Read the excerpt:

The Arabian oryx, a white antelope with long straight horns, had been hunted to extinction in the wild by the early 1970s. A few animals survived in zoos, and from these a breeding programme was started. In 1978 a small herd was brought to the Shaumari Reserve in eastern Jordan, where it grew steadily behind protective fences. Animals bred there were later released into larger desert areas, including Wadi Rum. Today the species is no longer classed as endangered, although it remains at risk.

Which statement best summarises the excerpt?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Captive breeding helped return the oryx to the wild

  1. Step 1: The excerpt traces the oryx from extinction in the wild, through breeding from zoo animals and protection at Shaumari, to release into the desert. Answer: Captive breeding helped return the oryx to the wild. Why not the others: Hunting is described as the cause of extinction in the past, not as a present activity; the excerpt says animals were released into larger desert areas, not kept only behind fences; and it says nothing about zoos today.

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