IntheAfricancountryofTanzaniaacompanyfromBelgiumcalledAPOPOtrainsAfricangiantpouchedrats(非洲巨袋鼠)tofinddangerouslandmines(地雷)leftoverfromwars.Theratsaretrainedtosmelloutsomeofthechemicalsinthemines.After8-12monthsoftrainingtheratcanfindminessotheycanbesafelydestroyed.

TraineddogsoftenperformthisimportantworkbutAPOPOdirectorBartWeetjensrecentlydiscoveredthattheAfricangiantpouchedratcostsfarlessmoneytotrainandcarefor.Theseratsmayseemhuge.Theirbodiesare12to16incheslongnotincludingtheirtails.Buttheirsizesuitsthejob:Atoneandahalfto3poundstheyaretoolighttosetoffthelandmines.

Ratsandtrainerssearchonesmallareaatatime.Whenaratsmellsminesitletsthetrainersknowbypawing(用爪子抓)atthedirtinthatspot.Thetrainersmarkeachspotonamap.Latertechniciansexplodetheminessafely.IntheAfricancountryofMozambiquenearlyhalfthepopulationisyoungerthan15yearsold.Alotofkidsareindangerastheyplayorwork.

“InthetownofVilanculoschildrenhadbeenplayingonthefootballfielduntiltherewasanaccident”BartWeetjenssaid.APOPOratsandtrainershelpedotherorganizationsmaketheareasafe.“Thefootballfieldhasbeenopenedagainandthereisnodangeranymore”Weetjenssaid.

About80millionlandminesareburiedoutofsightinmorethan60countriesaroundtheworld.AsAPOPO’sprogramgrowstheratheroesmighttraveltheglobe!

1．Theunderlinedword“they”(Para.1)refersto_____.

A．thetrainers B．themines C．thewars D．therats

2．Whyareratschosentobetrainedtofindthelandmines?

A．TheyarenativetoAfrica B．Theyaresmarterthandogs

C．Theyarecheaptokeepandtrain D．Theyarequicktoescapefromdanger

3．Whatisthetaskoftheratsinthejob?

A．Tomarkamap B．Tofindthemines

C．Tosetoffthemines D．Topawattheground

4．WhathappenedonthefootballfieldinVilanculos?

A．Alandmineexploded B．Aplayerwasinjuredduringthetraining