Transcript
Sticking their necks out for scientific research.
These giraffes at a zoo near London are helping researchers find out just how their spindly legs work.
Experts are using special technology to measure the animals’ leg movements. They want to see if being tall is a help or a hindrance to moving around.
The scientists also hope to solve the evolutionary mystery of how these animals developed from their more modestly proportioned ancestors.
Vocabulary
sticking their necks out
(idiom) taking a risk
spindly
long and thin
hindrance
something that can make it difficult for you to do something else
evolutionary
gradual process of change and development
modestly proportioned
smaller sized
To do
Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports.
Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.
sticking their necks out / spindly / hindrance / evolutionary / modestly proportioned
1. Scientists have used CT scans to make 3D models of fossil harvestmen, revealing just how little these __________ invertebrates have changed in 300 million years.
2. Suddenly, campaign ads, which had previously been __________ fly-poster style efforts became 48 sheet billboards displayed in prominent High Street locations, where they could compete for eyeballs with major consumer brands.
3. A machine that runs an artificial finger across different types of surface is being used to investigate the __________ origins of the pattern of ridges on the ends of our digits.
4. Doran revealed it was the first time the Shakespeare comedies Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing had been paired. “It’s always struck me that these plays belong together and so strong is my sense that I am __________ to say that Much Ado About Nothing may also have been known as Love’s Labour’s Won in Shakespeare’s lifetime,” said Doran.
5. Divya Arora, a scriptwriter with cerebral palsy, thinks that disability is no __________ to achieving her dream of making it big in Bollywood.
Answers
1. Scientists have used CT scans to make 3D models of fossil harvestmen, revealing just how little these spindly invertebrates have changed in 300 million years.
2. Suddenly, campaign ads, which had previously been modestly-proportioned fly-poster style efforts became 48 sheet billboards displayed in prominent High Street locations, where they could compete for eyeballs with major consumer brands.
3. A machine that runs an artificial finger across different types of surface is being used to investigate the evolutionary origins of the pattern of ridges on the ends of our digits.
4. Doran revealed it was the first time the Shakespeare comedies Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing had been paired. “It’s always struck me that these plays belong together and so strong is my sense that I am sticking my neck out to say that Much Ado About Nothing may also have been known as Love’s Labour’s Won in Shakespeare’s lifetime,” said Doran.
5. Divya Arora, a scriptwriter with cerebral palsy, thinks that disability is no hindrance to achieving her dream of making it big in Bollywood.