The Secret Life of City Foxes

Once seen as shy, rural animals, foxes have increasingly (1) …1. A — built1. B — settled1. C — grown1. D — put down roots in Britain's cities, turning parks, gardens and even rooftops into new territory. Researchers believe the shift happened because urban areas offer rich (2) …2. A — pickings2. B — scraps2. C — provisions2. D — offerings, from discarded takeaways to overflowing bins. City foxes have also grown remarkably thick-(3) …3. A — headed3. B — coated3. C — furred3. D — skinned, rarely reacting to noise or bright lights the way their rural relatives would. Some biologists put (4) …4. A — across4. B — out4. C — forward4. D — ahead the theory that natural selection favours animals able to tolerate humans at close range. Not everyone welcomes the new neighbours, though: residents often (5) …5. A — shake5. B — snap5. C — point5. D — raise the finger at foxes for digging up flowerbeds or raiding bins at night. Conservationists, for their (6) …6. A — part6. B — turn6. C — account6. D — share, point out that foxes help keep rodent populations in check. Whatever side you take, the fox has clearly earned (7) …7. A — importance7. B — honour7. C — glory7. D — pride of place in the modern urban landscape, proving itself a true (8) …8. A — specialist8. B — expert8. C — authority8. D — master of urban survival.