Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a predator
    • ex. Lions are predators that hunt other animals for food.
  2. acidic
    • ex. Rain can become acidic because of air pollution from factories and cars.
  3. brittle
    • ex. The old glass was brittle and broke easily when it fell.
  4. a crack
    • ex. The dentist found a small crack in the tooth during the check-up.
  5. extinction
    • ex. Many animals face extinction because people destroy their natural homes.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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A new study by German scientists shows that changes in ocean water may harm sharks’ teeth. Sharks are powerful predators in the sea, and their sharp teeth help them survive. However, human activities like burning coal, oil, and gas release carbon dioxide into the air and make the ocean more acidic. This process is called acidification, which happens when the ocean absorbs too much carbon dioxide from the air.

In a recent study, scientists found that shark teeth in more acidic water became weak and brittle, with cracks and holes. If sharks have weaker teeth, it could affect how they hunt and eat. The researchers say sharks will not lose their teeth right away. However, having weaker teeth adds a new problem for these ocean predators. Many sharks already face pollution, climate change, and overfishing. More than one-third of shark species are now at risk of extinction.

Despite these threats, experts believe sharks can still survive because they have evolved and adapted to environmental changes for millions of years. Meanwhile, scientists warn that more acidic seawater could also harm shellfish and other sea animals, causing wider problems in the ocean.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Acidic Ocean

  • Do you think studies about sharks and other sea animals are effective at raising awareness about human impact on the environment? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you think people can do to help protect sharks and other sea animals? Discuss.
  • Acidic seawater can harm sharks and shellfish, which may cause wider ocean problems. What other problems do you think acidic ocean water could cause? Discuss.

Animal Extinction

  • Sharks have survived millions of years by adapting to environmental changes. Do you think sharks will survive in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you think is the biggest threat to both land and sea animals today (ex. human activities, climate change)? Discuss.
  • More than one-third of shark species are at risk of extinction. Do you think humans are doing enough to protect endangered species like sharks? Why or why not? Discuss.