Lesson 7. Order of adjectives.
Grammar
https://en.islcollective.com/video-lessons/adjectives-word-order
Reading and discussing
TOP-5 sloth myths!
Sloth myth 1 - Sloths are so dumb they mistake their own arms for tree branches.
Sloths are actually very careful when they move about in the trees. Before they move, they need to be sure that the branch they are holding onto is strong enough to carry their weight. Also, their grip is incredibly strong (stronger than any human), and so they would probably notice if they grabbed onto their own arm! Sloths may not have big brains, but they are certainly not that slow-witted!
Sloth myth 2- Sloths are bears, primates or marsupials.
Our beloved sloths are actually something called Xenarthrans – a very ancient super-order of mammals that includes all of the modern sloths, as well as anteaters and armadillos.
Maybe some people think that sloths are primates because, like monkeys, they live in the trees. Or perhaps that they are marsupials because they are similar in nature to koalas. In Spanish, the name for sloth is “oso perezoso”, which can be translated as “sloth bear” or “lazy bear”. Common names can be confusing, which is why scientific names are so helpful! As it turns out, there is actually something called a “sloth bear” (Melursus ursinus) and it has absolutely nothing to do with sloths. Sloth bears are true bears that live in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Sloth myth 3 – Sloths are bad mothers.
A sloth mom will carry her baby around on her chest for an entire year. A baby sloth is strong enough to cling onto moms fur from the moment they are born, but sometimes they fall from the canopy (all baby animals are a bit clumsy and sloths are no exception). When this happens, mom will slowly climb all of the way down to the forest floor to retrieve her baby.
With all of the best intentions, people bring hundreds of baby sloths into rescue centers every year – and in a lot of cases they have been unnecessarily rescued by accident! Sloth moms are actually fantastic moms. If she feels threatened, she will do everything in her power to protect her baby. She will even use her own body as a shield if they are being attacked to prevent any harm from coming to her baby.
Sloth myth 4- Sloths are dirty, smelly and disgusting
Despite being loved by people all over the world, a lot of people that grow up in close proximity to sloths think that they are gross and dirty. Having fur that is covered in green algae and filled with hundreds of invertebrates definitely doesn’t look clean. However, some species of fungi living in the fur of sloths may hold the key to curing cancer in humans!
Sloths can not sweat (except from the tip of the nose for two-fingered sloths) and so, unlike humans, they have no body odor. Sloths actually smell just like the jungle: fresh, green, and a little bit earthy. Smelling like the rainforest is a great way to hide from predators with a keen sense of smell. Sloths are the masters of jungle camouflage!
Sloth myth 5 – The biggest myth of all: sloths are lazy
“The lowest form of existence …one more defect and they could not have existed.” This glowing report is how sloths officially entered the scientific literature back in the 18th century by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. Sloths were named after the deadly sin of being “slothful”, and they were unceremoniously given the title of being the world’s laziest animal. That is a hard reputation to bounce back from!
However, as we have already described above, sloths don’t actually sleep that much. They are slow and careful – which has tricked scientists into wrongly believing that they just sleep all day. Being slow is far from lazy. It is an unbelievably successful survival strategy!
Discussion questions:
- What is your favorite animal and why?
- Are people animals? What separates humans from animals?
- Which animal is the most dangerous?
- What should you do if a bear approaches you?
- What do you think about the theory of evolution? If animals are still evolving, what will they be like in the future?
- Where is the best place to see animals in your country? In the world?
- Do you enjoy going to the zoo? Some people consider zoos to be cruel environments for animals. What do you think?
- What do people mean when they say ‘a leopard doesn’t change its spots‘? Do you agree?
Homework
