[Animals ★★]
(P1) Humans may not be the only ones to use language. Dolphins also use words and sentences. Dolphins send messages to each other. They use sounds to identify themselves, have relations, and do things together. We might understand dolphin language and talk to dolphins in the future.
(P2) Researchers recorded two bottlenose dolphins. The dolphins listened to each other and then answered. It was like a conversation between two people. It was like human spoken language. This shows that dolphins are very clever. Dolphins’ language is developed, like human language.
WORDS: 88
SOURCE: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1609/160915-language-0.html
VOCABULARY: relations, might, recorded, conversation, spoken, clever
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Do you like dolphins? Why or why not?
- Do you think other animals are clever? Why or why not?
- Would you like to talk to dolphins some day? Why or why not?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
- Who else may use language besides humans?
- How do dolphins identify each other?
- It’s not possible for humans to talk to dolphins in the future. (T or F)
- Which type of dolphin was recorded?
- The dolphins talked together like people. (T or F)
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- to each other (P1)
- to identify themselves (P1)
- between two people (P2)
- like human language (P2)
Image source: Credit: ROLAND WEIHRAUCH / Staff Getty Images http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/dolphin.jpg?quality=75&strip=all