Reading and Vocabulary

• I can identify the author’s opinion and talk about animal communication.

Could we really talk to animals?

How to spot what the author really thinks

In a text, the author presents his/her point of view on a topic and different arguments to support that view.

• Writers often use opinion verbs and phrases to signal their position, e.g. I feel …, I think …, In my opinion …, etc.
• Sometimes they express their views more subtly by using modal verbs, e.g. We should …, It must be …, etc.
• They may also use phrases of probability, e.g. Maybe …, Possibly …, etc.

• Remember that you can form your own opinion, rather than uncritically accepting what the author has to say.

• Read the article again and choose the correct answers.

According to the author, how did Jane get the chimpanzees to trust her?

a She talked to them.

b She was relaxed with them.

c They did not know she was there.

What were the two most important discoveries that Jane made?

a The chimpanzees could talk and make tools.

b The chimpanzees had fights and disciplined their children.

c The chimpanzees could use tools and communicate using sign language.

What does the author believe might happen if humans could talk to animals?

a We would change our minds about how animals communicate.

b We might learn to communicate like whales and elephants.

c They might teach us important lessons.

Ten phrasal verbs from the article

But although some of the more intelligent animals can figure out what we want them to do, we have long assumed that communication with – and between – animals must be limited.

1 to receive sounds, phone signals, etc.

2 to cause something to happen

3 to tell someone something you think they don’t know

4 to see something with difficulty

5 to destroy something completely

6 to successfully communicate a message/ an idea

7 to explain something very clearly

8 to meet or find something or someone

9 to solve or understand something

10 to understand and remember something you are told

Use the phrasal verbs in sentences

I was embarrassed when he ___ that I had made some basic spelling mistakes.

It was cloudy, but he could still ___ the distant star.

I ___ an interesting article about space exploration the other day.

Technology has ___ many changes in the way we live.

My science teacher is very good at ___ difficult ideas so that we always understand them.

It took me ages to ___ exactly how to use the telescope.

You don’t understand? Do I have to ___ what I mean?

We couldn’t use our mobile phones in the desert, but started to ___ signals when we went into the mountains.

Talk about animals and communication