Introduction In general, authentic material is any text written for public consumption.

It is real-life text and not for pedagogic purposes.

Rationale of Adaptation
The authentic material is adapted downwardly.

Original text
STATUS: Vulnerable. DESCRIPTION: Giraffes are one of the world's tallest mammals. They are well known for their long necks, long legs, and spotted patterns. Giraffes have small "horns" or knobs on top of their heads that grow to be about five inches long. These knobs are used to protect the head in fights. SIZE: Male giraffes are larger than females. Males weigh between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds and stand up to 19 feet tall! Female giraffes weigh between 1,600 and 2,600 pounds and grow to be 16 feet tall. POPULATION: Giraffe populations are relatively stable. LIFESPAN: Healthy giraffes live about 25 years in the wild. RANGE: Giraffes can be found in central, eastern and southern Africa. HABITAT: Giraffes live in the savannas of Africa, where they roam freely among the tall trees, arid land, dense forests and open plains. FOOD:

Their long necks help giraffes eat leaves from tall trees, typically acacia trees. If they need to, giraffes can go for several days without water. Instead of drinking, giraffes stay hydrated by the moisture from leaves. BEHAVIOR: Giraffes are non-territorial, social animals. They travel in large herds that are not organized in any way. Herds may consist of any combination of sexes or ages. OFFSPRING: Female giraffes typically give birth to one calf after a fifteen-month gestation period. During the first week of its life, the mother carefully guards her calf. Young giraffes are very vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. While mothers feed, the young are kept in small nursery groups. THREATS: Giraffes are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. The tail is prized for good luck bracelets, fly whisks and string for sewing beads. The coat is used for shield coverings. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are also threats to giraffe populations. PROTECTION: No current protective laws.

http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/giraffe.html

Adapted Text

Read the passage below and complete the mind map. Giraffes are the tallest mammal in the world. They have long necks, long legs and spotted patterns. They also have small knobs to protect their head in fights. Male giraffes are larger than females. They can grow up to 19 feet while female giraffes can only grow to be 16 feet tall. Giraffe populations are relatively stable. They can live about 25 years. Normally, giraffe can be found in central, eastern and southern Africa. They live in grassland where they can move freely among the trees and land. Giraffe eats leaves from tall trees especially acacia trees. They can go for several days without water. Besides drinking, they can rely on the moisture from leaves. Giraffes do not stay at the same place for long. They travel in large herds which consist of different sexes or ages. For the next generation, female giraffes give birth to one calf after fifteen months of pregnancy. During the first week, the mother guards the calf carefully. Young giraffes are very weak and cannot protect themselves. When mothers feed, the young giraffes are kept in small nursery group. However, there are also some threats to giraffe populations. They are hunted for their meat, coat and tails. Habitat destruction and fragmentation also endanger the giraffe populations.

Giraffes

Appearance

Lifespan

Habitat

Food

Threats