Unit 23: How to Dinosaurs Really Died

Click or select any word to translate.

Word List

  • adj. If something is accurate, it is completely correct.
    The story in the newspaper wasn't very accurate.
  • v. To analyze something is to study it.
    The scientist will analyze the blood sample.
  • n. An asteroid is a giant rock from outer space.
    In 1908, a giant asteroid hit Siberia.
  • n. A controversy is a dispute about something that affects many people.
    There has been a lot of controversy over the judge's decision.
  • v. To evolve is to change over time.
    Many people think that humans evolved from animals.
  • n. A factor is something that has an effect on the way another thing happens.
    Smoking is the main factor that causes lung cancer.
  • adj. If something is genetic, it is related to the genes in one's body.
    The color of one's eyes is genetic.
  • n. A genome is the collection of all the genes in a living thing.
    Understanding the human genome may help cure many diseases.
  • adj. To be identical is to be the same as someone or something else.
    James and John are identical twins.
  • n. An intellectual is a very smart person.
    We've always considered my Uncle Max to be the intellectual of the family.
  • n. A majority of something is more than half of the people or things in that group.
    A majority of the people voted for Tom Smith in the election.
  • n. A mammal is an animal that usually has hair and is not born from an egg.
    Even though they live in water, whales are actually mammals.
  • v. To multiply is to increase in number.
    In the past year, the number of people at work has multiplied by ten percent.
  • n. Offspring are the children of a person or the babies of an animal.
    The dog's offspring had the same color of fur as she did.
  • n. A pesticide is a substance used to kill insects.
    The farmer sprayed his crops with a pesticide to keep bugs away.
  • v. To regulate something is to control how it happens.
    The bank regulates how much money people can borrow.
  • v. To reinforce something is to make it stronger.
    Peter reinforced his opinion with information from a book.
  • adj. If someone or something is stricken by a disease or problem, they are badly affected by it.
    The pilot landed the stricken airplane with difficulty.
  • adj. If something is vast, it is very large.
    The wealthy man bought a vast amount of land in the countryside.
  • n. A vegetarian is someone who does not eat any meat products.
    I became a vegetarian because I don't like the taste of meat.

 

Exercise

A ‣ Circle the answer that best fits the question.

  1. A professor at a university is probably _____.
    • a. a majority
    • b. an intellectual
    • c. a controversy
    • d. a factor
  2. If every member of a family has a disease, the disease is _____.
    • a. accurate
    • b. identical
    • c. vast
    • d. genetic
  3. What would a farmer do if bugs were eating his plants?
    • a. Use a pesticide
    • b. Find a mammal
    • c. Raise offspring
    • d. Become a vegetarian
  4. What is something that scientists do?
    • a. Analyze chemicals
    • b. Multiply books
    • c. Reinforce messages
    • d. Regulate businesses
  5. Which word is related to the term "outer space"?
    • a. Stricken
    • b. Evolve
    • c. Genome
    • d. Asteroid
  6. What happens when something evolves?
    • a. It studies more.
    • b. It disagrees.
    • c. It changes.
    • d. It gets stronger.
  7. Which of these is a mammal?
    • a. A chicken
    • b. A snake
    • c. A spider
    • d. A monkey
  8. What would a vegetarian eat?
    • a. Steak
    • b. Sausage
    • c. Chicken
    • d. Corn
  9. If something is accurate, it is _____.
    • a. long
    • b. false
    • c. correct
    • d. mysterious
  10. Which of these is usually considered vast?
    • a. The sky
    • b. A bedroom
    • c. A pool
    • d. The newspaper

 

B ‣ Match the phrases to make complete sentences.

