Unit 9. Undersea world

Unit 9:
- Reading -
BEFORE YOU READ
Work with a partner: Look at the map and give the Vietnamese names for the oceans on the map.

Work with a partner: Look at the pictures below. Can you name the sea animal in each picture? The first letter of the word has been given to help you.


S_________
J__________
T___________
S___________
eal
ellyfish
urtle
hark
There is only one ocean. It is divided into five different parts: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic, and Arctic Oceans. There are also many other smaller seas, gulfs and bays which form part of them. Altogether they cover 75 percent of the earth’s surface. For centuries, people have been challenged by the mysteries that lie beneath the ocean. However, today’s scientists have overcome many of the challenges of the depth by using modern devices. They send submarines to investigate the seabed and bring samples of marine life back to the surface for further study. Satellite photographs provide a wide range of information, including water temperature, depth and the undersea populations. If modern technology did not exist, we would never have such precious information.
Marine plants and animals fall into three major groups. Some of them live on or depend on the bottom like the starfish. Some are swimming animals such as fishes and sharks that move independently of water currents while others are tiny organisms that are carried along by the currents like the jellyfish. Plants and animals of the sea, however small or oversized, all contribute to its biodiversity. Unless this biodiversity were maintained, marine life would be at stake.

Task 1. The words in the box all appear in the passage. Fill each blank with one of them. There are more words than needed.
Some plants and animals are referred to as _______ organisms because they are extremely small.
Thanks to modern technology, scientist have been able to ____________ the life of plants and animals that live under the sea.
A _________ is a large area of sea that is partly surrounded by land.
___________ is a term that refers to the existence of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced environment.
These scientists have collected different _________ to analyse for their experiment.

tiny
investigate
gulf
Biodiversity
samples
Task 2. Read the passage again and then answer the following question.
What percentage of the earth’s surface is covered by seas and oceans?
Seas and oceans cover 75 percent of the earth’s surface.
How do scientist now overcome the challenges of the depth?
They overcome the challenges of the depth by using modern service.
What can submarines do to help scientists know about the undersea world?
They investigate the seabed and bring samples of marine life back to the surface
What can we learn from the satellite photos?
We can learn about water temperature, depth and the undersea populations.
What are the three group of marine plants and animals?
What would happen if the sea biodiversity were not maintained?
Marine life would be at stake.
AFTER YOU READ
Work in pair. Complete the summary of the reading passage by filling each blank with a word or phrase given in the box below
Though covering (1) ________________ of the earth’s surface, the ocean has remained (2) _______________ to us until recently. With (3) _____________ technology we have now made important (4) ______________ about the (5) ______________ of marine life. We have learnt that whether tiny or (6) ______________, all the (7) ____________________ of the sea are (8) _________________.

three-quarters
mysterious
modern
discoveries
biodiversity
huge
plants and animals
closely connected