【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. massive / ˈmæs ɪv/ (adj.) – extremely big
Example: There was a massive footprint of a T. rex found in New Mexico.
2. presume / prɪˈzum/ (v.) – to suppose or believe that something is true
Example: I presumed you knew about dinosaurs because of the movie Jurassic Park, but I was wrong.
3. thrive / θraɪv/ (v.) – to live and grow successfully
Example: Most animals thrive in places with a clean source of water.
4. intact / ɪnˈtækt/ (adj.) – in complete or undamaged condition
Example: I found an old stone with text still intact after hundreds of years.
5. wipe out / ˈwaɪpˌaʊt/ (v.) – to destroy
Example: It is believed that a meteor wiped out dinosaurs from the earth.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
A fossilized footprint discovered in Bolivia is now the world’s largest footprint of a meat-eating dinosaur ever discovered.
While trekking in Maragua Crater, a tour guide found the 115-centimeter dinosaur footprint. Scientists claim it to be from the abelisaurus family, which were tall dinosaurs that walked on two legs and had a massive jaw and short arms, like the more popular Tyrannosaurus rex or T. rex.
The footprint also reveals that larger dinosaurs survived on earth longer than presumed. Larger dinosaurs were once thought to have lived 100 million years ago. However, the discovery challenged that notion since the footprint dated back to only 70 million years ago.
Maragua Crater is only 65 kilometers from the city of Sucre [SOO-kre], where about 10,000 tracks from 15 different species of dinosaurs have already been discovered.
In Sucre, the limestone cliff called Cal Orcko is where most of the dinosaur footprints discovered in the city can be found. One of the longest tracks in the cliff was from a baby T. rex dubbed Johnny Walker.
Studies say that Cal Orcko used to be a shore of soft clay where dinosaurs thrived. The clay dried and the footprints hardened and were preserved for millions of years. Over time, the shore was buried until a local cement company accidentally unearthed it. Fortunately, the company left the layer with the footprints intact because it was unsuited for making cement.
The cliff is now a tourist attraction in the process of becoming a UNESCO heritage site, a place of great cultural importance. If approved, UNESCO will raise $8 million to conserve Cal Orcko. Studies claim that, if left unprotected, the footprints may be wiped out by the year 2020.
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【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· What do you think is the practical reason behind studying dinosaurs?
· Do you think that Cal Orcko should be considered a heritage site because of the dinosaur footprints there? Why or why not?
Discussion B
· Do you think studying about the past is important? Why or why not?
· What information from the past would you like to discover? Why or why not?
