[00:11.00]READING AND SPEAKING
[00:12.96]Marine turtles are among the oldest animals on our planet.
[00:17.29]They have lived in the earth’s oceans for over 100 million years,
[00:21.94]but are now close to disappearing.
[00:24.29]Of the seven existing species, six are endangered and the situation of the seventh is unknown.
[00:31.35]Reasons why they are endangered:
[00:33.70]l hunted for their meat, shells, and eggs
[00:36.94]l habitats destroyed
[00:41.30]l accidentally caught by fishermen
[00:45.14]What is being done to protect them:
[00:47.70]l new fishing methods and equipment that
[00:52.74]protect the turtles
[00:54.20]l scientists follow the turtles
[00:56.76]Corals are marine animals that also make up the coral reefs which become habitats for thousands of other species.
[01:04.42]Corals are sensitive to changes in the environment and require clean and warm water in order to grow.
[01:11.39]Coral reefs develop best in areas where the water temperature is about 20-28℃ and where there are strong waves.
[01:20.35]Reasons why they are endangered:
[01:23.07]global warming-increasing temperatures damage the corals
[01:31.64]l pollution
[01:33.10]tourism
[01:34.25]What is being done to protect them:
[01:36.29]l efforts to prevent global warming
[01:38.87]l reduce pollution
[01:40.70]l limit the number of tourists allowed to visit the reefs.
[01:44.46]READING
[01:48.12]EAT OR BE EATEN (I)
[01:50.86]All animals are part of the food chain:
[01:54.21]they are listed on someone else’s menu and always run the risk of ending up as someone else’s lunch,dinner or snack.
[02:02.46]To protect themselves from being eaten and to survive in the wild,
[02:07.09]many animals have developed clever ways to escape from or avoid danger.
[02:12.34]Like human beings, animals often try to hide or run away when they are being attacked.
[02:18.29]Many animals have adapted to their environment in such a way that they can hide better.
[02:23.86]Having the right colour can make a big difference.
[02:26.89]Many animals have the same or similar colour as their environment,
[02:31.27]making it more difficult for other animals to find them.
[02:34.93]Some can change colour very quickly,
[02:36.34]even in a few seconds.
[02:37.98]Other animals and insects have a body shape that helps them hide.
[02:42.34]Some insects look just like a small stick and can easily hide in a tree or bush.
[02:48.51]If it is too late to hide or run away,
[02:51.23]an animal must use other methods to survive an attack.
[02:55.30]One type of snake that lives in Texas has developed an interesting way to defend itself.
[03:01.34]If it is attacked, it first makes itself look bigger and pretends to be a dangerous snake.
[03:07.60]If that doesn’t work, the snake uses another trick;
[03:11.13]it rolls over, opens its mouth and acts as if it were dead.
[03:15.86]The snake is such a good actor that it seems quite dead.
[03:19.46]If someone picks it up, it hangs like a rope and doesn’t move.
[03:23.43]However, if you roll it back on its stomach,
[03:26.57]it will roll over on its back again in order to look dead.
[03:30.54]Another way to survive and attack is to have useful body parts.
[03:34.69]The turtle has thick shell that protects it from its enemies,
[03:38.72]and other animals have teeth,
[03:40.88]claws, and horns that they can use to defend themselves.
[03:44.54]There are also animals that can use their tails to fight off attackers.
[03:48.96]A long tail can be used to hit an attacker,
[03:52.33]and there is even animal whose tail will break off so that it can run away if someone grabs it.
[03:59.17]The best way to stay safe is to develop a way to receive an early warning when danger approaches.
[04:06.04]Many animals stay together in large groups and use sounds and body language to warn each other if they see or hear something suspicious.
[04:14.79]Some animals even work together with other species to stay safe.
[04:18.92]The birds you often see on the back of a water buffalo have an important job
[04:23.96]they warn the buffalo of danger |