The English Lesson 6 theme is CAPE TOWN PENGUINS

Part One: Learn English Skills

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

Cape Town Penguins Simonstown Penguins are funny-looking flightless sea birds.

They have black and white feathers and a lot of fat under their skin, which adds to their comical appearance. Their fat helps them to survive for long periods in cold water, where they hunt for little sea creatures.

Penguins are as good at swimming as other birds are at flying. Their wings have become flippers which they use to propel themselves through the water.

Tourists love to visit the hundreds of tame penguins at Simon's Town beach just outside of Cape Town.

Pollution caused by people kills penguins though. A ship sank recently, close to Cape Town, and a lot of oil was released into the ocean. Many penguins got covered in the sticky oil, and would have died without help. Luckily thousands of people are helping to catch and clean the birds,

and most of them are now okay. It is the biggest bird-saving operation ever.

Your Turn

Why does the penguin have a lot of fat under its skin?
What does the penguin use its "flippers" for?
Which word in the text means the same as "funny"?
Which word in the text means "a short time ago"?
Genius Question: Give two meanings of "operation".

Part Two: Learn English Structure

Adjectives that follow verbs

In English we use adjectives to describe nouns (things).

For example: The penguin is an INTERESTING bird. Penguins have BLACK and WHITE feathers. In this case the adjective "INTERESTING" gives more information about the noun "bird".

The adjectives "BLACK" and "WHITE" describe the noun "feathers". Usually the adjective stands directly before the noun that it describes, but in special cases (with certain verbs) it can follow the verb. In these cases, the noun which the adjective describes is the subject of the sentence.

Verbs of this kind are BE, APPEAR, SEEM, LOOK, SMELL, FEEL, SOUND and TASTE. Be careful not to use adverbs in these cases! Only a verb that is not an action can be followed by an adjective. Other verbs are followed by adverbs; adverbs usually end with "-ly".

For example: Fresh fish tastes very NICE. (not NICELY!!!) The penguin colony seems very POPULAR. (not POPULARLY!!!) The sea appears CALM. (not CALMLY!!!)

Your Turn

Choose the correct verb from the list for each missing word. Remember that the first two have been completed for you.

Verbs: feel ; swim ; appear ; taste ; walk ; watch

Many sea creatures _______ good to penguins. ANSWER: Many sea creatures TASTE good to penguins.
Penguins _______ carefully to protect their young. ANSWER: Penguins WATCH carefully to protect their young.
Penguins _______ excellently.
Young penguins _______ big in comparison to the adults.
Many people _______ very unhappy about sea pollution.
If you _______ slowly, penguins will let you come very close to them.

Part Three: Funnies

A man drives to a gas station and has his tank filled up. While doing this the clerk spots two penguins sitting on the back seat of the car. He asks the driver, "What are you doing with the penguins in the back seat?"

The man in the car says, "I found them. I asked myself what to do with them but, I do not know." The clerk ponders a bit then says, "You should take them to the zoo."

"Yes, that's a good idea," says the man in the car and drives away. The next day the man with the car is back at the same gas station. The clerk sees the penguins are still in the back seat of the car.

"Hey, they're still here! I thought you were going to take them to the zoo!" "Oh, I did," says the driver, "and we had a great time. Today I'm taking them to the beach."

Part Four: Famous Words

I have often had the impression that, to penguins, man is just another penguin -- different, less predictable, occasionally violent, but tolerable company when he sits still and minds his own business. - Bernard Stonehouse

Answers

Answers to Part One

Penguins have a lot of fat under their skin to help them survive for long periods in cold water.
They use their flippers to propel themselves through the water.
comical
recently
"Operation" can be an active process, something that is being done or has been undertaken. For example: "It is the biggest bird-saving operation ever." "Operation" can also be the act of surgery performed on a patient.