The man protecting China’s

elephants Comprehension Answers.

1. Why is there no wildlife in the rubber plantations?

There is no wildlife in the rubber plantations because they are a dead zone. The rubber trees suck up all the water so nothing can grow near them. It kills biodiversity and erodes the soil.

2. Chang Zongbo uses the phrase, ‘It’s war’. What does he mean by

this?

What he means by the phrase ‘It’s war’ is that there is a strong fight trying to protect elephants from poachers and habitat destruction.

3.  What in the text tells you that Chang Zongbo is committed to protecting elephants in China?

This piece of the text ("Every patch of forest, I work to save it. Every elephant, I work to save it. So, when I look my grandchildren in the eye, I can tell them I did my best. I think I can be proud of that.") tells you that Chang Zongbo is committed to protecting elephants in China.

4.  Record one positive and one negative point about the rubber trees.

Positive - Rubber is lucrative for farmers.

Negative – The trees suck up all the water so nothing

can grow near rubber. It kills biodiversity and erodes the soil.

5. What is your opinion of the death penalty for poaching elephants?

My opinion of the death penalty for poaching elephants is that it is the right thing to do as the poachers are killing a living thing for money so they must give their life in return.

6. What is meant by the term, ‘marauding’?

The term ‘Marauding’ means going from one place to another by killing or using violence, stealing, and destroying.

7. It is clear that Chang Zongbo is passionate about protecting the

elephants but how do you know that he has empathy with the farmers?

I know that he has empathy with the farmers because he helped them to build a wall to protect the people from the elephants. He also communicates with villagers to educate them about the elephants.

8. Record an action that demonstrates that elephants are intelligent?

An action that demonstrates that elephants are intelligent is that when farmers build an electric fence to stop them from entering, elephants get

a branch and break it. Plastic sheeting, they will smash, trenches, they fill them with mud.

9. How would you feel as a farmer if the elephants were on your

land?

I would feel angry as a farmer if the elephants were on my land because they gorge on bananas and sugar cane and would spoil the crops by walking on it. Also, the government pay compensation for the crops but not enough to cover the cost of the damage.