  1. The cheaper blouse is nearly identical _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  2. The zoo is full of mammals _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  3. The computer has evolved from _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  4. My teacher said that asteroids _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  5. Many pesticides that are used on _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  6. The woman reinforced her statement _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  7. The doctor analyzes the daily report _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  8. The vast space of the room was _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  9. My report on animal genomes _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans
  10. The accident left her stricken _____.
    • a. will be printed in a science textbook
    • b. about each patient
    • c. with two broken legs and an injured arm
    • d. that come from all over the world
    • e. with an example from a scientific study
    • f. a big machine to a tiny one
    • g. to the one I found in that expensive store
    • h. are made of rock, ice, and metal
    • i. big enough to fit at least 5,000 people
    • j. crops cause illnesses in humans

 

C ‣ Match the clauses to make complete sentences.

  1. A small group of kids wanted pizza, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  2. I don't read gossip magazines _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  3. The people in this department can't be trusted, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  4. There are many things to consider about the car, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  5. The sisters both had the strange disease, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  6. James thought he made the right choice, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  7. Pam served steak and potatoes to Ben, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  8. Alice is a short woman, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  9. I thought it would take weeks for them to grow, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions
  10. Daniel loves sports and parties, _____.
    • a. but the flowers multiplied fast
    • b. but the majority wanted hamburgers
    • c. so dad thought it was genetic
    • d. but she didn't know he was a vegetarian
    • e. since the news isn't accurate
    • f. but the most important factor is its price
    • g. but her offspring are very tall
    • h. but his brother is more of an intellectual
    • i. but it caused a lot of controversy
    • j. so we must regulate their actions

 

How the Dinosaurs Really Died

Many scientists and intellectuals think that dinosaurs died when an asteroid smashed into the Earth millions of years ago. However, recently, there has been some controversy over this theory. Some scientists think that it isn't accurate. They think that a tiny insect may have been the biggest factor in the death of these huge creatures. That insect was the mosquito.

These scientists do think that an asteroid hit the Earth in the time of the dinosaurs. But that wasn't what killed all of them. At that time, insects, including the mosquito, were beginning to evolve. Today, we can regulate the number of mosquitoes with pesticides. But that was impossible millions of years ago. The mosquitoes multiplied quickly. And they were certainly not idle. Since there were so many mosquitoes, it was easy for them to bite many of the dinosaurs. When they bit another living thing, the mosquitoes passed along a deadly disease. So the dinosaurs were stricken with the disease. The vast majority of them—from the vegetarians to the meat eaters—died.

To reinforce this idea, scientists stress how gradually the dinosaurs died. If an asteroid had killed them, they would have died very quickly. But the number of dinosaurs decreased slowly. In addition, scientists have found genetic material of mosquitoes in fossils. This material proves that mosquitoes existed back then. Although there may have been other factors, the dinosaurs died mainly because of disease, the scientists say.

No matter how it happened, the dinosaurs' death had a major impact on other living things. Many dinosaurs ate mammals. After the dinosaurs died, mammals were able to evolve and produce offspring. Birds also evolved. Scientists have analyzed the genomes of birds and have discovered that birds have identical genetic material to some dinosaurs. So, there may still be dinosaurs among us after all.

 

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

  1. _____ Some scientists think the asteroid theory isn't accurate.
    __________
  2. _____ A huge creature may have been the biggest factor in the death of these tiny insects.
    __________
  3. _____ Today, we can regulate the number of mosquitoes with pesticides.
    __________
  4. _____ The vast majority of mosquitoes, from the vegetarians to the meat eaters, died.
    __________
  5. _____ In addition, scientists have found the genetic material of mammals in fossils.
    __________
  6. _____ Many dinosaurs ate mammals.
    __________

 

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. What is the passage about?
    • a. Running out of food
    • b. Several factors that caused dinosaur extinction
    • c. Birds descending from dinosaurs
    • d. Asteroids coming to Earth
  2. What do we do to regulate the number of mosquitoes?
    _____
  3. How did the mosquitoes spread the deadly disease?
    _____

 

Answer Key

Leave a comment

Name
Comments
Comments

Load more