Just Animals?A Draw arrows between the parts of the ecosystem that you consider

to be directly linked in some way.For example:• You could draw an arrow going from the fish to the water plant because

fish provide fertilizer to help the plants grow.• You could draw an arrow from the water plant to the fish because

plants provide shelter, and sometimes food, for the fish.

B Work in groups. Discuss the possible relationships among the different items in the picture. Also discuss whether you think all of the things in the picture are important to people.

47

• talk about animal protection and rescue

• discuss the interdependency and endangerment of species

• give opinions on having wild animals as pets

• give opinions on zoos

In this unit you will:

Unit

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2

3

1 Grammar: indefinite pronouns

A Language in context Read the article. Why do you think the group is called Rescue Ink?

Information source: www.rescueink.org

B Notice Read the information in the table. Look back at the article and find examples to complete the table. Then underline other examples in the text.

C Practice Circle the correct verb forms.

D Now you do it Work in groups. Discuss these questions.

Lots of people have pets. In your opinion, are most of them good pet owners or not? What would you recommend to owners of different types of pets?

Fish need lots of … and plenty of … Anyone who has a parrot should …Something cats and dogs both need is … Some pets …, but others …

Pronunciation: final consonant clusters

A Listen to the words and notice the sounds in the consonant groups in bold. Then listen again and practice the words.

CC: hives, paths, mask, pest, expect, length, widthCCC: absorbed, urged, swarmed, warned, involved, tastes, masks, risks, instincts

B Listen to the text. Then practice reading it.

We were absorbed as we watched the men in safety masks approach the bee hives. The bees swarmed the length of the paths to the hives as their instincts urged them to attack. We were warned of the risks involved in watching, but we wanted to see how fresh honey tastes!

Language use: listening to a story

A Read the synopsis from a radio show guide. What do you think probably happens in the story?

B Vocabulary: animal rescue Read example sentences A–F from the story Lena. Write the words in bold next to their definitions below.

A Lena’s natural habitat, the Indonesian rainforest, is being destroyed at a frightening rate of speed, and over half of the rainforest has already been destroyed.

B The humans helped the young apes learn other essential orangutan skills that they would have learned from their mothers if they had not grown up in captivity.

C In the wild, young orangutans stay with their mothers for eight years.D Today, orangutans are an endangered species.E On the day of their release, they were taken deep into the forest.F Smugglers sell the young apes to people who don’t care that these animals are not meant to be pets.

1 : n, a situation in which wild animals are kept by people

2 : n, the type of place where a particular animal or plant lives naturally

3 : n, a type of animal or plant that may soon become extinct

4 : n, the act of freeing a person/animal; v, to free a person/animal

5 : n, people who take things into or out of a country illegally to earn money

6 : adj, not raised by people; n, a place where people do not live

C Listen to the story. Take notes to help you remember the important points.

D Work in pairs. Discuss these questions. Use information from the story and your own ideas. Include as many words and phrases from Exercise B as you can.

1 Why are orangutans becoming an endangered species?2 Why do you think the rehabilitation of orangutans to their natural habitat often takes several years?3 In your opinion, does it really matter if orangutans or other species become extinct? Why or why not?

With pronouns that can be both singular or plural, the form of the verb depends on whether the pronoun refers to a noncount or a plural count noun, e.g.

None of this pet food is good. (food = noncount) None of the kittens have been fed today (kittens = plural count)

Use Type Indefinite pronouns Examples

1 To refer back to previously mentioned people, places, or things: In general, pet owners are kind to animals, but some are not.

2 To refer to unknown or unspecified people, places or things: Someone mistreated this kitten.

Singular some any every no

+

one body thing where

another one each either neither

One of a group…

(1)

Plural both, (a) few, many, several, others

Others are homeless…

(2)

Singular or plural

all, plenty, lots/a lot, most, some, none

Some of the animals…

(3)

Everyone (1) (know / knows) that no one should have a pet if they can’t take care of it properly, but a lot of people (2) (ignore

/ ignores) this simple rule. Some of the animal abuse in the world (3) (is / are) related to criminal activities, but most (4) (is /

are) unintentional and due to ignorance or financial problems. Although neither of these problems (5) (is / are) the owner’s

fault, both (6) (result / results) in animals living in poor conditions. Anyone thinking of getting a pet should make sure they are

prepared. Plenty of time, space, and money (7) (is / are) needed to care for an animal. Pets vary a great deal in type, breed, and

personality, but all (8) (need / needs) somewhere nice to sleep, good food, and lots of love and attention. Nothing (9) (is / are)

sadder than a lonely, unloved pet. Everyone at Rescue Ink (10) (urge / urges) people to think carefully before getting a pet.

