DESCRIPTIVE

In the zoo, this animal stands like a mountain. This animal may be 3 or 4 meters high. The weight may be 5 or 6 tons. This mountain of flesh is wrapped in a wrinkled suit of rough, gray skin. Its legs are like pillars. Its huge ears flap gently back and forth like wings. Look at the long trunk. When you throw some peanuts, the trunk picks up the peanuts with the ‘finger’ at the tip of the trunk. Then, the huge beast will put it into its mouth and eat it happily. This animal is also remarkable for its tusks. Tusks are long teeth that continue to grow throughout its life.
The number of these animals, however, has decreased a lot. More and more of them are killed for their tusks. Many die because trees in their forest have been cut down. They cannot find food and protection in the forest anymore. If people aren’t able to save them, these animals, sooner or later, may vanish from this earth. [Adapted from The New Book of Knowledge, ‘74]

Task 1
Find in the text the English equivalents of the following words.
1. soft thing between the skin and the bone: ________________
2. not smooth: ______________
3. Move from side to side:________________________
4. animal: _________________
5. disappear: ____________________
6. the very long nose: ____________________
7. the very long teeth: _____________________

Task 2
Answer the following question by reading the text. Compare your answers to your friends’.
1. How do you describe the skin of the animal?
2. Find in the text what is meant by long teeth.
3. Can this animal be classified as a domestic animal?
4. In what way are these animals useful to us?
5. How can people help preserve these animals?
6. What is discussed in paragraph three?