Can animals help manage the risks of wildfires? In some places, people are turning to animals for help. These animals may play a role in stopping the spread of wildfires.

A fire needs three things to burn: fuel (燃料), heat, and oxygen from the air. Forest floors are covered in fire fuel. That includes dry grass, dead wood and leaves. They can catch fire easily. Heat can come from a burning match, lightning, or hot wood from a campfire.

In the right conditions, a whole forest can catch fire from one burning leaf. And this happens quickly. If there is no fuel, then the fire can’t spread. But there’s a way to deal with fire fuel. Grazing (食草的) animals naturally clear out these plants. How? By doing what they do best: eating! Yes, hungry animals can help prevent wildfires.

During the hot, dry summers in Portugal and Spain, wildfire often happens. It eats everything! Luckily, goats (山羊) also eat everything. Portugal’s government turns to goats for help. The goats’ job is to eat plants under trees that cover the hills. Some even climb trees to look for supper. In northern Spain, sheep are also joining in. Sheep and goats eat through dry grass. Without fuel, it’s more difficult for a fire to spread.

Fire also needs oxygen. Firefighters use water to put out fires and block their oxygen. Enter beavers (河狸)! When beavers build dams (坝), they flood the area around. Water covers grass. And the soil stays nice and wet. They create a wide area of wetlands. The wetlands can prevent wildfire in hot, dry areas.

Because of climate change, many areas are experiencing hotter, drier seasons. Wildfires are growing in number and destructiveness. But we don’t have to fight these fires alone. Animals can be heroes of protecting the environment. They just have to do what comes naturally.

1.1.Why are people in some places turning to animals for help?

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解析：选Because animals help stop wildfires.。文章首段，动物能帮助管控野火风险、阻止野火蔓延。问句 Why，用 Because 回答，控制在 10 词以内。

2.2.What may happen to dry grass, dead wood and leaves?

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解析：选They can catch fire easily.。原文第二段：That includes dry grass, dead wood and leaves. They can catch fire easily. 代词 they 指代干草、枯木、落叶。

3.3.How do sheep reduce the risk of the spread of wildfire?

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解析：选By eating dry grass.。原文第四段：Sheep and goats eat through dry grass. Without fuel, it’s more difficult for a fire to spread. 绵羊通过吃掉干草，清除燃料，降低野火蔓延风险。

4.4.How do wetlands help in hot, dry areas?

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解析：选They can prevent wildfire.。原文第五段：The wetlands can prevent wildfire in hot, dry areas. 直接提取信息作答。

5.5.What’s your understanding of the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?

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解析：选Animals can help protect the environment.。划线句：Animals can be heroes of protecting the environment. They just have to do what comes naturally. 含义：动物凭借本能，助力保护环境，是环保小英雄。