The Animal Hour December 8, 9:00 a.m.

Writer Margaret Nelson reads a short story called Lena, from her collection of stories about animals. Ms. Nelson is active in several animal rescue programs, and last year she traveled to the island of Borneo to visit an orangutan sanctuary. This story is based on the life of an orangutan named Lena. This is not just another feel-good animal story with a happy ending; Ms. Nelson hopes that people will listen not only to the story, but also to the messages within the story.

Somewhere in New York right now, one of a group of tattooed, tough-looking guys is taking a dog or a cat from its owner. Stealing? No. He is rescuing the animal from someone who doesn’t take care of it. Each of the members of Rescue Ink is a motorcycle enthusiast. Most look a little scary, but everything they do helps animals. Some of the animals are rescued from abusive owners; others are homeless strays. A few are victims of criminal activities such as dog fighting, and those cases are turned over to the police. Rescue Ink has plenty of work to do because lots of people call them to report suspected animal abuse. None of the calls are ignored by the group, and many result in rescues. These “bad” bikers are doing good work!

Simone DiCarlo Features Writer Sunday, July 11

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54 Grammar: passive modals

A Language in context Listen to the conversation below. What do Lee and Larissa agree on? What do they disagree on?

Larissa: Hey, the zoo is open, so it must not be closed for renovation. Let’s go in! Lee: No way. I hate zoos because wild animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity.

In fact, I think zoos ought to be banned. Larissa: I disagree. A lot of good things can be done at zoos. For example, some

species may have been saved from extinction because of zoo breeding programs. Lee: Well, endangered species could be bred anyway and then released into their natural habitats.Larissa: But their natural habitat may have been destroyed, so where would they be released? Lee: Yeah, I know what you mean. People shouldn’t have been allowed to destroy those habitats, but the

president says that stronger laws will be passed to help prevent that in the future.

B Notice Read the information. Complete the table with examples from the conversation in Exercise A.

C Practice Complete the paragraph with active or passive forms of the verbs in parentheses.

Supporters of zoos ought to (1) (visit) zoos more often. If they

spent more time observing zoo animals, they might (2) (realize) that wild animals

shouldn’t (3) (keep) in captivity. Zoo proponents argue that animals bred in zoos

can (4) (use) to increase wild populations and that these breeding programs can

(5) (save) species from extinction. However, the responsibility for the survival of wildlife

cannot (6) (give) to zoos. Governments must (7) (hold) responsible for the

well-being of the planet. Too often, politicians promise that the environment will (8) (protect),

but this does not happen. Many species that are now extinct could (9) (save) if governments

had acted responsibly at the time. The public must (10) (demand) action from their elected

officials. That is the only answer to environmental problems.

D Now you do it Work in groups. Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the ideas in Exercise C.

Speaking: summarizing

To give an oral summary of a text, you have to identify the main ideas, decide on the clearest order for presenting them to your listener, and then explain the main ideas in your own words.

A Work in pairs. Read the forum question. Student A, read Jake’s answer. Student B, read Diane’s answer.

Adapted from www.humanesociety.org

B Re-read the answer you read in Exercise A. Make sure you have a good understanding of the text. Underline the main ideas. Decide whether the writer is for or against the sale of wild species as pets.

C Study the ideas you underlined and decide the following things.

1 Are the ideas you underlined main ideas?2 Are the ideas already in the best order for summarizing the writer’s opinion? 3 Should any details or examples be included in your summary?4 How can you state the main ideas in your own words?

D Work in pairs. Give your partner a summary of the answer you read. Then discuss which point of view you agree with.

Watch out!

Zoos should be banned.

Zoos should ban.

Tense Form Use Example

Present modal + be + past participle

1 Speculation/assumption: might/may, could, must, can’t

2 General fact: might/may, could, can, must

3 Obligation/criticism: should, ought to, must

(1)

A lot of good things can be done at zoos.

(2)

Future modal + be + past participle

1 Prediction/speculation: will, might/may, could

2 Promise: will, would

3 Recommendation/suggestion: should, must, ought to

Endangered species could be bred anyway.

(3)

Zoos ought to be banned.

Past modal + have been + past participle

1 Deduction/speculation: might/may, could, must

2 Criticism: should

(4)

People shouldn’t have been allowed to destroy those habitats.

