【明報專訊】In Queensland (昆士蘭), Australia, a baby koala was found in a 50-year-old woman's bag by police officers who were on patrol at night on November 6. The koala was slightly dehydrated when it was discovered, but it recovered well at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA, 皇家愛護動物協會) there.

The woman, who was arrested on other matters, handed over her bag and said it contained a joey when the officers asked her if she had anything to declare. "Not quite believing their ears, the officers cautiously unzipped the bag and found this gorgeous boy," says a statement the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has issued. The RSPCA named the animal Alfred and took it into its care.

Koalas are protected under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act. They may not be kept as pets but Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection gives members of the public 72 hours to hand in wild animals they find. Moreover, the police have reminded people that anyone who finds a koala should call their wildlife emergency hotline and refrain from handling it as it may have internal injuries.

(sources: Ming Pao, The Guardian, BBC, QPS)

■ Photo Story

Alfred, the baby koala the policewoman held, weighed 1.5 kg and was about six months old when it was rescued.

■ Quiz

Answer the following questions.

(Answers on next text)

1. Which of the following sequences of events is correct?

a. A baby koala was found in a woman's bag → the police officers went on patrol→ a woman was arrested

b. The police officers went on patrol → a woman was arrested→a baby koala was found in a woman's bag

c. A woman was arrested → a baby koala was found in a woman's bag→ the police officers went on patrol

d. the police officers went on patrol → a baby koala was found in a woman's bag → a woman was arrested

2. Is the following sentence true or false?

The woman did not want to show the police officers what was in her bag.(True/False)

3. What is referred to as "this gorgeous boy" in paragraph two?

_________________________________________________

4. The Queensland police advise that anyone who encounters koala(s) should _________________________.

■ English highway﹕dehydrated

If a person or thing is "dehydrated", he or it has lost too much water.

e.g. In such a hot day one should drink lots of water to avoid becoming dehydrated.

■ Glossary

patrol (n) 巡邏

joey (n) 年幼動物 (澳式英語)

declare (v) 申報

unzip (v) 拉開……的拉鏈