E40: At the zoos in Central Park and the Bronx

 

The Bronx Zoo, New York City (Postdlf, Wikimedia CCA 3.0)

OVERVIEW

 

 

 

NEW WORDS

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Nouns. Animals

  • amphibian (plural: amphibians) a cold-blooded vertebrate animal having moist skin without scales.
  • bird (plural: birds) any of various warm-blooded egg-laying feathered vertebrates of the class Aves, having forelimbs modified to form wings.
  • cage (plural: cages) a boxlike enclosure with wires, bars, or the like, for confining birds or animals.
  • camouflage the means by which animals escape the notice of predators, usually because of a resemblance to their surroundings:
  • chimpanzee (plural: chimpanzees) a dark-haired African ape that is somewhat smaller than a gorilla, lives mostly in trees, and has a high degree of intelligence.
  • conservation the protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife.
  • elephant (plural: elephants) very large five-toed mammals characterized by a long trunk and large tusks especially in the males with large flapping ears.
  • enclosure (plural: enclosures) an enclosed area, especially a tract of land surrounded by a fence.
  • giraffe (plural: giraffes) the tallest mammal, with very long legs and neck and a coloring of regular reddish-brown patches on a beige background, living in the savannas of Africa.
  • gorilla (plural: gorillas) an ape from central Africa having a heavy, stocky body with dark hair, dwell on the ground, and feed mainly on leaves and stems.
  • habitat (plural: habitats) the natural environment in which a species or group of species lives.
  • hippopotamus (plural: hippopotamuses) a large African mammal with a hairless, thick body and short legs, living in and alongside rivers.
  • invertebrate (plural: invertebrates) any animal lacking a backbone.
  • keeper (plural: keepers) a person in charge of animals, especially in a zoo.
  • koala bear (plural: bears) an Australian arboreal marsupial that has a broad head, large hairy ears, dense gray fur, and sharp claws and feeds on eucalyptus leaves.
  • leopard (plural: leopards) also called a panther. A large feline mammal of forests of Africa and Asia, usually having a tawny yellow coat with black rosette-like spots.
  • lion (plural: lions) a large carnivorous feline mammal of Africa and northwest India, having a short tawny coat, a tufted tail, and, in the male, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders.
  • mammal (plural: mammals) any warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin more or less covered with hair and nourished by milk.
  • monkey (plural: monkeys) any mammal of the primate grouping characterized by flattened faces, binocular vision, and usually long tails.
  • panda bear (plural: panda bears) a large black-and-white herbivorous mammal of bamboo forests of China and Tibet.
  • panther (plural: panthers) another name for the leopard, especially the black variety.
  • petting zoo (plural: zoos) an open area where small or young animals are kept that children can hold, touch, and sometimes feed.
  • predator (plural: predators) an animal that hunts and seizes other animals for food.
  • reptile (plural: reptiles) any cold-blooded vertebrate ncluding tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles.
  • rhinoceros (plural: rhinoceroses) large heavyset mammals of Africa and Asia that have one or two upright horns on the snout and thick gray to brown skin with little hair.
  • species a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
  • taxonomy (plural: taxonomies) the scientific classification of organisms into specially named groups based on shared characteristics and natural relationships.
  • tiger (plural: tigers) a large feline mammal of forests in most of Asia, having a tawny yellow coat with black stripes.
  • vertebrate (plural: vertebrates) any of a large group of animals having a backbone, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
  • wildlife animals that have not been domesticated or tamed and are usually living in a natural environment,
  • zebra (plural: zebras) any of several mammals of the horse family of southern and eastern Africa, having distinctive black-and-white striped hides.
  • zoo (plural zoos) a place where live animals are kept, studied, bred, and exhibited to the public.
  • zoology the study of animals, including their classification, structure, physiology, and history.

Nouns: Birds and Insects.

  • butterfly (plural: butterflies) any of various insects having slender bodies, knobbed antennae, and four broad wings that are usually brightly colored.
  • eagle (plural: eagles) any of various large birds of prey having a hooked bill, sharp claws, and long, broad wings. Eagles are related to the hawks and falcons.
  • flamingo (plural: flamingos) any of several large tropical wading birds having reddish or pinkish plumage, long legs, and a long flexible neck.
  • goose (plural: geese) any of various web-footed long-necked birds (goose: male, gander: female).
  • insectarium (plural: insectariums) a place for keeping, breeding, or observing living insects.
  • ostrich (plural: ostriches) a fast-running flightless African bird, 
  • owl (plural: owls) any of various birds of prey that are usually active at night and have a large head, large forward-facing eyes, a short hooked bill, and a flat round face.
  • parrot (plural: parrots) any of numerous primarily tropical and subtropical birds characterized by a short hooked bill, brightly colored plumage, and, in some species, the ability to mimic human speech.
  • peacock (plural: peacocks) a large bird having a crested head and very large fan-like tail.
  • stork (plural: storks) any of several wading birds having long legs and a long neck and bill.
  • swan (plural: swans) any large aquatic bird having a long neck and usually a white plumage:

Adjectives.

  • carnivorous flesh-eating or predatory.
  • diurnal occurring each day; daily.
  • endangered in danger of extinction.
  • extinct no longer existing or living.
  • herbivorous feeding on grass or other plants.
  • nocturnal most active at night.

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VISUAL VOCABULARY

  • Let’s see some wildlife in the United States
  • Let’s see some wildlife in Canada
  • Let’s see some wildlife in the United Kingdom
  • Let’s see some wildlife in Australia
  • Let’s see some wildlife in New Zealand
  • Let’s see some wildlife in Africa
  • Let’s see some wildlife in Asia
  • Let’s see some wildlife in Latin America

KEY PHRASES

 

 

GRAMMAR TIPS

 

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

Some famous zoos and wildlife parks

United States

 

Canada

 

United Kingdom

 

Ireland

 

Australia

 

New Zealand