COMPREHENSION

I. By reading passage B decide where these adverbs and adverbial phrases can go:

 

a) in the wild

b) 30 years ago

c) all over the United States

d) officially

e) rapidly

 

II Read the passage A again and underline all the adverbs and adverbial phrases.

 

III. Find out what the two species are what they have in common. Tick the correct statements.

ü They are both birds.

ü They are both in danger of extinction.

ü They disappeared from the face of the Earth.

ü They are both national symbols.

ü They are both rare because humans have hunted them.

ü Most people have only seen them in the zoo.

 

IV. Which animal or bird would you choose as the national symbol of your country? Why?

Read the texts and put the words from the boxes. You may have to make some small changes.

 

Operation tiger

 

create left remain save

Seventy years ago there were 100 000 tigers in the wild. Today there are not more than 8000…. In 1972 the World Wildlife Fund launched “Operation Tiger” to … the tigers that …. 18 tiger reserves have been… in India and 3 in Nepal.

 

The last thirty oryx

 

almost hunter natural rare survive wildlife zoo (twice)

By the 1970s…had killed…all of the Arabian oryx. The WWF helped to capture the last thirty …oryx and send them to Phoenix… in Arizona where a herd of these…animals has been built up. Other… and…parks have helped, and the oryx has been reintroduced into its…surroundings in Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

 

The last thousand polar bears.

 

arctic alive fewer hunting increase live successfully

Thirty years ago…than 1000 polar bears were left …in the wild in Norway, Greenland and the former USSR. WWF persuaded the five… nations of Canada, the USA, Denmark, the former USSR and Norway to agree to control… and promote scientific study. Now the “ice bears” are…and breeding… once again, and those 1000 bears have… their numbers to about 5000.

 

The tropical forests

 

Dam destroy encourage flood in danger international medicine protect supply

Tropical forests have…us with many sorts of plant for food,…and industry. They could probably supply many more. They also reduce …and droughts, keep water clean, and slow down the Greenhouse Effect. But the tropical forests are being… to make room for things like farms, ranches, mines and hydroelectric…. About 20 million hectares are lost each year – an area more than twice the size of Austria. WWF is working to… and save the forests that are…; to plant new trees for fuel wood and to slow down the Greenhouse Effect; and to … governments to think about the forests and their importance when… giving…aid.

 

Group work

Work in groups of 3 or 4. Imagine that you are the executive committee of a wildlife conservation organization in the year 2500.

You have enough money to save several but not all of the following from extinction:

the lion

the rabbit

the sheep

the cat

the dog

the horse

the golden eagle

the bee

the cobra

the rose.

Draw up a list of priorities: 3 things that you will certainly save, 3 more that you will save if you have enough money left over, and 4 that you will not try to save.