A、They are now a tourist destination. B、They attract a lot of migrating birds. C、They provide shelter for the farmers. D、They ma

Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. The mountain has been in a state of near continuous eruption for half a million years. Exploring the Etna geographical area reveals a history written in fire. Before the eruptions, it was covered by forests of pine trees. Located in southern Italy, Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe. However, its height often changes when volcanic material accumulates during eruptions and subsequently collapses. Few volcanoes in the world have an eruption history so thoroughly documented by historical records— Etna’s eruption history dates back as far as 1500 BC. Some 200 eruptions have been recorded down through the centuries, but compared with other volcanoes, most of its eruptions have so far been fairly light in terms of death and destruction. Only about 100 deaths have been attributed to the volcano. The mountain hasn’t been entirely harmless, however; in 1928 it destroyed the town of Mascali. Over the centuries, Etna’s lower slopes have been shaped by human hands to take advantage of rich soils for growing grapes, apples and nuts. Local people have also carved out over 200 caves in the soft rock and used them for everything from sacred burial places to food storage. Large mammals once wandered the volcano’s slopes, but today foxes, wild cats, rabbits and mice are more common. Some of those small mammals help to sustain such big birds as golden eagles.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
16. What does the speaker say about Mount Etna?
17. What do we learn about the lower slopes of Mount Etna?
18. What does the speaker say about big birds like golden eagles at Mount Etna?