platypus

The platypus is one of nature’s most mysterious creatures. Just take a look at it. It has a bill like a duck, feet and fur like an otter and a flat tail like a beaver. On top of that, itlays eggs like a bird. No wonder some scientists once thought it wasn’t real and, even now, the platypus still raises eyebrows and questions. Below, we answer some of them.

A: The platypus may seem like a mythical creature, but it is real and it exists in our world today. Scientists believe the platypus has been around for about 100,000 years, though it was only discovered in the late 18th century.

A: Although the platypus lays eggs like birds and reptiles, it is actually considered a mammal. In fact, it is one of only five living species of egg-laying mammals (called monotremes). Like other mammals, the platypus feeds its young milk. It is warm-blooded, which means it can keep itself warm or cold, and it has fur. In fact, the platypus has very thick fur, and it’s waterproof, too.

The platypus walks like a reptile, though, because of its unique bone structure. And a female platypus has two ovaries, but, like many birds, only the left one works. Why? That remains a mystery.

Is the platypus a marsupial? No. The female platypus does not have a pouch. She lays her eggs and keeps them warm with her body. The females of the other four monotreme species (the echidnas, or spiny anteaters) do have temporary pouches where they lay their eggs, but are still not classified as marsupials, which by definition have permanent pouches.

A: Platypuses can only be found in one area in the world — southeast Australia and the nearby island of Tasmania. They are found near rivers, since they spend a lot of time in the water and make their burrows on the muddy banks.

A: A duck-billed platypus’ diet consist of shrimp, crayfish, insects, insect larvae and worms. It hunts in the water, finding food through electroreception. What this means is that it has special sensors on its bill that detect the electric signals sent by other creatures in the water.

Cubic kangaroo

CUBIC LISTENING – SURPRISE SURPRISE

The Kangaroo

Vocabulary:  mammal   crawl   pouch   hopping  

Did you know that there are around 50 million kangaroos in Australia? That means that there are many more kangaroos in Australia than people. Kangaroos are found throughout Australia, and this is the only country where they live in the wild.

The kangaroo is an unusual type of mammal. Its babies—known as joeys— are born very small and undeveloped. In fact, a baby red kangaroo is only 2.5 centimeters long at birth. As soon as it is born, the joey crawls slowly up the front of the mother’s body and into a special pouch, where it stays for the next seven months.

There are over 40 different species of kangaroo. The largest is the red kangaroo, which can weigh up to 90 kilos and, at one meter 80 centimeters, is as tall as a large man. At the other end of the scale is the musky-rat kangaroo. At around 23 centimeters long and half a kilogram in weight, it’s the smallest kangaroo.

Most kangaroos have long, thick tails which they use for balance as they hop along. And speaking of hopping, a large red kangaroo can move surprisingly quickly. It has a comfortable hopping speed of 20 kilometers per hour. It can travel at this speed for long distances without becoming tired. If necessary, the red kangaroo can travel at 40 kilometers per hour for two kilometers. And at its fastest, the big red can accelerate to a speed of 70 kilometers per hour, and keep this speed for short distances.

Kangaroo meat is very healthy. It’s high in iron and low in fat. Because of this, some Australian supermarkets sell kangaroo meat. However, sales are low. Interestingly, kangaroo meat is more popular in Europe. More kangaroo meat is eaten in Germany, France, Switzerland and Belgium than in Australia.

People are always looking for new ways to use kangaroo skin. Fashion capitals around the world now make bags, gloves and slippers from lightweight kangaroo skin. And—Surprise, Surprise—kangaroo skin is also used to make soccer shoes. In fact, many professional soccer players choose to wear soft, light kangaroo-skin shoes because they can control the ball better.

Questions

1. How many kangaroos are there in Australia?

2. When does a joey enter its mother’s pouch?

3. How many different species of kangaroo are there?

4. Why is kangaroo meat healthy to eat?

2 Second Challenge

Listen to the story again and answer the questions.

1. Kangaroos are ( ______ ) to hop backwards because of their (______ ) feet and (______ ). 


2. The kangaroo is on the Australian Coat of Arms as a (______ ) of progress, because it can (______ ) move (_______ ). 


3. (______ ) out when driving in Australia. A large kangaroo will cause a lot of (______ ) to your car if you (______ ) into one. 


4. Some Australian drivers (______ ) an ultrasonic device to their (______ ) to scare kangaroos (______ ). 


5. Kangaroos often (______ ) in large (______ ) called mobs. Mobs are led by one dominant (______ ). 


Tea

CUBIC LISTENING – SURPRISE SURPRISE

Tea

Vocabulary:  fungus,  consumption, tax,  desperate,  planters,  precious,

1. Where did all the tea in England come from in the 1600s?

2. Where did English people store their valuable tea?

3. When did the British eat sandwiches and cake?

4. Where did coffee rust first appear?

II. Listen and repeat

The British are famous for drinking tea, but you may be surprised to know that this wasn’t always the case.

Tea was first brought to England from China in the 1600s. However, the tea trade was strictly controlled and the English government put an incredibly high tax on the new import. As a result, tea was so expensive in England that few people drank it. Coffee was much more popular at this stage.

III.  Fill in the missing words

1. At first, tea was (____________) from (____________) and was heavily (____________) by the English government. 


2. Because tea was very (____________), tea leaves were often (____________) and (____________)—several times. 


3. The (____________) of coffee in Britain skyrocketed when coffee plants around the Orient were (____________) by a (____________). 


4. When (____________) in Sri Lanka switched to growing tea, the price of tea (____________) and tea (____________) rose. 


5. The British were once the (____________) tea (____________) in the world, but that changed with the arrival of (____________) drinks. 


Fake goods seized in China

Fake goods seized in China

1.     Where did the police raid occur?

2.     Where did the illegal production take place?

3.     How many fake discs were seized?

4.     Where was the illegal operation?

5.     How will the fake discs be destroyed?

6.     How was the underground operation discovered?

The Goat and the Fox

The Goat and the Fox

I.               Write answers to the following questions.  Use full sentences.  (12 points)

1.     Why was the fox thirsty?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.     Why did the fox fall into the well?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3.     What did the fox tell the goat to do?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.     What did the fox promise the goat?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5.     How did the fox get out of the well?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6.     What did the fox do after he left the well?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

II.      Cloze -  write the missing words   (10 points)

The fox ____________________  some ____________________ from the well.  But the ____________________ was very heavy and the fox ____________________ in.  Later, a goat ____________________. The ____________________ fox told her to jump in and have a ____________________. And that is what the ____________________ goat did. The fox the asked the goat to ____________________ him out of the well.  He ____________________  to pull her up later.