RULERS OF THE SKY (2)

All Shapes and Sizes
The approximately 420 species of birds of prey come in many sizes and shapes. The smallest falcon weighs just 28 grams, while the Andean condor weighs in at 13 kilograms and has a wingspan of more than three meters! Birds of prey, or raptors, can be found on every continent and in habitats from dense tropical jungles to icy mountainsides to hot, dry deserts.

These birds play an important role in the balance of nature. Without them, there would soon be too many animals for the amount of food available, and many animals would die of starvation.

Many raptors also help humans by eating the pests that destroy crops. The predators also eliminate sick animals that can spread disease. Birds of prey are excellent parents. Eagles carry egg shells and other debris away from their nests, so other predators cannot find their chicks. Eagles often return to the same nest year after year and just add a little more nesting material to it. The largest eagle nest found was about three meters wide, six meters tall and weighted more than 1814 kilograms!


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Baby Animal Names
eaglet n.
a young eagle
elver n.
a young eel
chick n.
a baby bird; eagle chicks
calf n.
the baby of a cow, or of some other large animals, such as an elephant;
the young of various other large animals (such as the elephant or whale)
cub n.
the baby of a wild animal such as a lion or a bear;
a young animal that eats meat
puppy n.
a young dog
kitten n.
a young cat
piglet n.
a young pig
duckling n.
a young duck
bunny n.
a young rabbit;
a word for a rabbit, used especially by or to children


Grammar Gym
to come in many... and...
The approximately 420 species of birds of prey come in many sizes and shapes.
- Many people think chili peppers are all long and red; but in reality, chili peppers come in all shapes and colors.
- Although trench coats started out as a long khaki color military coat, they now come in many colors and lengths.


Language Lab
approximately adv. [proxim字根-靠近]
an approximate number, amount, or time is close to the exact number, amount etc, but could be a little bit more or less than it [= rough; ≠ exact]
- Approximately 20,000 people went to the concert.
approximate adj.
almost correct or exact
- The approximate cost of the renovation of the house would be 100,000 dollars.

starvation n.
[noncount] : suffering or death caused by having nothing to eat or not enough to eat: the condition of someone who is starving
- The people in this area are threatened by starvation and disease.
starve v.
to suffer or die from lack of food: to suffer extreme hunger
- People are starving because of the drought.
- I'm starving. I need to get some food now.

apex n.
the top or highest part of something pointed or curved

predator n.
an animal that kills and eats other animals [↪ prey]
- Antelopes' speed can help them escape predators such as lions or tigers.
prey n. [singular,uncountable]
an animal, bird etc that is hunted and eaten by another animal [= predator]
- The eagle swooped down on its prey.

debris n. [uncountable]
/dəˈbriː/ s不發音
the pieces of something that are left after it has been destroyed in an accident, explosion etc:
- Debris from the aircraft was found in various places.
- After the bombing, pieces of debris were scattered everywhere.

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