©(Ajay Narendra via AP)
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- nocturnal /nok-TUR-nl/
- reproduce /ree-pruh-DOOS/
- invertebrate /in-VUR-tuh-brit/
- celestial /suh-LES-chuhl/
- randomly /RAN-duhm-lee/
[adjective] – active at night
The owl is a nocturnal bird that hunts for food in the dark.
[verb] – to produce babies or young
Frogs return to the pond every spring to reproduce.
[noun] – an animal without a backbone
A jellyfish is a type of invertebrate found in the ocean.
[adjective] – related to the sky or outer space
The telescope helps us see celestial objects like planets and stars.
[adverb] – without a plan, order, or pattern
The books were randomly placed on the shelf with no order.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
A new scientific study has revealed that the Bogong moth, a nocturnal insect from Australia, uses the stars to navigate during its annual migration. Each year, when temperatures increase, these moths travel approximately 1,000 kilometers to reach the cooler caves of the Australian Alps. The migration occurs at night and ends when the moths return to their original location to reproduce and complete their life cycle. This discovery marks the first time that an invertebrate has been scientifically proven to rely on celestial navigation for such a long-distance journey. Findings from the research were shared through the academic journal Nature, recognized for publishing significant scientific advancements.
Researchers studied the moths’ navigation by using a flight simulator that displayed a realistic night sky. To isolate the effect of starlight, they also blocked the Earth’s magnetic field. Moths were able to navigate properly when the star patterns matched those found in the real night sky. However, when the stars were randomly scrambled, the moths became disoriented. Brain activity was also observed to respond to specific star patterns, confirming that visual cues in the sky influence their movement. Although the exact visual cues remain unidentified, scientists suggest that bright celestial features like the Milky Way may assist in navigation. This finding not only highlights the sophisticated sensory abilities of insects with limited brain capacity but also offers new insights into how even simple organisms can perform complex navigational tasks.
Researchers studied the moths’ navigation by using a flight simulator that displayed a realistic night sky. To isolate the effect of starlight, they also blocked the Earth’s magnetic field. Moths were able to navigate properly when the star patterns matched those found in the real night sky. However, when the stars were randomly scrambled, the moths became disoriented. Brain activity was also observed to respond to specific star patterns, confirming that visual cues in the sky influence their movement. Although the exact visual cues remain unidentified, scientists suggest that bright celestial features like the Milky Way may assist in navigation. This finding not only highlights the sophisticated sensory abilities of insects with limited brain capacity but also offers new insights into how even simple organisms can perform complex navigational tasks.
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever looked at the stars on a clear night? If so, what did you see or feel when you looked at the sky? If not, would you like to try it someday? Why or why not?
- Have you ever learned about how animals move from one place to another? If so, what animal did you learn about, and what did it do? If not, what do you think might be interesting about learning how animals travel?
- Do you agree that animals can be smart even if they have small brains?
- What does this study tell us about how much we still do not know about insects?
- Why is it important for humans to study how animals live and survive?
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe:
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- scientific study
- migration
- discovery
- advancement
- insight