Pre-Reading Tasks

Think about the following questions and then discuss them with your partner.

1. Have you ever heard of the bottle-nosed dolphin?

2. Do you know how many kinds of dolphin are there ?

3. Do you think  dolphins can communicate with us ? Why or why not?

Reading Tasks

All dolphins and porpoises have these abilities, but some are more willing than others to share them with man. The star performers at sea aquariums and in research work are usually bottle-nosed dolphins. “Flipper” of television and movie fame was a bottle-nosed dolphin. The name bottle-nose dolphin originated in England from the resemblance of the short rounded snout to the swollen form of an old-fashioned bottle. They are widely distributed in cold temperate to tropical waters worldwide. Within this distribution are inshore and offshore populations. More is known about the inshore populations, which can be found in many enclosed seas including the Red, Black and Mediterranean Seas and the Gulf of California, as well as several bays in Victoria. Inshore populations are generally found in water less than 30m deep, occupying a diverse range of habitats including open coasts with strong surf to sheltered bays and waterways, lagoons, large estuaries and the lower reaches of rivers. It is possible that many inshore populations are resident year-round, whilst offshore populations are highly transient, undertaking seasonal migrations. Such dolphins appear to thoroughly enjoy man’s company. They do not learn tricks the way dogs do. But dolphins cannot be taught to do tricks that they do not want to do. When a dolphin does learn a game or trick, the animal seems to understand the purpose of the game, and it may even add some ideas of its own.

Scientists are discovering that man’s kinship with dolphins and porpoises is very great. We both have languages. We are both intelligent. We both try to help friends and neighbors in trouble. And we both get stomach ulcers from worry.

Dolphins carry on conversations with each other. So do porpoises and, probably, other whales. They make a great variety of sounds, mainly clicks and whistles, which are produced by a complex group of air sacs and valves in the head. (They do not have vocal chords like man’s.) If one dolphin of a group is caught in a trap, it appears to warn the others, not just of general danger, but specifically what and where the danger is. The dolphins then seem to discuss how to release the trapped one and carry out their plan. Each animal continually sends out an echo-sounding signal that locates prey, obstacles, and any other objects in the water. When a dolphin is resting, one signal is emitted every second. A very complex brain -- perhaps as complex as man’s -- picks out the specific echo the animal is interested in from the thousand of sounds and echoes always bouncing through the sea. They have no outer ear, just a tiny pinhole a few inches behind the eyes.

                    sources : http://www.dolphinresearch.org.au

                                     http://www.dolphin-synergy.com

Post-Reading Tasks

Task : Finding  details

            Circle the best answer.

1. This  passage  is  intended to...................................

A. explain  the  communication  process  among  dolphins

B. describe  the  intelligence  of  dolphins

C. tell  a  story  of  dolphins  relating  to  man

D. give  examples  of  how  dolphins  live

2. According  to  the  passage,............................. .

A. dolphins rarely leave their friends in trouble.

B. porpoises  and  whales  sometimes  share  conversations

C. dolphins  and  porpoises  can  talk  like  whales

D. dolphins do not like human company.

3. Based on the last  paragraph,  we learn that …………..

A. dolphins have vocal chords like man’s

B. dolphins have complex brains

C. dolphins have no outer ears

D. Both B and C

4. The  phrase “ The  star  performers “  refers  to......................... .

A. the  bottle – nosed  dolphins

B. the  actors  working  at  sea  aquariums

C. the  performers  doing  research  at  sea  aquariums

D. the  actors  starring  on  T.V.  and  in  movie  with  dolphins

5. In  the  third  sentence  of  the  third  paragraph, the  word  “they”  in  the  expression “    they  make  a  great  variety  of  sounds” refers  to..............

A. dolphins

B. dolphins  and  porpoises

C. porpoises  and  whales 

D. dolphins, porpoises, and  whales

6.In paragraph 1, the  sentence “ the  animal  seems  to  understand  the  purpose  of  the  game,  and  it  may  even  add  some  ideas  of  its  own” means  that.............. .

