Mr. Pickles and Mrs. Pickles are radiated tortoise(射纹龟). Mr. Pickles is 90 years old this year (2023). These days, something good happened. Mr. Pickles became a dad for the first time!

The babies are a big deal because Mr. Pickles is thought to be the most genetically valuable(基因价值的) radiated tortoise in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Radiated tortoises have few babies. So there are only a very small number of them.

The Zoo said that on March 16 three radiated tortoise eggs had hatched(孵化). The zoo workers named the babies Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño.

1.When was Mr. Pickles born?

A In 1940.

B In 1943.

C In 1990.

D In 1933.

解析：选D。D数字计算题。根据第一段第三句“Mr. Pickles is 90 years old this year (2023)”可知，Mr. Pickles出生于（2023-90=）1933年。故选D。

2.What do the underlined words “a big deal” mean?

A Important.

B Busy.

C Lazy.

D Healthy.

解析：选A。A词义猜测题。根据第二段内容可知，Mr. Pickles是动物园和水族馆协会(AZA)物种生存计划中最有遗传价值的射纹龟，并且射纹龟繁衍的后代不多，该物种处于极度濒危状态。所以这些幼龟的诞生对射纹龟而言是件大事(很重要)。故选A。

3.Which is TRUE about radiated tortoises?

A They don’t like people.

B They can’t live long.

C There are very few of them.

D They have babies every year.

解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句“So there are only a very small number of them.”可知，射纹龟的数量非常少。故选C。

4.How many babies does Mr. Pickles have?

A 2.

B 3.

C 10.

D 16.

解析：选B。B细节理解题。根据最后一段第一句“three radiated tortoise eggs”可知，三只幼龟诞生了。故选B。

5.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A A 90-year-old tortoise became a father.

B Radiated tortoises love babies.

C Radiated tortoise babies got new names.

D Zoo workers named three tortoises.

解析：选A。A主旨大意题。本文主要描述了一只90岁的射纹龟第一次当爸爸的故事。故选A。