Read the text and choose the headline. c) Monarch Butterflies

a) Animal World

b) Migrating

c) Monarch Butterflies

Monarch butterflies live in North America but can’t survive being there during the hard winters. In the autumn, they fly 3,000 km south to California or Mexico where they semi-hibernate. Most survive the trip – birds avoid going near them because of their bright wings. They don’t want to risk eating the butterflies as bright colours often indicate that an animal is poisonous.

Salmon live most of their life in the sea but each generation has a very strong instinct to migrate. They swim hundreds of miles up rivers and streams to lay their eggs in exactly the same place where they were born.

Green turtles migrate all the way from the coast of Brazil to breed on the small island of Ascension, some are an endangered species and ecologists expect them to have been made extinct by hunting by the end of the century.

In winter, reindeer migrate, looking for the warmer forests of Scandinavia and Russia. They get together in groups numbering several hundred – and they don’t mind walking 500 km and back!

Blue whales eat tons of plankton in the polar seas but in the winter the sea freezes over. By migrating to temperate or tropical zones, the whales are able to survive the winter, but often without eating anything for months.

Notes:

hibernate находиться в зимней спячке

salmon лосось reindeer северный олень

breed размножаться temperate умеренный (о климате)

2. Find in the text the equivalents to the following word combinations:

суровые зимы; лететь на юг; яркая окраска; выжить в путешествии; большую часть своей жизни; очень сильный инстинкт; вверх по рекам и ручьям; метать икру; виды, находящиеся под угрозой исчезновения; к концу столетия; собираться в стаи; полярные моря; пережить зиму

3. Select the statement that best expresses the main idea of the text.

a) Many insects, birds, fish and animals have a strong instinct for migration.

b) In searching for food some animals migrate long distances from their habitats.

c) Some birds and animals migrate because they can’t survive hard winters.

d) Birds migrate in groups numbering several hundred.

4. Is it true or false? Correct the wrong statements.

1) Monarch butterflies live in South America but can survive being there during the hard winters.

2) Monarch butterflies semi-hibernate in Mexico and California.

3) Most survive the trip – birds avoid going near them because of their bright wings.

4) Salmon live most of their life in the river and lay their eggs in the sea.

5) Some of the green turtles are an endangered species.

6) Reindeermigrate for short distances.

7) Blue whales eat tons of plankton in the Antarctic seas.

8) Eating plankton, the whales are able to survive the winter.

5. Retell the text.

6. What other migrating animals do you know? Where do they migrate and why?

Is migration one of the ways of survival? Find the information on the Internet and retell it.