FortheMarineMammalCenter(海洋哺乳动物中心），Thursdaywasanimport...

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问题详情：

For the Marine Mammal Center (海洋哺乳动物中心），Thursday was an important day: rescued sea lion No.10,000,called Milestone, and 10.001, Zodiac Girl, had been nursed back to health and sent back to the wild where they belong.

Since it opened its doors 36 years ago, the center has become famous for nursing sick marine animals back to health- but its biggest contribution perhaps has been its role in collecting and storing thousands of tissue (生物组织) from the animals it rescues along 600 miles of California coast. The center has published lots of scientific papers and helped develop understanding of effects of disease and the effect of climate (气候) changed on marine animals.

California sea lions share common characteristics with Steller sea lions, which are an endangered species. The center’s researchers say collecting and storing scientific information from many of the thousands of sea lions can help to save Stellers.

“We are learning about marine mammal health through all these patients. Before 1975, there was never anything been regularly recorded in detail, so it wasn’t possible to get animal tissue, ”said Jim Oswald, the center’s spokesman.

Though the sea lions didn’t like to be sent back home in the Pacific Ocean, their time spent at the center provided scientists with the information being used to control and prevent some common diseases.

The two animals had leptospirosis, which could be fatal to them. Dogs and humans can also get the disease. What made the scientists feel strange is that hundred of California sea lions suffered from the disease every four or five years. While no answer to the mystery has been found, the center’s data collection is helping researchers move closer.

32. Thursday was special for the Marine Mammal Center mainly because ______.

A. it got evidence about a new disease

B. it was the date when it was founded 36 years ago

C. it celebrated saving more than ten thousand sea lions

D. it helped Milestone and Zodiac Girl out of trouble

33. The most important role of the Marine Mammal Center lies in ___________.

A. collecting information about marine life

B. nursing sick marine animals back to health

C. publishing scientific papers about animals

D. helping people understand the effect of climate change

34. The underlined word “fatal” in Paragraph 6 means “____”.

A. rare B. funny C. useful D. deadly