While some animals are indeed in immediate danger of exctinction because so few of them are

currently left alive, the threat of extinction is not limited onlyto the few animal species we can
recognize in pictures or during our visits to the zoo. The threat of extinction can affect every
animal species on the planet. For hundreds of millions of years, extinction has been
occurring naturally, as part of the evolutionary process. Some cases of extinction have been
caused by natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions. Others have been the result of
enviromental changes, such as shifts in climate. Sometimes extinction occurs on a very large
scale, with hundreds or thousands of species becoming extinct over a relatively short
period of time. An example of this is the dinosaurs, who became extinct at least 65 million
years ago. But biologists warn us that the current rate of extinction is alarming - they say that at
least three animal and plant species become extinct every day, a rate muchhigher than ever
before. Rapid habitat destruction is the main reasonthat animal species become endangered.
Natural changes usually occur at a slow rate, so the effects on the individual species are usually
slight, at least over the short term. When the rate of change is greatly speeded up, there may
be no time for individual species to adapt to new conditions. The results can be
disastrous. This increase in the rate of habitat destruction is directly linked to the rise in
human population. As more people use more space for homes, farms, shopping centres, and so
on, there is less living space for species that cannot adapt to changing conditions. People also
affect animal habitats when they take wood, oil and other products from the land. Another
people-related problem that harms wild animals is the introduction of exotic species foreign
species that are deliberatly or accidentaly introduced into new habitats by human
activities. Sometimes an introduced species causes no obvious harm, but in other cases
the indroduced species causes serious problems. The worst of these problems is when
introduced species begin to prey on native species and cause them harm. Finally, animal species
become endangered also due to overexploitation. One example of this is the case of the great
whales, many of which were reduced to extremely lowpopulation sizes in the mid-20th century
because of unrestricted whaling. In 1982, a number of countries agreed to put a ban on
commercial whaling. As a result, some whale species that used to be endangered have made
great comebacks. Many other species, however, are still at risk. Some other animal
species experience high rates of exploitation because of the trade in animal parts.
Currently, this trade is centered in several parts of Asia where there is a strong market for

traditional medicines made from items like tiger bone or rhino horn. Other people-related
problems that put plant and animal species at risk include poaching, pollution, and overcollecting. Many birds sing or whistle and some, such as parrots can even talk. Kagus are birds
that bark! There are only about 650 of them and they live in the forests and valleys of New
Caledonia, an island about 1,450 km east of Australia. They are 51-61 centimetres long
and weigh about one kilogram. One problem for kagus is the animals that people have brought to
New Caledonia. These dogs, cats and pigs eat kagus or their eggs. Another problem is hunting
some people kill kagusfor their meat. However, the biggest problem for kagus is the loss of their
natural habitat. The forests of New Caledonia have been cleared for mining and agriculture,
leaving mainly a few small valleys where the kagus can live. Conservationists have pressed for
habitat conservation through the establishment of new wildlife refuges and wilderness areas and
for public and private land-use planning that would provide for development without habitat
destruction. Some wildlife conservation organizations try to keep seriously endangered
speciesviable with captive breeding programs, releasing new offspring into the species' native
habitat when breeding is successful.
What is the main reason why animal species become endangered?
Read the text again carefully, focusing on the highlighted words. In pairs, match them to their
meanings (a-h).
1 extinction
2 alarming
3 adapt
4 exotic species
5 prey
6 overexploitation
7 poaching
8 conservationists

9 habitat conservation
10 offspring
a illegally taking protected animals or plants
b foreign species that have been introduced to a new habitat
c to hunt for and take by force
d wasteful killing of a species, usually by hunting or poaching
e preservation of the place where a species normal lives or occurs
f causing worry and fear
g the young of an animal or plant
h the complete disappearance of an animal species
i people who take an active part in the protection of the environment
j to develop and change in order to survive
Bridging The Generation Gap: Improving Family Relationships
In this age of nuclear families, statistics reveal that despite the burgeoning population, older
people tend to be lonely and isolated. It is understandable in families where youngsters have
moved far away to build their own lives however, when three family generations live in the
same city, sometimes even in the same home, it does leave a question mark.
Yes, the younger generation tends to have taxing schedules. Many work long hours and even
have health issues and other sources of stress. Their parents do not agree with their new values,
and so they move out as soon as possible. Lately, a new level of job insecurity has kicked in, and
marriage and kids add to the distance from the older generations.
A common refrain I love my folks, but have no time to spend with them. Not surprisingly,
older people feel the youngsters do not care anymore now that they have their education and
their jobs, they do not want the added burden of looking after parents.

The result? Terse or non-existent communication, and little or no time spent together. They
would like to see more of the grandchildren, but fear rejection. A common refrain We are a
burden. They do not want us to interfere in their lives anymore. We have been put out to
pasture!
Kids, who form the third arm of this triangle, grow up with mostly absent fathers and mothers,
but plenty of material goods. With no appropriate values, they do not know how to deal with
many social situations.
A case in point: Teen muggings and killings being reported lately from super-affluent Gurgaon,
outside Delhi. With busy, working parents, teens are growing up without a sense of connection or
good values. We need to bridge the gap between these three generations.
Halloween is a secular festival that is celebrated annually on the 31st of October and is also
referred to as the All Hollows Day or All Saints Day. The festival has its roots in the
Celtic beliefs of Samhain and is sometimes regarded as the Celtic New Year. It was a popular
belief among the ancient Celts that on the occasion of Halloween, the dead and the deceased
intermingle with the living world, transcending all boundaries of time and space. Hence, to avert
the possible danger that these disembodied spirits might cause on the living world, the people
would extinguish any form of fire in their homes, with the purpose of making them cold and
unwanted. They would then adorn different types of ghoulish costumes and parade through the
streets making loud noise and chaos.