Comprehension Passage

The Return of the Unicorn

Photo credit and all related images: AP

MUSCAT, Oman. A creature so beautiful that it inspired paintings, poetry, and maybe even the legend of the
unicorn has returned to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian Oryx, a large species of antelope,
was once thought to be extinct in the wild, but a successful breeding programme has resulted in its recovery.
The Arabian Oryx (also called the White Oryx) was nearly driven to extinction in the 20th century. On the
Arabian Peninsula, the only place in the world where the species existed, it was hunted for its meat, hide, and
beautiful horns. Officials believe that the last of the wild oryx were killed in 1972, leaving only a few captive
animals. In 1982, conservationists in the nation of Oman began a programme for breeding captive oryx and
releasing the offspring into the wild. About 1,000 wild oryx now meander around the peninsula, indicating that
the breeding programme was a success.

The Arabian Oryx, a graceful, cream-coloured animal with two long, black horns, known locally as Al Maha,
lives in small herds of 8 to 20 animals and is well adapted to desert conditions. It can smell water from miles
away and has wide hooves that let it easily navigate shifting sand. Herds of oryx can sense impending rains,
which are rare in the desert, and they proceed to where the rains will fall. However, failing to find water is't
usually a problem for these herds; The oryx can go for weeks without water.

The oryx often appears in Arabic poetry and paintings, and it may have been the inspiration for the legend of
the unicorn. When its long, distinctive horns that curve slightly at the tip are viewed in profile, they can appear
as one, like the horn of the fabled unicorn. (Another antelope species, the Saola of Southeast Asia, may also be
the source of the unicorn legend.)

The recovery of the Arabian Oryx is reflected on the "Red List." This inventory of species, which is compiled
by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), categorises living things by their status in the
wild. In 2011, the oryx was reclassified as "vulnerable," the best improvement to date for a species once
thought to be extinct in the wild.

The IUCN said the breeding programme demonstrated that captive oryx could adapt to harsh conditions in the
wild. The animals took to the deserts, first in Oman. Then they did well in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Israel,
the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and most recently, in Jordan. Other conservationists marvelled at the success
of the programme.
 "To have brought the Arabian Oryx back from the brink of extinction is a major feat and a true conservation
success story," said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, director general of the UAE government's Environment
Agency-Abu Dhabi. "[It's a story that] we hope will be repeated many times over for other threatened species."

Dictionary
compile (verb)    to put together
impending (adjective)    upcoming or about to happen
meander (verb)    stroll
status (noun)    situation or condition
vulnerable (adjective)    exposed to a potential danger; unprotected from something

The Return of the Unicorn

Question 1
According to the article, why do some people believe the Arabian Oryx may be the inspiration for the legend of the
unicorn?
  
It is a cream-coloured animal known locally on the Arabian Peninsula as Al Maha.
  
Conservationists bred some captive oryx and released the offspring into the wild.
  
The IUCN said that captive oryx have the ability to adapt to harsh wild conditions.
  
It has long, black horns that can appear as one horn when viewed in profile.
Question 2
What is this article mainly about?
  
The Arabian Oryx, an animal that looks like a unicorn when viewed in profile, is native to the Arabian Peninsula
and can go for weeks without water.
  
The Arabian Oryx, an animal that looks like a unicorn when viewed in profile, is well adapted to desert conditions
with wide hooves for walking through sand.
  
The Arabian Oryx, an animal that might have been the source of the legend of the unicorn, used to be hunted for its
meat, hide, and beautiful horns.
  
The Arabian Oryx, an animal that might have started the legend of the unicorn, has recovered from near-extinction
after animals bred in captivity were used to reinstate the population in the wild.
Question 3
Which event in the article took place second?
  
Hunted for its meat, hide, and horns, the wild Arabian Oryx was driven to extinction.
  
Conservationists bred captive Arabian Oryx and released the offspring into the wild.
  
Captive Arabian Oryx demonstrated that they could adapt to harsh conditions in the wild.
  
Conservationists reclassified the wild Arabian Oryx as "vulnerable" on the Red list.
Question 4
Which is the closest synonym for the word meander?
  
Congregate
  
Catapult
  
Wander
  
Socialise
Question 5
Which of these is a statement of opinion?
  
The Arabian Oryx, a cream-coloured animal with two long, black horns, is thought to be the origin of the legend of
the unicorn.
  
The Red List is an inventory of species, which categorises living things by their status in the wild.
  
In 1982, conservationists in the nation of Oman began breeding captive oryx in order to release the offspring into the
wild and establish a population there.
  
Now that the Arabian Oryx has returned to the deserts where it was once extinct, hunting laws need to be put in
place to protect the species from further harm.
Question 6
The reader can infer from the article that __________.
  
One goal of the captive breeding programme was to release the Arabian Oryx across a wider region than the native
species once lived.
  
Throughout history, the Arabian Oryx was hunted to extinction primarily because it resembled the legendary
unicorn.
  
The United Arab Emirates government's Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi is planning to capture some wild Arabian
Oryx and place them back in zoos.
  
The Arabian Oryx captive breeding programme was attempted several times before finally becoming successful in
the 1980s.
Question 7
The news article states:
The recovery of the Arabian Oryx is reflected on the "Red List." This inventory of species, which is
compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), categorises living things by
their status in the wild.
Which would be the closest synonym for inventory, as it's used above?
  
Exhibition
  
Dictionary
  
Sculpture
  
Catalogue
Question 8
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that the Arabian Oryx could likely survive in any desert
region?
  
The oryx often appears in Arabic poetry and paintings, and may have been the inspiration for the legend of the
unicorn. When its long, distinctive horns that curve slightly at the tip are viewed in profile, they can appear as one,
like the fabled unicorn.
  
The Arabian Oryx, a large species of antelope, was once thought to be extinct in the wild, but a successful breeding
programme has resulted in its recovery.
  
It can smell water from miles away and has wide hooves that let it easily navigate shifting sand. Herds of oryx can
sense impending rains, which are rare in the desert, and they proceed to where the rains will fall. However, failing to
find water isn't usually a problem for these herds; The oryx can go for weeks without water.
  
In 2011, the oryx was reclassified as "vulnerable," the best improvement to date for a species once thought to be
extinct in the wild.