Easy English News-Elephants
Hi! An Easy English News story about elephants. Oh just 2 paragraphs of interesting things about my favorite animal. There is a quiz to find out how much you remembered. But, like the title says, it’s an EASY story!
Paragraph 1
Zoologists in Germany have uncovered a previously unknown sensory faculty in elephants. It explains why the giant beasts’ trunks are so dexterous. The scientists found that the whiskers at the tip of the trunk are sensitive enough to detect the smallest, most delicate objects. The scientists are from the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. They say the incredible sensitivity of the whiskers compensates for the elephant’s poor eyesight. Whiskers are essential for navigating, locating food, and social communication. The researchers say the whiskers are “smart” and give the elephant an added sense of intelligence.
Paragraph 2
Scientists believe the insights from their research will assist in advancing robotics and neuroscience. Study co-author Dr Andrew Schulz said: “Each whisker on elephants’ trunks acts as a tactile sensory organ.” This allows an elephant to pick up something as delicate as a potato chip without breaking it. The research could help increase dexterity in robots. Dr Lena Kaufmann is excited about how the research could advance neuroscience. She said her findings “contribute to our understanding of the tactile perception of these fascinating animals”. She says the study will increase our understanding of “neuronal computation” — how the brain’s neurons process information to think, feel, and act.
The Quiz
Paragraph 1
You have read the paragraphs Right? Now it’s time to answer the questions.
Jot the correct letter under the Number. For example, the answer to #1 is Letter e. Got it? Then, go to it!
| 1. | zoologists | a. | Grouped closely together. |
| 2. | faculty | b. | Large or wild animals. |
| 3. | beasts | c. | A natural ability or skill. |
| 4. | dexterous | d. | Makes up for something that is missing or weak. |
| 5. | clustered | e. | Scientists who study animals. |
| 6. | delicate | f. | Good at using your hands in a quick and careful way. |
| 7. | compensates | g. | Easily broken or damaged. |
Paragraph 2
| 8. | insights | h. | To give or add something to help. |
| 9. | neuroscience | i. | The act of calculating or processing information. |
| 10. | tactile | j. | The way you understand or notice something. |
| 11. | contribute | k. | The study of the brain and nervous system. |
| 12. | perception | l. | Special cells in the brain and body that send messages. |
| 13. | computation | m. | New and clear understanding about something. |
| 14. | neurons | n. | Related to the sense of touch. |
Source: breakingnewsenglish.com
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