Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia that is bordered by the nations of Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. It is a small, tropical region roughly five times the size of Taiwan, with a bloody and violent history of war. An eight-year civil war in the 1970s was followed immediately thereafter by a war against Vietnam that lasted nearly 11 years. The wars left many scars on both the people and the land of Cambodia. To this day, thousands of unexploded landmines and bombs lie invisible under the ground, ready to blow up and destroy.
In an effort to find and disarm these landmines, a Belgian organization named APOPO began training rats, known as
HeroRats, to sniff them out. Rats are perfect for the job as they only weigh three pounds and are not heavy enough to set off the landmines. They also have a strong sense of smell that allows them to detect the chemical compounds found in explosives. HeroRats are trained using food rewards, usually bananas, and will stop and scratch at the ground whenever they have picked up the target scent. Not a single rat has ever been injured or killed in
the line of duty.
One such rat, gold medalist Magawa, has recently been retired after five years of service. During his career, Magawa—meaning “courage”—found 71 mines and 38 unexploded items, and helped clear 2.4 million square feet of land. He undoubtedly saved countless people from death and injury. He can now look forward to living out his remaining days in comfort, snacking on fruit and peanuts.
1. Why is there such a serious landmine problem in Cambodia?
(A) They were placed there by neighboring countries but then were forgotten.
(B) Cambodia did not get along with any of the countries nearby.
(C) Decades of armed conflict have left the country this way.
(D) They were used to deal with a severe rat problem.
2. According to the passage, what is true about HeroRats?
(A) Their light weight prevents landmines from exploding.
(B) They have a dangerous job and are at risk every day.
(C) They’re trained for this work using fear of punishment.
(D) The rats make a loud noise whenever they smell a landmine.
3. Which of the following statements about Magawa the HeroRat is true?
(A) He is the longest-living HeroRat ever.
(B) He has an exceptional service track record.
(C) He will keep working until he dies of old age.
(D) His name does not have any particular meaning.
