If you look up at the sky in the early fall in the northern part of North America, you may see groups of birds. These birds are flying south to places where they can find food and warmth for the winter. They are migrating(迁徙). The young birds usually learn to migrate from their parents. They follow their parents south. In one unusual case, however, the young birds are following something very different. These birds are young whooping cranes, and they are following an airplane!
The whooping crane is the largest bird that is native to North America. These birds almost disappeared in the 1800s. By 1941, there were only about 20 cranes alive. In the 1970s, people were worried that these creatures were in danger of disappearing completely. As a result, the United States identified whooping cranes as an endangered species that they needed to protect.
Some researchers tried to help. They began to breed whooping cranes in special parks to increase the number of birds. This plan was successful. There were a lot of new baby birds. As the birds became older, the researchers wanted to return them to nature. However, there was a problem: These young birds did not know how to migrate. They needed human help.
In 2001, some people had a creative idea. They formed an organization called Operation Migration. This group decided to use very light airplanes, instead of birds, to lead the young whooping cranes on their first trip south. They painted each airplane to look like a whooping crane. Even the pilots wore special clothing to make them look like cranes. The cranes began to trust the airplanes, and the plan worked.
Today, planes still lead birds across approximately 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers), from the United States-Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. They leave the birds at different sites. If a trip is successful, the birds can travel on their own in the future. Then, when these birds become parents, they will teach their young to migrate. The people of Operation Migration think this is the only way to maintain the whooping crane population.
Operation Migration works with several other organizations and government institutes. Together, they assist hundreds of cranes each year. However, some experts predict that soon, this won’t be necessary. Thanks to Operation Migration and its partners, the crane population will continue to migrate. Hopefully, they won’t need human help any more.
41 Whooping cranes migrate in winter to ____.
A raise baby whooping cranes
B find warmth and food
C get human help
D lay eggs
42 Whooping cranes are native to ____.
A Mexico
B South America
C the Persian Gulf
D North America
43 Operation Migration aims to ____.
A teach adult cranes how to fly
B breed cranes in special parks
C lead young cranes on their first trip south
D transport cranes to the North
44 The distance covered by the young whooping cranes on their trip south is ____.
A 120 miles
B 1,200 miles
C 1,931 miles
D 2,000 miles
45 If Operation Migration is successful, whooping cranes will ____.
A follow airplanes south every year
B live in Canada all year around
C be unable to fly back
D learn to migrate on their own
答案：
41 B 第一段第二句：These birds are flying south to places where they can find food and warmth for the winter.因此选B。
42 D 第二段第一句：The whooping crane is the largest bird that is native to North America.因此选D。
43 C 第四段第三句：This group decided to use very light airplanes, instead of birds, to lead the young whooping cranes on their first trip south.故选C。
44 B 第五段第一句：Today, planes still lead birds across approximately 1,200 miles…因此选B。
45 D 由最后一段可知，如果该计划成功的话，小美洲鹤就能学会自己迁徙，这也是这一计划的目的。
