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Two hours from the tall buildings of Manhattan and Philadelphia live some of the world’s largest black bears. They are in northern Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, a home they share with an abundance of other wildlife.

The streams, lakes, meadows (草地), mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for black bears have also attracted more people to the region. Open spaces are threatened by plans for housing estates and important habitats are endangered by highway construction. To protect the Poconos natural beauty from irresponsible development, the Nature Conservancy (大自然保护协会) named the area one of America’s “Last Great Places”.

Operating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the village of Long Pond, Pennsylvania, the conservancy’s bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth with environmental protection. By developing partnerships with people like Francis Altemose, the Conservancy has been able to protect more than 14,000 acres of environmentally important land in the area.

Altemose’s family has farmed in the Pocono area for generations. Two years ago Francis worked with the Conservancy to include his farm in a county farmland protection program. As a result, his family’s land can be protected from development and the Altemoses will be better able to provide a secure financial future for their 7-year-old grandson.

Cook owes the Conservancy’s success in the Poconos to having a local presence and a commitment to working with local residents.

"The key to protecting these remarkable lands is connecting with the local community,"Cook said. “The people who live there respect the land. They value quiet forests, clear streams and abundant wildlife. They are eager to help with conservation effort.

For more information on how you can help the Nature Conservancy protect the Poconos and the world’s other “Last Great Places,” please call 1-888-564 6864 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.tnc.org.

1.The purpose in naming the Poconos as one of America’s “Last Great Places” is to ________.

A. gain support from the local community

B. protect it from irresponsible development

C. make it a better home for black bears

D. provide financial security for future generations

2.We learn from the passage that ________.

A. the population in the Pocono area is growing

B. wildlife in the Pocono area is dying out rapidly

C. the security of the Pocono residents is being threatened

D. farmlands in the Pocono area are shrinking fast

3.What is important in protecting the Poconos according to Cook？

A. The setting up of an environmental protection website

B. Support from organizations like The Nature Conservancy

C. Cooperation with the local residents and business leaders

D. Inclusion of farmlands in the region’s protection program

4.The passage most probably is ________.

A. an official document

B. a news story

C. an advertisement

D. a research report