Chapter 1 Unit 2 Flashcards
Bird migration generally takes place twice a year, in the spring and autumn.
Scientists study the habit of migratory birds.
Some birds migrate thousands of miles to reach their summer breeding grounds.
Migrants stop to rest several times during their journey.
Migrate, migration, migrant, migratory:
Movement from one place to another.
These animals always return to the same breeding ground.
Migration is the regular movement of animals between their breeding grounds and the areas that they inhabit during the rest of the year.
Breeding ground:
a place where animals breed and produce their babies.
Poor housing conditions are breeding grounds for crime.
Breeding ground:
a place where something develops easily, especially something unpleasant.
These remote islands are inhabited only by birds.
Inhabit: to live in
Science has always fascinated me.
Anything to do with planes and flying fascinates him.
fascinate, fascinating, fascination.
To interest someone a lot.
If birds become aware of the presence of an observer they quickly fly away.
You have to be a real observant to spot most types of birds.
We can learn a great deal about the lives of birds through simple observation.
Observe, observer, observant,observation.
It’s our imperative to protect the natural environment.
Migration is an excellent example of how nature has responded to the biological imperative for species to evolve and spread out..
Imperative:
A priority, an urgent need
It’s imperative to act now before the problem gets really serious.
It is imperative to keep dogs and cats away from the bird breeding area.
Imperative: very important, essential
Scientists believe that birds evolve from dinosaurs.
The company has evolved over the years into a multi-million dollar organization.
The exhibition will illustrate how life evolved from water.
Most languages are constantly evolving and changing, which is what keeps them alive.
Evolve, evolution, evolutionary:
to develop and change
Migration is an excellent example of how nature has responded to the biological imperative for species to evolve and spread out into all possible ecological niches that can provide the conditions necessary for species to breed and raise young.
Niche:
an area or position that is exactly suitable for a small group of the same type
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species.
Over a hundred species of insect are found in this area.
Species:
set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other.
The most common form of bird migration involves travelling to higher latitudes to breed during the warm season and then returning to lower latitudes during the non-breeding season.
Latitude:
the position north or south of the equator measured from 0° to 90°
This form of migration allows birds to breed in areas that provide optimal conditions for nesting and feeding their youngs.
Optimal: extremely good , most favourable ,best.
the northern/southern hemisphere
Hemisphere: one of two halves of the earth, especially above or below the equator.
The equatorial climate of the Amazonian rain forests is hot and wet.
Equatorial:
near the equator, or typical of places near the equator.