Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a seabird
    • ex. Tourists watched seabirds along the beach.
  2. starvation
    • ex. The animals were close to starvation after losing their food source.
  3. digestive
    • ex. Eating vegetables helps keep the digestive system healthy.
  4. sensory
    • ex. Babies learn about the world through sensory activities like touching and tasting.
  5. a bias
    • ex. Teachers must be aware of their own biases when grading students.

Article

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

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Researchers in New Zealand say penguins may prefer white plastic, increasing the risk from ocean pollution. A team led by Ariel-Micaiah Heswall from the University of Auckland studied why seabirds often swallow white plastic. Earlier research showed that most plastic pieces found inside seabirds were white. Scientists wanted to learn if penguins choose this color or if more white plastic is present at sea.

Scientists tested this idea at Kelly Tarlton Sea Life Aquarium in Auckland. They observed 46 gentoo penguins and 23 king penguins. The team fixed red, blue, black, and white bottle caps to a board. Penguins touched and chose the white caps almost twice as often as black ones, and about 45 percent more than red or blue caps during tests.

Plastic can seriously harm seabirds. Soft items like balloons may block the stomach and cause starvation, while sharp pieces can cut the stomach. Very small plastics can enter the blood and change hormones. Researchers also warn about a disease called plasticosis, which damages the digestive system. The team says animals may have natural sensory biases that make white objects more attractive to them.

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

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Plastic Pollution

  • How do you think plastic affects animals like penguins or seabirds? Discuss.
  • Do you think humans are responsible for the harm plastic causes to animals? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think plastic pollution is a big problem in your country? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Research on Ocean Pollution

  • Do you think ocean pollution is a serious issue? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Researchers in New Zealand studied why seabirds often swallow white plastic. How important are studies like this? Discuss.
  • If you can conduct research on ocean pollution, what would you like to study about it (ex. impact of ocean pollution on food sources)? Discuss.