brain gives a signal (信号)．This is sent to a small radio on its back, and then the rescuers follow the radio signals. When the rat's brain activity jumps, the rescuers know that someone is alive. The rat has smelled that person.

　　Although there are already robots which can do this job, rats are better. Christian Linster at Cornell University, New York, says, "Robots' noses don't work well when there are other smells around. Rats are good at that." Rats can also see in the dark. They are cheaper and quicker to train than dogs, and unlike robots, they don't need electricity!

　　The "rat project" is not finished, but Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland says, "It would be fantastic. A rat could get into spaces we couldn't get to, and a rat would get out if it wasn't safe." Perhaps for the first time in history, people will be happy to see a rat in a building (but only after an earthquake, of course)．

语篇解读：人人痛恨的老鼠不久将在地震后的救援中成为人们的好朋友。

　　5．In the world earthquake capitals, rats will become man's best friends because they can ________.

　　A．take the place of man's rescue jobs

　　B．find the position of people alive who are trapped in buildings

　　C．serve as food for people alive who are trapped in buildings　

　　D．get into small spaces

　　解析：选B　推理判断题。根据文章第三段内容可知，人们利用老鼠来搜寻地震中的被困人员，因此答案为B项。

　　6．From the third paragraph we know the rescuers can judge a person who is alive by ________.

　　A．the noise made by the rat

　　B．the rat's unusual behaviour

　　C．the signal sent by the radio on the rat's back

　　D．the smell given off by the person

　　解析：选C　细节理解题。根据第三段中的"When this happens, the rat's brain gives a signal (信号). This is sent to a small radio on its back, and then the rescuers follow the radio signals."可知答案为C项。

　　7．Rats have all the following advantages EXCEPT that ________.

　　A．they are more fantastic than other animals

　　B．they are less expensive to train than dogs

C．they don't need electricity