Unit 5

Прочитайте следующие слова :

Verterbrates

cenozoic

variety

scale

specimen

occur

fossilized

tough

turtle

era

Class Reptilia

The Rise of Animal Life. At present reptiles are not so widely distributed as other vertebrates - fishes, birds, or mammals. They are seldom found in cold regions, are not numerous in temperate climates. They flourish in tropical conditions. However, there was a time, long, long ago, when this group dominated animal life, both in variety and distribution.

Some of the fossilized specimens which have been discovered and analyzed prove that the animal world has been developing continually. Lots of animals have vanished from the face of the Earth, some becoming extinct and others more highly developed. Similar transformations are known to have occurred in plants.

The most important stages in the development of life on Earth are measured in separate eras most ancient era; the Paleozoic; the Mesozoic Era; and the Cenozoic Era (the most recent).

Early Reptiles. Fossil remains of early vertebrates have been discovered in strata dating back to the Paleozoic Era. Fishes appeared first, and were followed by amphibians. Towards the close of the Paleozoic Era the climate of many regions in the world, which was hot and damp, must have become drier. Those conditions proved unfavourable to the amphibians with their scaleless, moist skins. Some adapted themselves by developing a horny skin, and continued living on land.

The new environment gave rise to a chain of other adaptations the lungs developed until they were able to meet the oxygen requirements of the organism; there were notable advances in the brain; the animals learnt to reproduce in the absence of water by laying large eggs enclosed in hard shells or tough skins. Thus the early amphibians developed into early reptiles (stem reptiles).

Variety of Form. The reptiles reached their peak in the Mesozoic Era, when the birds and mammals were few and unimportant. That is why the era is called the Age of Reptiles.

A great number of skeletons of extinct reptiles are being discovered in the Mesozoic strata. Some bear a distinct resemblance to modern turtles, lizards, and crocodiles. Others look very different.

Among the walking land vertebrates were the Dinosauria (monster reptiles). Some were really huge.

Extinction. Why did these reptiles become extinct, giving way to others

One of the factors was the change in the climate which grew much cooler at the close of the Mesozoic Era. The new conditions were most unfavourable for the reptiles, whose body temperature had never been stable. Many proved unable to withstand the change, and died.

(2.000)

Задание 1.

Дайте русские эквиваленты следующих слов 

to withstand, become extinct, measure (n, v);

rise (n), temperature, distribution, specimen, chain of other adaptations, requirements, shell, resemblance;

scaleless (a), notable, stable.

Задание 2.

Переведите следующие предложения обращая внимание на употребление much ,many, little, few.

1. There are too many people here.

2. Do you have much trouble with English

3. I love you so much.

4. Cactuses need little water.

5. Bob feels much better to-day.

6. Give the roses a little water every day.

7. His ideas are very difficult and few people understand them.

8. Are there as many chairs as people

Задание 3.

Заполните пропуски слова much, many, little ,a few, a little.

1. Are there... opera houses in London

2. How... time have we got

3. How... tickets do they need

4. Men of... words are the best men.

5. I only need ... minutes to get ready.

6. ... teenagers in the village could read.

7. She only wanted... love,... kindness.

Задание 4.

Переведите следующие предложения, обращая внимание на значение глагола « take ».

1. Have you taken your degree

1. When are you going to take your holidays

1. Who took the first prize in the last game

1. Do you take any interest in art

1. How long did it take you to translate the paper

1. Does your experiment take much time

1. When are you going to take your examination in English

1. Do you take an active part in your seminars

Задание 5.

Слова для запоминания

to distribute, flourish, dominate, prove, vanish, become extinct, occur, reach, withstand;

verterbrates (n), mammals, reptiles, variety, specimen, transformation, stratum,

rise, advance, shell, resemblance, turtle, lizard, snake;

temperate (a), similar, favourable, unfavourable, scaleless, notable, tough, huge;

continually (adv);

lots of, that is why.

Задание 6.

Ответьте на вопросы по тексту 

1. Are reptiles as widely distributed as fishes, birds, or mammals

1. What conditions do they flourish in

1. Why have lots of animals vanished from the face of the Earth

1. What transformations occurred to plants

1. How are the most important stages in the development of life on Earth measured

1. What happened to the amphibians with their scaleless, moist skins

1. What did the new environment give rise to

8. When did the reptiles reach their peak

Задание 7.

Подготовьте сообщение по теме 

• The Age of Reptiles.

• Early Reptiles.

• Variety of Form.