(New Century Readings, Methold and Jones)
Pre-reading activity
- What animals do you like?
- Do you have any animals in your home?
- Do you think that most animals can see as well as we can?
Scientists think that many -- perhaps most -- animals don't see colors. The world is black and white to them. To find out if dogs could see colors, scientists played a certain piece of music before giving their dogs some food. After a few days the dogs started getting ready to eat every time they heard this piece of music. They did not get ready to eat when they heard other pieces of music.
Then the scientists showed the dogs a certain color before giving them food. After a few days the dogs would get ready to eat when they saw this color. The scientists then showed the dogs a different color and the dogs got ready to eat again. The dogs could not distinguish between the different colors.
Monkeys, however, can see distinct differences between colors. For example, if we put food in a red box on a daily basis, a monkey will always go to the red box to get the food. If we then fill a blue box with food, the monkey won't go to it.
Then the scientists showed the dogs a certain color before giving them food. After a few days the dogs would get ready to eat when they saw this color. The scientists then showed the dogs a different color and the dogs got ready to eat again. The dogs could not distinguish between the different colors.
Monkeys, however, can see distinct differences between colors. For example, if we put food in a red box on a daily basis, a monkey will always go to the red box to get the food. If we then fill a blue box with food, the monkey won't go to it.
New words
certain - particular but not named
get ready - to make or become ready
distinguished between - to recognize the difference between things
however - nevertheless, yet
distinct - not the same, clearly different
on a daily basis - happening or done every day
fill with - to make a container full with something
Main idea
The story is about
1. monkeys and boxes 3. scientists and color
2. scientists and boxes 4. animals and color
Looking for detail
a. dogs b. monkeys c. scientists d. all animals
2. Some scientists wanted to find out if dogs
a. liked eating b. saw colors c. liked monkeys d. liked music
3. The scientists played a certain piece of music
a. after giving the dogs some food
b. before giving the dogs some food
c. before showing the dogs some boxes
d. after showing the dogs some monkeys
Vocabulary
1. Match the words in A to the words in B to make sentences.
A B
a. I'm trying to get fit, e. to fill the kettle with water.
b. It takes about half an hour f. my sister doesn't.
c. I eat meat; however g. so I exercise on a daily basis.
d. To make a hot drink, you need h. to get ready for school.
2. In the passage you read, "...the dogs started getting ready to eat..." Choose the correct expression with get to complete the following.
getting ready getting together getting old get going
a. A: What are you doing today?
B: I am _____ with my friends.
b. A: We should _____ or we'll be late for the movie.
c. A: I wish you'd hurry up. You've been _____ for an hour.
d. A: Why are you unhappy?
B: I have had a long life, but now I am _____.
3. Choose the correct word or words.
a. I would like to _____ if animals can count. [ hear / find out ]
b. I get sick if I eat _____ foods. [ certain / different ]
c. These two pieces of fabric are too similar.
Let's choose two _____ patterns [ different / distinct ]
d. The Simpson between them. [ distinguish / see ]
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