Elephants are known for their impressive memories, but they are also skillful meteorologists, a new study claims. Researchers say the large animals can detect an approaching rainstorm up to 150 miles (241km) away. And they think elephants’ forecasting abilities could be used to help conservationists monitor herds to keep them safe from predators.

Unsurprisingly, considering the size of their ears, elephants have good hearing and can detect very low frequencies, PopSci reported.  Scientists believe the creatures can hear low rumbles of thunder and the sound of heavy rain miles away to predict when wet weather is approaching. They came to this conclusion after studying herds of elephants that suddenly moved in Namibia. The behavior has previously not been explained, according to the study.

Three years ago, scientists found that older elephants are best at making decisions about predators, because they remember similar situations they have met before. When families were played male or female lion roars from a loudspeaker – imitating their presence - those with older female heads correctly focused their defensive reactions on male lions that are the more skilled killers.

Oliver Frauenfeld, a geology professor at Texas A&M University said: “They’ve been observed to change the places they go and the speeds they go rather quickly.”

To uncover what caused such movement, Professor Frauenfeld and his team studied the movements of nine elephants wearing GPS trackers belonging to different herds – for a total of seven years. They found that the elephants constantly change course during the rainy season in Namibia, between January and March. The experts observed that the elephants could “sense” that were hundreds of miles away to predict and move towards the rainstorms.

Professor Frauenfeld said, “They need the rain. After a long dry season, once the elephants hear the rain, they start moving towards it and it allows them to get the water sooner.” He thinks that knowing how elephants chase storms will help conservationists predict their movements and guard them from predators.

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1.What do the elephants benefit from their forecasting abilities?

A They can hear low frequencies.

B They can sense what is happening miles of away.

C They can keep safe from predators.

D They can find water easily after a dry season.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据文章第一段forecasting abilities could…to help conservationists …to keep them safe from predators可知，大象的预报能力有助于帮助其逃离凶猛的肉食动物的猎杀。

2.What does “similar situations” they have met before refer to according to the passage?

A The elephants were once played the same lion roars before.

B The elephants once met the lions and they were in danger.

C The elephants hear the rumbles of thunder again.

D The elephants took the same course they had once taken.

解析：选B。B 词义理解题。根据文章第三段their defensive reactions on male lions that are the more skilled killers可知，大象针对凶猛的狮子，及时作出防卫反应，结合presence判断，similar situations指的是大象曾经遭遇过狮子的猎杀，狮吼录音让它们想起了曾经的危险遭遇。

3.What is suggested in the passage?

A Namibia is the kingdom of elephants.

B The forecasting abilities help elephants survive.

C Elephants are famous for chasing storms.

D Elephants are well protected all across the world.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。文章介绍了大象的预报能力，既能得知风暴的距离，尽快找到雨水，又能躲避被猎杀的危险，由此判断，大象的这种能力对于它们能在艰难环境下生存下来是非常重要的。

4.Why did elephants constantly change course during the rainy season in Namibia?

A They were chasing storms to get water.

B They were avoiding dangers from predators.

C The decisions were made the female heads.

D Similar situations reminded them to change directions.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第五段末句…could “sense” that were hundreds of miles away to predict and move towards the rainstorms可知，大象不断变换道路，为的是追赶风暴，找到水喝。

5.Where can you most probably find this article?

A Travel book.

B Operation instruction.

C Science fiction.

D Science magazine.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。本文介绍了大象的预报能力，属于科普读物，因此载于科学杂志上。