Comprehension check

I. Choose the best variant:

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

1. to provide a scientific description

2. to show that frogs have similarities with birds

3. to emphasize variety in nature

4. to entertain readers

2. The writer and his assistant searched for frogs in Guiana because

1. the frogs in Guiana have wonderful colours

2. the behaviour of Guianan frogs is interesting

3. Guianan frogs are unusual in their appearance

4. the frogs in Guiana live in unusual places

3. The place where they searched for frogs was

1. dangerous

2. unpleasant

3. attractive

4. uninteresting

4. Bob

1. nearly missed the valuable find

2. was systematic in his method of searching

3. was about to give up when he found the toad

4. was disappointed when he saw what his toad looked like

5. The author particularly wanted to catch a pipa toad because

1. It is such an unusual-looking creature

2. it is very difficult to find

3. it is unique because it looks dead when alive

4. it has a fascinating breeding method

6. The female toad's babies

1. were born in dangerous circumstances

2. were born soon after the author caught her

3. were born at an inconvenient time

4. were born in an unusual way for this species

7. The writer's overall purpose in the text is to

1. inform his readers about a rare species

2. make his readers like frogs and toads

3. amuse his readers with a funny story

4. interest his readers in the natural world.

II. Look back at the text. Complete the following list of words, all of which are used in the text to describe how animals reproduce and take care of their young. All the words can be found in para­graphs 1 and 5. The first letter of each word is provided.

1. rearing 5

2……………… 6

3. ……………... 7

4. ……………… 8

III. Complete the following sentences using the words from «Ехеrcise II». Make any necessary changes.

1. A chicken can ... many eggs in a single week.

2. Birds' eggs require the warmth from the bodies of the parent birds in order....

3. The baby bird slowly ... inside the egg.

4. Female fish release their eggs into the water, where the eggs ... by the male fish.

5. Many mammals like apes and monkeys are very good par­ents. They put a lot of effort into ... their young.

6. Some insects have a special tool with which they ... their eggs on the undersides of leaves.

7. The patterns and colours of birds' eggs make them hard to see and help .... them from predators.

8. Many zoos have tried to get pandas .... so that the pandas born in the zoos can be returned to the wild.

IV. Look back at the text again. Find the words that mean the same as the following definitions.

1. The natural home of a plant or animal

2. A group of plants or animals of the same kind

3. Moved around quietly, trying not to be seen

4. Catching an animal after chasing or following it

5. Animals that are able to live both on land and in water

6. Single plants or animals that are typical of their kind

7. The hair that grows thickly over the bodies of some types of animal

8. Unusual or surprising

V.Complete the following text, using the words from «Exercise IV». Make any necessary changes.

Africa has some of the most interesting animal ... (1) in the world. The large mammals, like lions and elephants are well known, but there is also an extraordinary variety of birds, snakes. ... (2) and some of the ... (3) insects on earth.

In the old days, Europeans used to go to Africa to shoot mag­nificent ... (4) of lions and other large animals. A lot of animals were also killed to supply the ... (5) trade. Nowadays, however, visitors from Europe go to enjoy seeing the animals in their natural ... (6). There is simply no comparison between seeing a lion in the zoo and seeing one ... (7) at dusk, looking for an opportunity to hunt. Some of the national parks have too many lions and so some ... (8) and transferred to areas where the lion populations are smaller.

The Way