Reading Chengdu Research BaseI: Reading (extracts from Section B Unit 7 Grade 8) It is 8:30 a.m. at the Chengdu Research Base. Panda keepers are preparing milk for the baby pandas’ breakfast. Adult pandas are eating bamboo. One of the panda keepers says, “These black and white animals are so cute and lovely. I take care of them like they’re my own babies.” Scientists say there are now fewer than 2,000 pandas living in the forests. Another 300 or so live in zoos or research centers in China and other countries. In fact, many people around the world love pandas. Pandas have become so popular that they are now a symbol of China.Pandas do not have many babies, maybe only one every two years. The babies often die from illnesses and do not live very long. Many years ago, there were a lot more bamboo forests and pandas in China, but then humans started to cut down the forests. As the forests get smaller and other human activities cause more problems, pandas can’t find enough to eat and they are having fewer babies. An education program in Chengdu teaches children about pandas and other e |
