Unit 15 We’re trying to save the manatees!
Section A 1b
Boy: Hey, Ginny. What’s that big, furry animal in the pond?
Girl: It’s a polar bear, Victor. They’re kind of aggressive.
Boy: Are they? Looks like they really love water.
Girl: Uh-huh.
Boy: And what do you call those big, gray things in the water?
Girl: They’re called manatees.
Boy: What?
Girl: Manatees. They’re very gentle and very shy.
Girl: They’re cheetahs. The cheetah is the fastest animal on earth
Section A 2a 2b
Boy: Can you tell us about the manatees, please?
Man: Sure. We’re trying to save them.
Boy: Why? Are they endangered?
Man: Yes. There used to be a lot of manatees, but now there aren’t very many of them.
Boy: Do you know how many there are?
Man: At this point, there are only about 2, 500 in the U.S. In 1927, it was discovered that they were endangered. Since then, the government has passed laws to protect them.
Boy: Where do they live?
Man: Their favorite habitat is the water under the trees in mangrove swamps.
Boy: And why are they endangered?
Man: Some of the swamps have become polluted. Also, there sometimes isn’t enough food for all of them. As you can see, they’re large. The average manatee is about ten feet long and weighs about 1, 000 pounds. They need about 100 pounds of aquatic feed a day.
Boy: Aquatic feed?
Man: Oh, that’s underwater plants and vegetation. That’s what they eat.
3a
Dear Editor,
I am writing to say that I am against building a new zoo in our town. Zoos are terrible places for animals to live. I've visited a lot of zoos in my life, and I have never seen one I liked or one that was suitable for animals to live in. Just last week, I visited a zoo and couldn’t believe what I saw. The animals are kept in tiny cages and can hardly move at all. And they are only given food once a day. Is this a good way for animals to live? I don't think so.
Sincerely
Disgusted
Section B 2a 2b
Boy: Hey, Julia. Don’t forget to turn off the lights. It saves electricity.
Girl: Oh, I know. I usually do that. I was just in a hurry. How come you’re so interested in the environment, Jack?
Boy: I always have been. Lots of people think there’s nothing they can do, but I just read this book about it, and there are lots of things the average person can do.
Girl: Like what?
Boy: Well, you should turn off the shower when you’re washing your hair.
Girl: Oh, I’d never do that!
Boy: You wouldn’t?
Girl: No, I have very short hair. I’m only in the shower for a few minutes.
Boy: Well, every minute helps.
Girl: What else does it say?
Boy: It says you should take your own bags when you go food shopping.
Girl: Oh, that’s not difficult. I can do that. What else?
Boy: Hmmm. Here’s a good one. It says people should stop riding in cars and start riding bikes.
Girl: Oh, I’ll never do that! Can you see me riding 45 minutes to and from school every day?
Boy: Well, I think the environment is really important. Besides, I like riding my bike.
Girl: Yes, and you also live close to school!
3a
The house of trash
You have probably never heard of Amy Winterbourne, but she is a most unusual woman. She lives in a house that she built herself out of trash. Well, the stuff used to be called trash, but now it’s called “recycled” material. The windows and doors came from old buildings around the town that were being pulled down. The walls are made from old glass bottles that are glued together. The roof is made from discarded tiles. And the fence is built out of used soda cans. Amy recently won an award from the Help Save Our Planet Society. The president Jackson Smith said, “Amy is an inspiration to us all.”
And what does Amy do in her spare time? She makes model toys out of old TVs, and sells them to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.