A. some  animals  can  both  play  games  and  add  some  ideas  in  them

B. both  dogs  and  dolphins  can  play  games  and  add  some  ideas  in  them

C. dogs  know  the  purpose  of  the  game  they  play  like  dolphins

D. dolphins  are  not  only  easily  trained  but  also  intelligent  by  nature

7. The following statements are true EXCEPT that............................

A. dolphins  possess  some  kind  of  problem-solving skills

B. when  a  dolphin  is  hunted, it  turns to be highly aggressive

C. an  echo-sounding  signal  is  very  useful  for  dolphins

D. dolphins’ brains  are  probably  as  complex  as  man’ s

8. It  can  be inferred from the text that………………..

A. dolphins  and  porpoises  send out  the  echo-sounds to locate their enemies

B. even  though  dolphins  do  not  have  ears, they  can  communicate  using  their  eyes

C. bottle-nosed  dolphins  are  probably  the  most  intelligent  among  dolphins

D. “ Flipper “  is  a  kind  of  dolphin  which  is  very  famous  on  T.V.  and  in  movie

9. The  main  idea  of  paragraph2  is........................... .

A. dolphins  can  suffer from psychological problems.

B. man  and  dolphins  are  alike  in  several  aspects.

C. dolphins  can  communicate  with  man.

D. scientists  have  made  a  great  discovery  concerning the nature of  dolphins  and  porpoises

10. The  best  title  of  this  passage  should  be............................... .

A. The  Intelligence  of  Dolphins

B. Dolphins  and  Human Beings

C. Dolphins and Their Unique Characteristic

D. Scientists  and  Dolphins

Task 2:  Vocabulary

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined word in each item.

1.  All dolphins and porpoises have these abilities , but some are more willing than other to share them with man.

            a.  effective                                        c.  supportive

            b.  active                                            d.  positive

2.  The star performers at sea aquariums and in research work are usually bottle-nosed  dolphins.

            a. entertainers                                   c.  partners

            b.  consumers                                    d. directors

3.  Such dolphins appear to thoroughly enjoy man’s company.

            a.  easily                                             c.  absolutely

            b.  completely                                   d.  cheerfully

4. Scientists are discovering that man’s kinship with dolphins  and porpoises is  very significant.

            a.  relationship           c.  friendship

            b.  cooperation                                  d.  association

5.  Each animal continually sends out an echo-sounding signal that locates prey, obstacles, and any other objects in the water.

            a.  miracles                                        c.  spectacles

            b.  advantages                                   d.  drawbacks

6.  When a dolphin is resting, one signal is emitted every 20 seconds.

            a.  diverted                                         c.  discharged

            b.  submitted                                     d.  chosen

Task 3 : Identifying References

1. “The star performers” (line 2)   refers to  _________________
2. “the animal”   (line 19)               refers to   _________________
3. “We”     (line 22)                        refers to   _________________
4. “it”       (line 29)                       refers to  _________________

Task 4 : Write T in front of the correct statements and F in front of the  incorrect statements.

1. …..  Dolphins learn tricks the way dogs do.

2. …..  The wonderful relationship exists between man and dolphins.

3. …..  Dolphins can make only one sound.

4. …..  Dolphins emit 20 signals every second when they are resting.

5. …..  In case a dolphin is caught in a trap, some signals will be sent to the others.                

WORD  LIST

bouncing (adj.)	thriving; moving quickly up and back
echo (n.)	repetition of a sound by reflection of sound wavesfrom a surface
emit (v.)	to release, give off, or send out
kinship (n.)	the quality or condition of being kin
obstacle (n.)	one that stands in the way of or holds progress toward a goal
pinhole (n.)	a tiny puncture made by or as if by a pin
porpoise (n.)	a marine mammal related to the whales but smaller
prey (n.)	an animal hunted or caught for food; quarry
signal (n.)	a sign, gesture, device, or other indicator serving as a means of   communication
thorough (adj.)	complete in all respects
trap (n.)	a device for catching and holding animals
ulcer (n.)	an inflamed, often pus-filled lesion on the outside of the body or on the surface of an internal organ
valve (n.)	a membranous bodily structure, as in a vein, that retards or prevents the return flow of fluid
whistle (v.)	to produce a clear shrill sound by forcing air through the teeth
willing (adj.)	done, accepted, or given readily and without resistance

Answer  Key

Task 1 :  Finding  details

1. A

2. A

3. D

4. A

5. A

6. D

7. B

8. C

9. B

10. C

Task 2  : Vocabulary

1.   c.

2.   a.

3.   b.

4.   a.

5.   d.

6.   c.

Task 3 : Identifying References

1.  Bottle-nosed dolphins

2.  The dolphin

3.  Man and dolphins

4.  The dolphin that is caught in a trap

Task 4  :  Write T in front of the correct statements and F in front of the  incorrect statements.

1.   F

2.   T

3.   F

4.   F

5.   T

Contributors:

Charintorn   Krikongjit            

Chutima      Akkaraneewong   

Jaidao         Kumchompoo     

Phanita       Wittayawarawat   

Editor :

  Antikar Rongsaard