Question SallyW: When I was at a mall yesterday, I went into a pet store. I was amazed at how many different animals they had for sale, many of them wild species like ferrets and mice. They especially had a lot of birds and reptiles. I felt kind of sorry for the larger birds like parrots and cockatoos because they were all in cages by themselves. All of the animals had certificates to show that they had been bred in captivity, so none had been taken from their natural habitats, but even so, do you think pet stores should be allowed to sell wild species as pets?

Answer Jake509: If pet stores are not allowed to sell wild species, wild animals will be bought from smugglers or other illegal sources. Almost all animals sold in pet stores are raised in captivity, and wild populations are not affected. Furthermore, pet stores do not sell endangered species. If people buy animals in pet stores, and if pet stores buy from authorized breeders, the illegal capture and sale of wild animals can be eliminated, or at least cut down. It is also a fact that reputable pet stores help educate people about animals, both domestic and wild. Anyone who buys an animal at a good store will be given detailed instructions for taking care of it. I have a boa constrictor, and the pet store where I bought her gave me a lot of information about snakes and their habitats. When people have some contact with wild animals, they are much more likely to support efforts to preserve habitats and save endangered species.

Answer Diane_Flint: I know that most of the wild animals sold in pet stores are bred in captivity, and in most cases these animals could never be released into the wild, but that does not mean that they make good pets. Animals like dogs and cats have been domesticated over centuries, but a wild species cannot be domesticated so easily. Many people buy cute baby animals and then do not know what to do with them when they grow up and begin to exhibit instinctual behaviors like biting or scratching. Furthermore, many wild species must be given specialized diets; for example, snakes need to eat live mice. Animals also have social needs, and while a dog or a cat may be satisfied by human companionship, most wild species are not. Animals should not be kept in solitary confinement. Finally, many animals are still caught in the wild, which damages wild populations and causes trauma and suffering for the animals that are caught. All of these factors should be considered by anyone who is thinking of buying a wild animal as a pet.

50 51

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6

7

Language use: writing a letter to the editor

A Vocabulary: adverb–adjective collocations Match the adverbs to the words they are commonly used with. Notice that some words are repeated.

1 over / under a) organized/effective/successful

2 highly b) populated/estimated/utilized

3 well/badly/poorly c) successful/dangerous/effective

4 most/least d) organized/done/thought out

B Read the letter and check your answers to Exercise A.

C Work in pairs. Use the guidelines below to write a letter to the editor stating your opinion. Include at least one phrase from each group in Exercise A.

1 Choose one of the following topics: • Animals in captivity in zoos • The sale of wild animals as pets • The eradication of “pests” such as mosquitoes

2 State your opinion in a topic sentence.3 Give one or two examples of arguments from “the other side.”4 State your arguments/opinions.5 Write a concluding sentence which re-states your topic sentence in different words.

D “Post” your letter on the classroom wall. Read the other letters on your topic. With your partner, decide which letter has the best arguments.

Reading: definitions, explanations, and examples

Being able to recognize examples, explanations, and definitions helps you to understand both concepts and specific words in a text. Definitions give the meaning or synonyms of specific words or phrases. Explanations give further information or reasons. Examples list specific members of a general class.

A Work in pairs. Discuss these questions. Then read the article on the page 53 to check your ideas.

1 In general terms, what is the meaning of the domino effect? 2 How do you think the term is used in the areas of biology and ecology?3 Look at the drawing in the article. When wolves were removed from Yellowstone Park, how do you think

the ecosystem may have been affected?

Adapted from Domino Effect, www.enaturalist.org

B Read the article again. Write Eg (example), Ex (explanation), or D (definition) in the blanks next to the underlined phrases. Circle the signal word(s) used in each case.

C Work in pairs. Answer these questions as quickly as you can.

1 According to the article, what is a domino effect in ecology?2 What examples of organisms were mentioned in the case study, and

what are they?3 What is a food pyramid?4 What is the explanation for why beavers left the park and trees near

water disappeared?

Dear editor,I am writing in the hope that I can motivate other people in our city to pressure the City Council to do something about our mosquito problem. I know that there are supposedly arguments for why mosquitoes should be allowed to exist. They provide food for fish, turtles, and birds. They pollinate flowers. They spread bacteria and viruses, which are part of the ecosystem.

Nevertheless, everyone knows that mosquitoes are one of the most dangerous insects on Earth; the number of diseases they carry should not be underestimated. Our ponds are overpopulated with mosquito larvae, and the city does nothing about it. There are now a number of highly effective pesticides that are not dangerous to birds or fish, and there needs to be a well-organized effort to get rid of mosquitoes once and for all.

