Discuss these questions in pairs or small groups.

1. What unusual animal behavior have you seen or heard about?
2. What are some ways that animals’ senses are being used to serve people?
3. Do you think it is ethical to use animals to serve humans? Why or why not?

Listening B. Read the questions and answer the ones you can. Then listen to the program again and answer the remaining questions. Compare answers with a partner. Listen again if necessary.

1. What do bower birds do that the speaker finds so special?
2. What do birds do to other birds’ bower?
3. Note some words that the speaker use to describe the birds.
4. What are some examples of behavior birds use to attract a mate?
5. What two types of bowers are described?
6. Who actually raises the young or chicks?
7. How are maypole bowers constructed?
8. List some objects bower birds might use to decorate their structures.
9. How do experts think the birds learn to build these structures? And how long does it take to develop this skill?
10. Why does the speaker describe bower birds as thieves?

Thinking and Speaking

Discuss the questions in small groups.

1. What about the birds’ behavior is surprising. Why?
2. How do some other animals attract mates?

6.3 For more practice use the video “How Marine Mammals Survive”. Check your understanding answering the following questions:

• How deep can they dive? How long can they stay at this depth?
• Do they make a huge breath before dive?
• Why can they survive so long without air? ( Name 3 reasons)
• How can they slow down a heart beat?
• How can they make use of cold?

Unit 7. Languages in Conflict: Irish and English

7.1 Lecture. Languages in Conflict: Irish and English

A. Pre-listening Activities

Preview of Content

In the small country of Ireland, two languages are used by the people: Irish, which is the native language, and English, which is the language that was brought to Ireland by the invading armies of England in the twelfth century. While English is the dominant language of the country today, some Irishmen have struggled to keep alive their national lan­guage. In this lecture, you will learn something about the historic struggle and conflict between Ireland's two languages: Irish and English.

The lecturer opens up his presentation by giving some information about the location, size, and population of the tiny country. He also alludes to the political and national division that exists between Northern Ireland, which is part of the British Commonwealth, and the Republic of Ireland, which is not.

The rest of the lecture is organized chronologically. First, mention is made of Ireland's cultural importance in the early Middle Ages. After this, the lecturer jumps ahead to the Norman-English invasion of the country in the twelfth century. In the sixteenth century, the country was sub­jugated and brought under English domination. Hard times followed up through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Failure of the potato crop due to poor weather conditions brought death from hunger to the population and forced a million Irishmen to leave their homeland for the U.S., Canada, and other countries. The lecturer notes that in the nineteenth century, use of the native language declined drastically, with only a small proportion of the Irish people speaking the national language. An effort was made, however, in the early twenti­eth century to reestablish use of the national language in the country. The speaker will give specific examples of these attempts and will finish up his presentation with the remark that, perhaps because of these mea­sures, Ireland's national language will continue to exist in that small country.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 1652