Brittany Baldrica, a senior rescue biologist with Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), said neighbors called about a dolphin swimming alone in the creek. A team from the aquarium monitored the dolphin for about 18 days and it didn’t leave the creek.

“This posed potential long-term problems for the animal, such as isolation from other dolphins and an increased risk of harassment(烦扰) and human interactions. Therefore, NOAA determined it would be in the animal’s best interest to intervene to help the animal leave the area,” CMA said.

To get back into the open water the dolphin had to swim through a small opening under a bridge. The dolphin seemed afraid to go through it. A team of 28 people formed a human chain to create a visual(视力的) and sound barrier to guide the animal under the bridge and back to safety towards Tampa Bay.

“The goal was to not put hands on the animal. The goal was to just be a barrier that was new to the animal, so we wanted to create a physical barrier as well as an auditory barrier. We had somebody behind us that was hitting a boat to make a loud noise, revving(加速) their engine and then we were moving forward towards the animal, so we were giving the animal the option to swim through the bridge on its own,” Baldrica said.

“We’re thankful to the residents in the area who worked with us to help protect the animal from harassment and provided access to their property while we monitored and rescued the animal,” CMA said.

1.Where was the dolphin during the 18 days when it was monitored?

A In a zoo.

B In a creek.

C In a box.

D In an aquarium.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句“A team from the aquarium monitored the dolphin for about 18 days and it didn’t leave the creek.”可知，这只海豚被监察了18天也没有离开这条小溪。故选B。

2.Why did people decide to help the dolphin leave the area?

A To isolate it from other dolphins.

B To stop it from interacting with humans.

C To prevent potential dangers brought by it.

D To protect it from potential long-term problems.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第二段的最后一句“it would be in the animal’s best interest to intervene to help the animal leave the area”可知，人们帮助这只海豚离开这条小溪是出于对它的好处，即为了保护它。故选D。

3.What does the underlined word “it” in Para. 3 refer to?

A The open water.

B The human chain.

C The opening.

D The bridge.

解析：选C。C 词义猜测题。根据划线词所在句的前一句“the dolphin had to swim through a small opening under a bridge”可知，这只海豚需要游过位于桥下的一个小出口才能回到开阔海域，但是它好像害怕游过去。由此推断此处的it指代的是前面提到的“小出口”。故选C。

4.How did the dolphin get back into the open water?

A 28 people carried it there.

B A boat led it there.

C It swam there by itself.

D Some residents provided an access.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段最后一句的“so we were giving the animal the option to swim through the bridge on its own”可知，这只海豚是在人们的帮助下，自己游回了开放海域。故选C。