Scott Stewart, Cool Springs

Whenever there’s a major change in the diversity of animals or plants

in an area, a domino effect may occur, which means that if something

happens to one species, there is an effect on another species

(1 ), and so on. This is what happened in Yellowstone

National Park in the 20th Century. All wolves, which are large, wild

canines (2 ), were removed from Yellowstone Park by 1926.

Over the following decades, adverse changes occurred in the park

that scientists couldn’t explain. However, with the reintroduction of

wolves in the 1990s, some areas in the park began to see a return to

more “natural” conditions, and scientists saw that they had

underestimated how important wolves were to the health of the park.

Scientists now know that wolves affect elk, which are a type of large

deer (3 ); elk affect trees, specifically aspen and willows

(4 ); aspen/willows affect beavers, and beavers affect trout

and songbirds. This is to say that with the removal of wolves, a true

domino effect had been set in motion that had totally unexpected

results for a wide range of organisms (5 ) such as trees, fish,

and birds (6 ).

Most of us are aware that in any healthy natural system there is a

tangled web of organisms that rely on each other. With any changes

to that web, other areas may be affected in ways that can’t be

predicted, and yet humans continue to manipulate the natural

environment to suit their own needs/wants. Most of us also know

about the highly organized system of food pyramids, in which different

levels of organisms depend on those on the lower levels for food.

(7 ). For example, wolves eat elk, and elk eat plants

(8 ). Although predators are at or near the top of these

pyramids, the “story” that unfolded in Yellowstone showed that

environmental effects can be from the top of the pyramid down as

well as from the bottom up.

When a number of predators, including wolves (9 ), were

eliminated from Yellowstone there were many well-meaning reasons

for removing them, but little understanding of what effect this might

have on the overall biodiversity (meaning variety of organisms

(10 )) of the park. Not until wolves were reintroduced in the

1990s, and the effects of their population expansion in the northern

portions of the park were documented, did it become clear that the

importance of the wolves had been under-appreciated, and that this

had been one of the least successful, most poorly done wildlife

management programs in history.

The wolves were no longer preying on elk, so the elk became over-

populated, and they were able to congregate in larger herds to feed

placidly and heavily on aspen and willows along the waterways. Soon,

the aspen/willow population was dramatically reduced, and beavers

left the park because they had relied on these trees as food and

building materials (11 ). With the beavers gone, the valleys

where beaver ponds used to exist dried up and no longer fed the

streams with cold water for trout, a kind of fish (12 ).

Furthermore, areas around the ponds that had been moist and had

had abundant trees in the past could no longer support many trees.

The reason for this was the reduction of the trees near the water

(13 ). Therefore, songbird populations also were dramatically

reduced. These things didn’t happen overnight, but as this domino

effect unfolded, scientists were puzzled as to exactly what was

causing the changes. Not until the wolf was reintroduced, and

researchers saw a change in elk feeding patterns, then a return of

trees, then beavers, then trout and songbirds, did they figure it out.

The wolves are integral to keeping the park ecosystem healthy and

whole. Let’s hope we can learn from this graphic lesson and employ

well-thought out environmental management policies!

Domino EffEct – S E pt E m b E r 1 8 songbirds

trout

beaver

wolfelk

aspen

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C Work in pairs. Discuss which decision-making style you would recommend in each situation below, and why.

1 A family—parents and two children—are discussing whether to get a pet.2 The family has decided to get a pet, and they are deciding what kind of pet to get.3 A zoo needs to hire a new veterinarian.4 There is a proposal to turn a large city park into an open-air arts and crafts market.

D Work in groups of five (or another odd number). Read the biology assignment, and then follow the steps below.

1 Choose the leader of your group.2 Individually, decide which idea you like. 3 As a group, decide which decision-making style you would like to use

in deciding on one of the ideas. Then use that style to make a group choice.

E Tell the class about your decision-making process.

• Which idea did your group choose?• Which decision-making style

did your group choose? Why?• What was easy about that

decision-making style? What was challenging?

• If you had to do it again, would you choose the same decision-making process? Why or why not?

Society and culture:understanding decision- making styles

A Write a word or phrase from the box below next to each description of a decision-making style.

1 : people who need to decide between two choices conduct a vote. Each person gets one vote, and the choice that receives the most votes wins.

2 : in a large organization or group, people choose a smaller group of people to make the decision. The large group agrees to accept the decision made by the smaller group.

