Clever Claws. A New Wildlife Series Begin on TV Next Week

0 – A What is the world's most intelligent animal'? Television producer Mike Beynon and his team of animal experts have searched the world for the new TV series Clever Claws, which will be broadcast this autumn. You won't find any performing seals among the contenders, however, because of the animals featured use their brains to solve problems encountered in their natural environments. Mike points out that the brainiest creatures are often those that we think of as pests. "Rats, foxes and pigeons are pretty intelligent," he says. "We only call them pests because they have learnt to exploit us; instead of being frightened."

16 In the last century, animals have had to cope with enormous changes, from pollution to climate shifts. The clever creatures are those that learn to survive by adapting; those that don't, animal behavior is controlled by instinct," says Mike. "Give most creatures something new and they don't know what to do - it's only the clever ones which accept the challenge." And the first programme in the series, which you can see next Monday evening includes a few examples of just that.

17 Can an elephant be as quiet as a mouse? It seems it can! When farmers in Thailand suspected elephants of stealing their banana crops, they hung a bell around each animal's neck so that they'd get warning of an attack. But one elephant has worked out how to stop his bell ringing, so he can get to the bananas undetected. The elephant fills the bell with mud which stops the sound. But that's not all. By morning, the mud has dried and fallen out and so the locals still can't identify the mystery banana burglar!

18 And it's not only land animals that prove to.be quite bright.

Octopuses have fantastic eyesight and big brains for their size, so Mike and his team put one in a specially designed tank, designed like a maze with lots or tunnels that led nowhere and choices to make about whether to go left or right and junctions. "The octopus had a good memory and solved our puzzle by trial and error. After two weeks it could get out of that maze in under a minute," says Mike.

19 Just like humans, animals use their intelligence to their own advantage. Sometimes they even use man's inventions to get ahead of the competition. Big cats such as cheetahs and leopards have been spotted standing on safari vehicles, ready and waiting to leap out at their prey. Clever, but worrying, says Mike. "If a cheetah uses a man-made object to gain an advantage over an antelope in an attack, then that is very dangerous, because it puts nature out of balance."

20 For a programme about brainy animals, apes and monkeys feature surprisingly little in Clever Claws. Mike says that's because it's already well-known that they're intelligent. Orang-utans do get a mention, however. We see a mother helping her family cross a river full or crocodiles in Borneo. She's watched humans and so borrows a boat and paddle so that her little ones can enjoy a safe crossing. Now that's what you call intelligence!

Which paragraph mentions:

A animals that will not appear in the programme?

B an animal that managed to solve a problem quickly?

C an animal which has prevented humans controlling its behaviour?

D an animal that was able to remember things?

E the way the majority of animals react to things?

F an animal which has followed a human example?

G an example of intelligence that may not have a positive outcome?

H an animal whose behaviour reminds of a man's profession?

Task 5 Read the text below. For question (21-30) choose the correct answer (A, S, C or D). Write your answer in the boxes. An example (0) has been done for you.

Light Pollution

Some years ago, when I was working as an astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory in London, I received a letter from an elderly lady living (0) A who said: "When I was a girl, we could see so many stars, but they're not there any more. Have they faded?" Walking down from the hill on which the observatory stands, I (21) ____ the truth of what she said. Beneath me were all the lights of London and above me was the orange glow they (22) ____ into the night sky. But I could (23) _____ see any stars.

If light pollution - as this (24) ____ is known continues to increase at its present rate, our grandchildren will only (25) _____ the chance to see the stars if they visit an observatory like the one in Greenwich. Light pollution is almost (26) ___ for granted in most cities, and it is fast spreading into rural areas too. (27) ___

recent research, almost half of all Europeans and two-thirds of North Americans can no longer see the Milky Way. And this type of pollution doesn't only (28) ___ our view of the night sky, it also wastes money and causes environmental pollution. For example, a single light bulb, (29) ____ all year, releases around a quarter of a tonne of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, (30) ___ global warming even worse.

Writing

Task 1 Read the text below. Complete the story with the correct f6rms of the words in brackets. Write your answers on the lines. An example (0) has been done for you.

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