初中英语【时文阅读训练】“圣诞老人的驯鹿”正遭狼群猎食-'Santa's reindeer' are being hunted by wolves

'Santa's reindeer' are being hunted by wolves (25th December 2025) Reindeer in the region of Lapland, Finland, are famous worldwide. They are also very busy at this time of year. That's because they are helping Santa Claus to deliver presents to children all over the world. However, the animals are facing a great danger. Reindeer herders report that an increasing number of reindeer are being killed by wolves. The Reindeer Herders' Association in Finland says wolves have killed around 1,950 reindeer this year. That is a 70 per cent increase from last year. Juha Kujala, a Lapland herder, is worried about the future of his animals. He said there has been a sudden increase in the number of wolves in Finland. This has upset the natural balance between reindeer and wolves. Mr Kujala joked to reporters about his animals, even though he is worried about them. He said: "These are Santa's reindeer. But we are really lucky because Santa needs them for only one day of the year, so we can fly them for the other 364 days." Many herders believe the Ukraine War is the reason why there are suddenly more wolves in Finland. They say that men who used to hunt wolves in Russia have gone to fight in Ukraine. This means many wolves are crossing the 1,340-km border between Russia and Finland. Kujala said: "It's worse since the Ukraine War started. The wolves are coming from the Russian side. There's nobody left hunting the wolves." 1. Vocabulary Matching Paragraph 1 1. region a. A person who looks after animals. 2. deliver b. A large area of land. 3. facing c. Having to deal with a problem or danger. 4. herder d. Happening very quickly, unexpectedly (without any warning). 5. increasing e. Make something not calm or not right. 6. sudden f. Take something to a person or place. 7. upset g. Becoming more or bigger. Paragraph 2 8. reporters h. Look for and kill animals. 9. lucky i. Started suddenly (especially a war). 10. reason j. The line between two countries. 11. hunt k. Why something happens. 12. crossing l. Going from one side to another. 13. border m. People who write or talk about news. 14. broke out n. Having good things happen. 【答案】 2. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if “1-8” below are true (T) or false (F). 1. The region of Lapland is in the north of Norway. T / F 2. Reindeer herders said wolves are killing more and more reindeer. T / F 3. There was a 70% rise in the number of reindeer wolves killed this year. T / F 4. More wolves in Finland have disrupted the reindeer-wolf balance. T / F 5. A herder is happy that he can fly his reindeers 365 days a year. T / F 6. Russia is sending its soldiers to Finland to hunt the wolves. T / F 7. The border between Finland and Russia is over 1,300 km long. T / F 8. A reindeer herder said no one was hunting the wolves. T / F 【答案】 3. SYNONYM MATCH: (The words in bold are from the news article.) 1. 1. region 2. deliver 3. helping 4. increase 5. upset 6. worried 7. lucky 8. believe 9. started 10. left a. rise b. think c. disturbed d. fortunate e. take f. remaining g. area h. concerned i. assisting j. began 【答案】 4. READING COMPREHENSION: MULTIPLE CHOICE 1) In which area of Finland do reindeers live? a) North Karelia b) Uusimaa c) Lapland d) Pirkanmaa 2) What do reindeer help Santa Claus do? a) deliver presents b) cook lunch c) make a snowman d) relax 3) Who reported on the number of reindeer killed this year? a) Wolf-watch Finland b) the Reindeer Herders' Association c) the WWF d) a farmer 4) By how much did reindeer deaths rise compared to last year? a) 40% b) 50% c) 60% d) 70% 5) What natural balance has the increase in wolves upset? a) countryside and town b) the balance of nature c) the balance between reindeer and wolves d) the balance between humans and nature 6) Who did a reindeer herder joke to? a) a reindeer b) reporters c) other herders d) Santa Claus 7) For how long did the reindeer herder say Santa needed reindeer? a) two days b) 23 hours c) 12 hours d) just one day 8) What do many herders say is the reason for the increase in wolves? a) climate change b) the Ukraine War c) melting snow d) depopulation 9) How long is the border between Finland and Russia? a) 1,430 km b) 1,340 km c) 1,304 km d) 1,403 km 10) Who did the reindeer herder say was hunting wolves? a) nobody b) reindeer herders c) wolf hunters d) soldiers keys: 5. Comprehension questions 1. In which area of Finland do reindeers live? 2. What do reindeer help Santa Claus do? 3. Who reported on the number of reindeer killed this year? 4. By how much did reindeer deaths rise compared to last year? 5. What natural balance has the increase in wolves upset? 6. Who did a reindeer herder joke to? 7. For how long did the reindeer herder say Santa needed reindeer? 8. What do many herders say is the reason for the increase in wolves? 9. How long is the border between Finland and Russia? 10. Who did the reindeer herder say was hunting wolves? 【答案】 1. Lapland 2. Deliver presents 3. The Reindeer Herders' Association 4. Seventy per cent 5. The balance between reindeer and wolves 6. Reporters 7. Just one day 8. The Ukraine War 9. 1,340 km 10. Nobody 6. Put the words in the right order 1. very They're at busy time this year of . 2. They helping are to Santa presents deliver . 3. The are animals a facing danger great . 4. An number increasing reindeer of being are killed . 5. has There an been in increase number the . 6. He to joked about reporters animals his . 7. He them needs only for day one . 8. The why reason are there more suddenly wolves . 9. wolves The coming are the from side Russian . 10. There nobody is hunting left wolves the . keys: 1. They're very busy at this time of year. 2. They are helping Santa to deliver presents. 3. The animals are facing a great danger. 4. An increasing number of reindeer are being killed. 5. There has been an increase in the number. 6. He joked to reporters about his animals. 7. He needs them for only one day. 8. The reason why there are suddenly more wolves. 9. The wolves are coming from the Russian side. 10. There is nobody left hunting the wolves. Gap fill【选做题】 Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. increase deliver natural great region worried time around Reindeer in the (1) _ of Lapland, Finland, are famous worldwide. They are also very busy at this (2) _ of year. That's because they are helping Santa Claus to (3) _ presents to children all over the world. However, the animals are facing a (4) _ danger. Reindeer herders report that an increasing number of reindeer are being killed by wolves. The Reindeer Herders' Association in Finland says wolves have killed (5) _ 1,950 reindeer this year. That is a 70 per cent increase from last year. Juha Kujala, a Lapland herder, is (6) _ about the future of his animals. He said there has been a sudden (7) _ in the number of wolves in Finland. This has upset the (8) _ balance between reindeer and wolves. Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. lucky border though nobody reason worse other fight Mr Kujala joked to reporters about his animals, even (9) _ he is worried about them. He said: "These are Santa's reindeer. But we are really (10) _ because Santa needs them for only one day of the year, so we can fly them for the (11) _ 364 days." Many herders believe the Ukraine War is the (12) _ why there are suddenly more wolves in Finland. They say that men who used to hunt wolves in Russia have gone to (13) _ in Ukraine. This means many wolves are crossing the 1,340-km (14) _ between Russia and Finland. Kujala said: "It's (15) _ since the Ukraine War started. The wolves are coming from the Russian side. There's (16) _ left hunting the wolves." 学科网(北京)股份有限公司 $