3 : one person makes the decision for the whole group.

4 : everyone in the group agrees on the final decision. If there are different opinions, people talk and compromise until disagreements are resolved.

B Check characteristics of each decision-making style. (In some cases, you can check more than one item.) Discuss your answers with a partner or small group.

How to say it

Does anyone have any more comments?

Some of us wanted to use the … method, but most wanted to use the … method, so we did.

The most/least popular/effective idea was …

We thought this method was highly/wasn’t very effective because …

We probably overestimated/underestimated the difficulty of/time needed for this method.

The decision probably should have been made/could have been made more easily using …

Authoritarian Committee Consensus Majority rules

a) It’s a slower method.

b) It’s a faster method.

c) Everyone’s opinion is heard.

d) It’s fair to everyone.

e) Power is not equal.

f) It’s common in my country.

• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of different decision- making styles.

• Determine which decision-making style is most appropriate for a given situation.

• Carry out the decision-making process, and reflect on whether it went well.

Reflect …

What are some types of

decisions that have to be

made quickly by vote or

by an authority? What are

some types of decisions

that ought to be made by

consensus or committee?

authoritarian committee consensus majority rules

BIO 101 • Due: Tuesday, April 7th

As we have discussed, we would like to motivate the school to help animals. You have brainstormed ideas, and now a proposal has to be made to the school. Your group will evaluate the suggestions that have been made and will decide on one idea to present to the school. Each group will then explain to the class which idea they have chosen and why. The final decision on which idea to work up as a proposal will be decided by class vote.

• GettheschooltojointheWorld Wildlife Fund (www.worldwildlife.org), which is an international organization that works for the protection of endangered species and habitats in many different countries. Decide how money could be raised in your school and/or town to donate to the organization.

• Startacampaigntoeducatestudentsaboutecologyissuesinyourcountry.Encouragestudents tojoinreputableecologygroupsinyourcountry.Someofthesearebranchesofinternationalorganizations like the World Wildlife Fund, and others are country-specific.

• Startaresponsiblepetownermovement.Localvetscanusuallybepersuadedtogotoaschool to talk about how to care for pets. Ask for volunteers to help in animal shelters and in finding homes for abandoned animals.

54

ma

ste

rSkills

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1

Language Wrap-up

Dear editor,I believe that the Coldwater Wilderness Area outside our city is (1)

-utilized and could be used in a number of different positive ways if the city had

a (2) well- plan for it. We have a highly (3)

wildlife rescue program, and many of those rescued animals could be

(4) into the (5) in Coldwater instead

of being given to zoos and kept (6) all their lives. Coldwater

is a (7) for a number of (8) , and the area

could be used to help educate the public about environmental issues as well

as provide recreation. I know that one of the (9) successful and

popular programs at the zoo is their class on local plants and animals, and maybe

a trip to Coldwater could be included in their program. I feel strongly that

the importance of educating people about our local resources cannot be

(10) -estimated. Why can’t people have fun and learn

at the same time?

Frederick Missottio

2

Vocabulary

Complete the letter with the words and phrases in the box. (10 points)

Grammar

Fill in the blanks with appropriate indefinite pronouns. Circle the correct modals. (10 points)

thought out endangered species under in captivity released most over effective wild natural habitat

Dear editor,

I completely disagree with the idea of making more use of the Coldwater Wilderness Area.

Coldwater is a wilderness area precisely because there are not (1)

of people walking around in it. There are some areas where people can picnic or swim,

but people should not (2) allow / be allowed to walk all over the park and disturb

the wildlife.

I do agree that Coldwater could (3) use / be used as part of the zoo’s program

to teach people about local wildlife, but (4) from the zoo ought

to (5) take / be taken videos and pictures for this purpose. I believe that the state should

(6) pass / be passed a law so that (7) can disturb the animals or take

(8) like plants or rocks from Coldwater. Furthermore, Coldwater

should never (9) designate / be designated as a recreation area. We have two large beautiful

parks, and (10) are excellent for recreational purposes. Let’s keep

Coldwater wild.

August Philips

56

8–10 correct:

I can use words related to animal rescue, and I can use adverb– adjective collocations.

0–7 correct:

Look again at Sections 3 and 6 on pages 49 and 52.

SCoRE: /10

8–10 correct:

I can use indefinite pronouns and passive modals correctly.

0–7 correct:

Look again at Sections 1 and 4 on pages 48 and 50.

SCoRE: /10

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