Amphibians

Amphibians are animals that can live on land but need to return to water to breed.

Amphibians are ectothermic vertebrates (animals with a backbone). The group includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Frogs and toads are the most common amphibians.

The adults have bulging eyes, a squat body, and no tail. Frogs have a smooth skin and long, powerful back legs with webbed feet for jumping and swimming. They normally live in or near water. Toads have a dry, warty skin and shorter legs with less webbing between the toes. They prefer to live on land, except during breeding.

7. Read the text and match the words in column A with their equivalents in column B.

Arthropods

Arthropods make up the largest group in the animal kingdom. A typical arthropod has a segmented body, a hard outer skeleton called an exoskeleton, and jointed legs; many arthropods have compound eyes. Having an exoskeleton limits the growth of an organism, so arthropods molt (shed their exoskeleton) and grow to fill a larger one. Arthropods normally molt several times during their life.

A B

Arthropods Линять

Segmented Составной

Outer Внешний

Exoskeleton Членистоногие

Jointed Сегментированный

Compound Наружный

To molt Составной

 

6. Read the text and answer the questions:

Reptiles

Reptiles are vertebrates that have successfully adapted to life on land. They have a scaly skin to avoid drying out and have well-developed lungs to breathe in air.

Most reptiles lay eggs that have food and water in the waterproof shell. These characteristics enable them to survive in dry places.

Reptiles are ectothermic, which means their body temperature varies with the surroundings.

There are three main groups of reptiles: snakes and lizards, crocodiles and alligators, and turtles.

1. What is a reptile?

2. What does the term “ectothermic” mean?

3. How many groups of reptiles do you know?

 

Read the text and give 7 characteristics of birds that differ them from other animals; prove that birds are adapted to their habitats and life-styles.

Birds

Living things are adapted to exist in particular places. The climate (temperature, sunlight, and rainfall) affects the type of vegetation that grows, which in turn determines the animals that live there. An organism is also affected by the soil type, whether the place is on dry land or under water, and the presence of other organisms competing for food and mates. A huge habitat zone, such as an ocean or a desert, is called a biome. Similar biomes can exist on different continents that share the same conditions. Desert biomes, for example, exist in America, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

 

8. Read the text and find English equivalents to the Russian expressions:

1. Эндотермальные позвоночные, 2. плацентные, 3. ушные раковины, 4. развиваться в матке матери, 5. при помощи пуповины, 6. получать питание через, 7. молочные железы матери, 8. питательные вещества.

Mammals

Mammals are endothermic vertebrates. They are the only animals with fur or hair on their body, and ear flaps. Most mammals are placental mammals.

This means that their young develop inside the mother's uterus, nourished by an organ called the placenta. The umbilical cord connects the young to the placenta.

After birth, young mammals drink milk from their mother's mammary (milk-producing) glands until they are old enough to eat the adult's diet.

Milk is the ideal food for a young mammal: it contains all the nutrients that it needs for growth and development.

 

9. Read the text and answer the questions.

Plants

Most plants are green because they contain the substance chlorophyll. They use it to trap light energy; this is used during photosynthesis to make food. Plants are usually anchored in a growing medium such as soil. Some, such as mosses and liverworts, are small and delicate. Others, such as the giant redwood trees are huge. Many plants, such as marigolds and sunflowers, are annuals, which mean that they live for just a year. Perennials can live for many years: some bristlecone pine trees, for example, are 5,000 years old.

1. Why are most plants green?

2. What for do they use chlorophyll?

3. What small and big plants do you know?

4. What are annuals and perennials?