案：1.A 2.C 3.A 4.D 5.D
