The Reading / Listening - Flamingos - Level 0

Scientists think they know how flamingos stand on one leg. Scientists have always wondered how they do this. A professor says the flamingo's hip and leg bones help it stand on one leg. The bones help the bird balance. Flamingos do not have to use their muscles a lot to stand on one leg.

Another researcher said the flamingo is unusual. Humans cannot stand on one leg, even for one hour. Even when we stand still, we're moving all the time because our muscles work so we don't fall over. Flamingos do not use many muscles to stand on one leg, so they save energy. Other birds also stand on one leg.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Flamingos - Level 1,  Flamingos - Level 2   or  Flamingos - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-flamingo-balances-one-leg
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40016816
  • http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/808240/flamingos-one-leg-Iconic-pose-animal-kingdom-explained-research


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Scientists think they
  2. stand on
  3. Scientists have always
  4. how they do
  5. the flamingo's hip
  6. The bones help the
  7. Flamingos do not
  8. use their muscles
  1. bird balance
  2. wondered
  3. have to
  4. and leg bones
  5. know how
  6. this
  7. a lot
  8. one leg

Paragraph 2

  1. Another researcher said the
  2. Humans cannot
  3. even for
  4. stand
  5. we're moving
  6. our muscles work so
  7. use many
  8. save
  1. all the time
  2. one hour
  3. we don't fall over
  4. flamingo is unusual
  5. muscles
  6. stand on one leg
  7. energy
  8. still

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ how flamingos stand on one leg. Scientists have (2) ___________________ how they do this. A professor says the flamingo's (3) ___________________ bones help it stand (4) ___________________. The bones help (5) ___________________. Flamingos do not have to use their (6) ___________________ to stand on one leg.

Another researcher said the (7) ___________________. Humans cannot stand on one leg, (8) ___________________ hour. Even when (9) ___________________, we're moving all the time because our muscles work (10) ___________________ fall over. Flamingos do not use many muscles (11) ___________________ one leg, so they (12) ___________________. Other birds also stand on one leg.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientiststhinktheyknowhowflamingosstandononeleg.Scientistsha
vealwayswonderedhowtheydothis.Aprofessorsaystheflamingo'ship
andlegboneshelpitstandononeleg.Theboneshelpthebirdbalance.Fla
mingosdonothavetousetheirmusclesalottostandononeleg.Anotherr
esearchersaidtheflamingoisunusual.Humanscannotstandononeleg,
evenforonehour.Evenwhenwestandstill,we'removingallthetimebec
auseourmusclesworksowedon'tfallover.Flamingosdonotusemanym
usclestostandononeleg,sotheysaveenergy.Otherbirdsalsostandono
neleg.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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