The Reading / Listening - Flamingos - Level 1

Scientists think they know how flamingos stand on one leg. We all love these beautiful birds doing this. Scientists have always wondered how they do this. Researchers say they have found the answer to this secret. A professor says the flamingo's skeleton helps it stand on one leg. Its hips and leg bones give the bird great balance. Flamingos do not have to use their muscles a lot to keep standing on one leg.

Another researcher said the flamingo is unique because it can stand on one leg. This is very difficult for humans, even for one hour. Most of us don't know that we're moving all the time. Even when we stand still, our muscles work so we don't fall over. Flamingos do not need to use many muscles to keep still. They can save energy by standing on one leg. Saving energy could be why other birds also stand on one leg.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Flamingos - Level 0 Flamingos - Level 2   or  Flamingos - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-flamingo-balances-one-leg
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40016816
  • http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/808240/flamingos-one-leg-Iconic-pose-animal-kingdom-explained-research


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. We all love these
  2. Scientists have always wondered
  3. they have found the answer
  4. the flamingo's skeleton
  5. Its hips and
  6. give the bird great
  7. Flamingos do not have to use
  8. keep standing
  1. their muscles a lot
  2. beautiful birds
  3. leg bones
  4. on one leg
  5. to this secret
  6. helps it
  7. how they do this
  8. balance

Paragraph 2

  1. Another researcher said the flamingo
  2. This is very difficult
  3. we're moving
  4. our muscles work so we don't fall
  5. Flamingos do not need to use
  6. keep
  7. save
  8. other birds also
  1. energy
  2. still
  3. stand on one leg
  4. for humans
  5. is unique
  6. all the time
  7. many muscles
  8. over

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ how flamingos stand on one leg. (2) ___________________ these beautiful birds doing this. Scientists (3) ___________________ wondered how they do this. Researchers say they have found (4) ___________________ this secret. A professor says the flamingo's skeleton helps it stand on one leg. Its (5) ___________________ bones give the bird great balance. Flamingos do not have to use their muscles a lot to keep (6) ___________________ leg.

Another researcher said the (7) ___________________ because it can stand on one leg. (8) ___________________ difficult for humans, even (9) ___________________. Most of us don't know that we're (10) ___________________ time. Even when we stand still, our muscles work so we don't fall over. Flamingos do not need to use many (11) ___________________ still. They can save energy by standing on one leg. Saving energy could be why other birds (12) ___________________ one leg.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientiststhinktheyknowhowflamingosstandononeleg.Wealllovethe
sebeautifulbirdsdoingthis.Scientistshavealwayswonderedhowtheyd
othis.Researcherssaytheyhavefoundtheanswertothissecret.Aprofes
sorsaystheflamingo'sskeletonhelpsitstandononeleg.Itshipsandlegb
onesgivethebirdgreatbalance.Flamingosdonothavetousetheirmuscl
esalottokeepstandingononeleg.Anotherresearchersaidtheflamingoi
suniquebecauseitcanstandononeleg.Thisisverydifficultforhumans,e
venforonehour.Mostofusdon'tknowthatwe'removingallthetime.Eve
nwhenwestandstill,ourmusclesworksowedon'tfallover.Flamingosdo
notneedtousemanymusclestokeepstill.Theycansaveenergybystandi
ngononeleg.Savingenergycouldbewhyotherbirdsalsostandononele
g.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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