CyanChin’s Blog

I ceate this new blog in order to have a new page for my secondary students.

I hope they can read more English articles and also write in English.

polar bear

In Spring 2008, the polar bear was placed on the endangered species list. According to the Endangered Species Act, an endangered species is an animal that is likely to face extinction in its natural habitat. Polar bears have been categorized as a “threatened” species. The ESA defines a threatened species as one that is likely to become “endangered” in the foreseeable future.

The polar bear is the first animal that has been classified as endangered due primarily to global warming. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that become trapped in the atmosphere. Heating homes, driving cars, and burning garbage all require fossil fuels that lead to global warming.

The polar bear’s habitat is more vulnerable to global warming than many other species. Polar bears live mainly on the sea ice in the Arctic. This is where they hunt for fish and build up fat reserves. When the ice melts many polar bears move to land and live off their stored fat. In the Arctic, global warming is causing the ice to melt slightly earlier and form slightly later. This results in a shorter feeding season for the polar bear. Some risk their lives to find ice. If they have to swim too far they will drown from exhaustion and hunger. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that 25% of the Arctic sea ice has disappeared in the past 30 years.

It is not only the polar bear that is at risk in the Arctic. Every species of plant, animal, and insect there is threatened by global warming. Nevertheless, environmentalist groups such as the World Wildlife Fund often study large carnivores in order to assess the health of an ecosystem. The Arctic food chain relies on the polar bear. In addition, donations are more commonly offered for the protection of large animals such as bears or elephants. People in general are less interested in conservation efforts that protect small wildlife, such as plants or insects. However, by using donor money to protect the habitat of the larger animals (ex. reforestation programs), entire ecosystems can be protected.

It is important that animals such as the polar bear make it onto the endangered species list. Once they are on the list there are laws that protect these animals from being hunted for food or sport. Agencies also receive money and tools to protect the habitat and recover the species. The goal of removing the animal from the list is often achievable. Since the Endangered Species Act was introduced in the US in 1973, many species have been taken off the list due to increased populations. In fact, it is rare for a species to go extinct after they make the list. Sadly many species do go extinct while waiting for consideration.

Students, please spot the errors:

1. Polar bears cannot to swim long distances without eating.
2. Can you understand what the environmentalist was saying about global warming?
3. A rare insect got on the endangered species list last year, and the conservationists could to recover it within six months.
4. We must to do our part to help preserve the Arctic habitat.
5. We must’nt forget about the other animals and plants in the Arctic food chain.

Be happy to learn English

1.     The Past Continuous tense shows an action that was going on in the past and then something suddenly happened. This tense is often used with words like ‘while’, ‘when’ and ‘as’.

e.g.     When their mother came home, they were playing computer games.

2.      We also use the Past Continuous tense for an action that was going on at a given time or period of time in the past.

e.g.     We were watching television at 9 o’clock last night.

3.      We can also use the Past Continuous tense to show two actions going at the same time in the past.

e.g.     While Mrs. Chan was knitting, Mr. Chan was reading the newspapers.

Exercise 1

1.          While I _________________ (write) a letter, my mother _________________(walk) in.

2.          He ________________ (twist) his ankle as he ________________ (go) up the stairs.

3.          While I ________________(have) my bath, I _________________(hear) a scream.

4.          I ________________(meet) your brother when I ________________(walk) down the street.

5.          We ________________(wait) for Kitty at one o’clock yesterday afternoon.

6.          While the pupils _______________(shout) in the room, the headmaster _____________(walk) in.

7.          I ________________(rain) this morning when I _____________(woke) up.

8.          While you ________________(play) with May, I _________________(study) for my test.

9.          She _____________(burn) her fingers while she _________________(bake) the cake.

10.      While you _______________________(not look). He spilled the bottle of water.

11.      Those men __________________(paint) my house all yesterday afternoon.

12.      I __________________(enjoy) myself at the party when he ______________(rush) in.

13.      While the ant _______________(work) all summer, the grasshopper ______________(play) in the sun.

14.      He ___________________(jump) off the bus while it ________________(still move) on the road.

15.      ‘What ___________you ________________(do) at 9 last night?’

‘Oh, I ____________________(read) a book.’

Exercise 2

1.      While I _________________ (go) to school yesterday, I ______________(see) Miss Chin.

2.      He ________________ (hurt) his ankle as he ________________ (play) football.

3.      I ________________(wash) my hands when the telephone _________________(ring).

4.      When we _______________(reach) his house last night, he and his wife _________________(laugh).

5.      Just as he ________________(come) out of the shop, he ________________(meet) his old friends.

6.      As my sister _______________(run) down the steps, she _____________(trip) over a brick.

7.      At 6 o’clock yesterday I _____________(wait) for you at the cinema. I _________________(wait) until it was seven, then I _______________(go) in to see the film alone.

8.      I made it just in time. When I ______________(reach) school this morning, the bell ____________(ring) and all the pupils ________________(walk) into their classrooms.

9.      As I ___________________(get) into the bus, it suddenly _____________(start) to move.

10.  They _______________(watch) television when the fire _______________(break) out.

11.  She _________________(sit) on the chair when she suddenly _________________(scream) out.

12.  He _________________(sit) down and ________________(read) a book while I _______________(do) my sums.

13.  At nine o’clock last night I ______________(read) an interesting book when the light ____________(go) out.

14.  When I _________________(walk) into the room, they _____________________(have) their dinner. They _________________(take) no notice and ____________________(go) on eating.

15.  I __________________(look) for my pencil when I found that I ___________________(have) it in my pocket all the time.

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